Fatworld game released

Author: Joe Martin
Published: 14th January 2008
Comments (12) Stumble
FatWorld is a simulation described as a cross between Animal Crossing and Super Size Me.

FatWorld is a simulation described as a cross between Animal Crossing and Super Size Me.

Ian Bogost's games often have a serious undertone despite the not-so-serious presentation. It's part of what makes them so popular. His new game, which has been released today, is no different and uses a cartoony style to cover up an attempt to provide a serious examination of obesity in gamers.

Persuasive Games, Ian's studio, has just released FatWorld, a game which Ian describes as "Animal Crossing meets Super Size Me".

"By choosing your character's dietary and exercise habits, you can experiment with the constraints of nutrition and economics as they affect your character's general health...How much can you afford to spend on food, and how does that affect your general health? Characters who eat poorly will get fat. Characters who don't exercise will move around the world more laboriously. Disease and death will eventually ravage players with poor health, while those with good health will live to a ripe age," Ian told Kotaku.

With the USA, UK and Australia all featuring in the Top 30 World's Fattest Countries, its clear that at the very least there is a large proportion of people who could benefit from the ideas put forward in the game.

How healthy do you think you are and how do you think gaming affects your general well-being? Is anybody going to take Fatworld seriously or will it just be buried under a mountain of pies? Let us know what you think in the forums.
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Quote ImInTheZoneBaby 14th January 2008, 11:04
So, the answer to making people lose fat is to play a video game that simulates it for them?
Haha, people are going to sit down and play this game, which means they only work-out and diet virtually, instead of actually doing it in real life...
They'll become even more fat playing this game. O_o
It makes no sense.
Quote [WP@]WOLVERINE 14th January 2008, 11:09
This is just so stupid that i cant even figure out what to say........
Quote The_Pope 14th January 2008, 11:10
Yeah, I prefer the idea of that pedal-powered Playstation thing, or the "bike simulator" where the scenery changes on-screen as you pedal on your exercise bike, giving you new things to look at.

And before some smartarse says "why not jump on a REAL bike and check out REAL scenery" you might want to look out the window - cold, wet and dark in Blighty at this time of year :(
Quote DXR_13KE 14th January 2008, 11:21
its all good if it opens peoples eyes......
Quote keir 14th January 2008, 14:47
But if they have really fat face's the wont be able to!
Quote Bungle 14th January 2008, 14:59
Quote:
Originally Posted by [WP@]WOLVERINE
This is just so stupid that i cant even figure out what to say........
Maybe they will release a computer game about the dangers of RSI. Makes about as much sense doesn't it.:(
Quote knowyourenemy 14th January 2008, 15:59
You know what's a damned good work-out, assuming your a twit like me that prances about like a jackass? Rockband. My bloody roomies picked up the device Saturday morning, and we've all put in just over 16 hours right now. Now, at the risk of sounding like a twit, I'm clearly not sitting on the lounge and playing the ******* thing, I'm, like I said, jumping around like an idiot playing bass. Fun! :D
Quote chrisb2e9 14th January 2008, 17:40
I think this game is aimed at younger gamers. and there is nothing wrong with trying to teach them the effects of getting fat. Most kids are smart enough to figure out that the game is trying to tell them that they need to eat better and exercise more to stay healthy.

Its like having a health show on tv, you dont get any exercise watching it but you can learn how to live better and then go and do it.
I think a company should be congradulated for trying to teach people how to live better. maybe in the next version they can show the effects of smoking.
Quote BurningFeetMan 14th January 2008, 21:23
Is Fatworld on Steam? Saves me from getting up and going to the store...
Quote CardJoe 15th January 2008, 07:43
Quote:
Originally Posted by BurningFeetMan
Is Fatworld on Steam? Saves me from getting up and going to the store...

EPIC WIN! HAVE YOURSELF AN INTERNETS, SIR!
Quote Ryu_ookami 15th January 2008, 10:24
Quote:
Originally Posted by The_Pope
And before some smartarse says "why not jump on a REAL bike and check out REAL scenery" you might want to look out the window - cold, wet and dark in Blighty at this time of year :(

what do you mean at this time of year its ALWAYS COLD, WET AND DARK AND DAMP in the Uk
Quote iwog 15th January 2008, 10:58
@Ryu, look out you window now. See grey and wet and cold. Well at least it is in Cov at the time of writing.

Has anyone actually played this poor excuse for a game? I mean whilst my system isn't raw bleeding edge this thing runs incredibly poorly. It also runs at 800x600 with no obvious way of changing the settings. The only "options" you get are to alter the music and sfx levels in game. There is no fun and character customisation feels very restricted. Where are the brown eyes, or even blue? Why cant I have a properly black character? Why dear god did I waste half an hour of my life attempting to play this laggy un-responsive POS! I have more fun playing ET:QW with a 300 ping.

EDIT: I take back my blue eyes comment, apparently they are possible but only randomly, but still no brown....
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