The Magi Tests Our Courage, Skill and... Blood Sugar?
The Magi and the Sleeping Star is a game aimed at raising awareness of Type 1 Diabetes. Developed by Game Equals Life, this 'health education game' follows the story of a magical hero who must use his powers to save the world while keeping himself healthy all the while.
Adam Grantham from GEL explains:
"When the player’s blood sugar is too high or low, his powers are reduced or even nullified. This makes it impossible for the player to achieve victory until his blood sugar returns to a healthy level. Players are even rewarded with increased power when blood sugar is kept at ideal levels.Players must test blood sugar, choose healthy food, count carbohydrates and deliver appropriate amounts of insulin. This teaches the players to take full responsibility for diabetes management and puts them in a position to deal with its real-time affects in exciting gameplay situations."
Gameplay aside, it will be very interesting to see how this edu-athon goes down with gamers. On the one hand it's a novel idea and the driving force behind Magi is clearly a worthwhile cause. Of course, at the same time there will be those who see it all as a rather silly concept.
Can blasting monsters in a fantasy world and devoting time to 'good blood sugar management' work together?
Comments
Everything else aside, I'm most interested in the crossbow/minigun he's using.
Posted by: Quetz | April 22, 2009 1:08 AM
Sounds good.
I hope it will be good executed.
Posted by: Me | April 22, 2009 1:19 AM
Sounds very interesting. I'm eager to see how they integrated the diabetes management with the action-based gameplay.
By-the-way, back in the 90's the SNES already hosted two action-platform titles dealing with diabetes. Anyone remembers "Captain Novolin" or "Packy & Marlon"?
If you don't, see : http://serious.gameclassification.com/EN/games/987-Captain-Novolin/index.html http://serious.gameclassification.com/EN/games/990-Packy--Marlon/index.html
Posted by: DDams | April 22, 2009 1:22 AM
I wonder if this game will also invite us to check you feet.
Posted by: Anonymous | April 22, 2009 1:29 AM
The mechanics actually sound like a great idea. If it wasn't called "blood sugar levels" and "insulin" and instead had fantasy names this could be a JRPG. Obsessive monitoring of your... say... "medichlorians" would totally appeal as a game mechanic. After the game is over you could reveal that "shooting nazi-dinosaurs in the face aside, you just learned what it is like living with diabetes." Unless people with diabetes actually do shoot nazi-dinosaurs. Maybe I to be better educated about the disease.
Posted by: qwack | April 22, 2009 2:47 AM
TeeGee's Magi is better.
Posted by: Fuzz | April 22, 2009 4:59 AM
Sounds a bit like that cancer-blasting game Re-Mission...
Posted by: GrViper | April 22, 2009 6:13 AM
I really like this, people are learning how to deal with something that could easily be quite depressing, but it makes it rewarding and fun for them instead.
also I think the blood sugar mechanic is really good, and wierd as it sounds I'll be searching wikipedia today for health issues that might make for unique gameplay. :)
Posted by: GirlFlash | April 22, 2009 9:58 AM
"Don't say 'Test your blood sugar'."
"Don't say 'your blood sugar'."
"Don't say 'blood sugar'."
"Dah! You said it, stupid!"
It's like a twinkie with broccoli filling. They could have and SHOULD have simply changed the name. Made up some fantasy disease that functions exactly the same as diabetes, and they'd accomplish the same end and appeal to a wider audience. Call it, like, 'medichlorines' and I'd bet you this would take off.
Posted by: Cymon | April 22, 2009 3:20 PM
I tend to write my comment before i read all the comments. I didn't notice that medichlorines had already been suggested.
Well that just demonstrates how good an idea it is.
Posted by: Cymon | April 22, 2009 3:23 PM
I had hypoglycemia/hyperglycemia idea for a game a while ago. Nice to see someone implementing it.
Posted by: Miroslav Malesevic | April 22, 2009 5:54 PM
I really like this idea!
Assuming the game play is decent it looks like it may do for diabetes education what 'Typing of the Dead' did for learning to type. Combining teaching real world skills with what we know how to do really well in games, escapist settings with twitch gameplay.
I actually like the fact that they're keeping the real world names for the disease, blood levels etc... I'd be interested to see a mainstream game with a protagonist suffering from a real world incurable disease that has to be regulated by the player. I think it's an interesting way to ground a fantasy or science fiction setting in reality and add an interesting gameplay mechanic at the same time.
Posted by: Miguel S. | April 22, 2009 9:59 PM
I think a better idea for a game would be a football game with only the black colleges and they all have diabetes.
Posted by: Ian | April 24, 2009 10:37 AM