The blogosphere speaks...

I am pleased to see the digerati set writing positively about the game online. I haven't seen any real trash jobs on the game which is normal on blogs. Some of the prominent sites from the blogosphere that have been writing about the game include: Kotaku (game culture), Slashdot (technology). Getting on these two is huge. Also we have received over 600 diggs on Digg.com!

I posted a full list of the places the game appears online here.

It is especially interesting to read the user comments. There are hundreds on Slashdot right now. Here are a few pull quotes from user comments from around the web:

· It's great to see games being used as a serious medium for communication and political reform. The game itself was entertaining enough to keep me engaged, and highly illuminating to boot. I was surprised to see how easy it is to 'cheat' (abuse power) to determine the outcome of an election! Even so, the game has an optimistic outlook, showing (in level 5) how reform like the Tanner Bill can help the problem. Well done, USC!

· A good game has a well defined difficulty curve. What I found really interesting about this one is that the final stage is a hypothetical environment where redistricting reform is implemented and you're forced to define zones of near-equal population without any information provided for race or party affiliation. That "final environment" is impossible to complete while keeping all the incumbents in their seats. Which is the whole point, AFAIK, one I wholeheartedly agree with.

· That intro is fairly awesome... How can an animation of a map turning into a dinosaur and eating people not be the coolest thing? I want to get this redistricting game! When does it come out for the Wii? Also a plus of that introduction is the dramatic voice that accompanies that quote.

· This game is on the right track, explaining a complex concept to people in an easy to understand way is a great thing.

· It's nice to see a game that makes a serious statement about a political topic and doesn't suck! I hope the whole serious games industry is getting ready to be taken as valid social commentary.. and not just 'beat up bin laden' type of crap. I think eventually we will all be playing games like this the same way we watch documentaries or read non-fiction... as long as titles like this that actually have some polish continue to be released.

· As a huge political nerd, I found this game wildly entertaining

· It is entertaining. Great for teaching government in school.

· I shouldn't enjoy making a mockery of democracy this much... but I do.

· I hate you. Okay, okay, I love you. But all my co-workers probably hate you since I can’t finish the last level and I can’t get anything ELSE done until I finish the last level.

· This may fill the void for me when the WoW servers are down. =P That said, a wicked creative way to get people involved.

· Really dorkily fun!

Extended list of pull quotes here.