This game was developed by a Brooklyn high school in association with UNICEF. You are a Haitian family, and you have to get by- what is your definition of getting by? Being rich? Being healthy? You decide. It’s tricky, but it makes you think and realize how poor some folks have it. It’s somewhat reminicent of the old Oregon Trail educational game, in some ways.
(Thanks to Wired’s Chris Kohler)
How far have you managed to get with it? I’m worse at this than those cubes where you have to drop stuff onto them is the right order.
I’ve been able to get the family to survive all four years with minimal education. Remember, since this game is made by UNICEF, volenteer work is helpful both to the community and to your family (which may or may not be actually the case in real life).
For some reason when I play, the older son ends up joining the death squads. I still can’t figure it out.
Everyone got sick and died of cholera before I reached the 3rd river. I mean year.
I didn’t notice that my ‘Standard of Living’ rate got bumped way down automatically when I ran out of $$$ the first time… I think that’s why everyone got sick no matter what else I did.
Volunteering seems to get you clinics and farm aid and stuff. I tried to spread the education around, but it didn’t really help. If I play again, perhaps I’ll sell the family into servitude to make Jaquline a brain, then she can impersonate lawyers of recently deceased Ayitians on the internets and we’ll all retire millionaires!
Oh yeah… while the season passes, you can adjust everyone’s work rate and such, but it whips by so fast that I have a hard time telling Jean to lay off the hard work before she collapses of dysentery. :dubious:
You have to adjust your standard of living yourself.
Another tip: buy books and supplies each season. I believe this allows the family to learn without going to school (I’m guessing it only works if they stay at home, but I haven’t experimented yet.)
Doesn’t seem to be the case that I can tell.
Sheesh, this game is hard. Just like a real life of poverty!