Participatory Chinatown is a video game released and implemented in May 2010 to engage people in Boston's Chinatown neighborhood in the master planning process. It is a multiplayer game designed to be played in a large physical space. Players assume the role of a fictional character in the Chinatown neighborhood and they go on one of three missions: find a job, find a place to live, or find a place to socialize.[1][2] In the first part of the game, players assume the role of their characters.[3][4] In the second part of the game, they can act as themselves, and they are asked to prioritize values for the planning process. The players' comments and decisions are shared with decision-makers in the community to help with the development of the neighborhood.[5][6]
| Participatory Chinatown | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Engagement Game Lab |
| Release | May 2010 |
| Genre(s) | Simulation |
| Mode(s) | Multiplayer |
The game was designed by the Engagement Game Lab at Emerson College in partnership with Muzzy Lane, the Metropolitan Area Planning Council and the Asian Community Development Corporation.[7][8][9][10] In 2011, the game was named the best "direct impact game" by the organization Games for Change.[11][12]
References
edit- ^ "Home". Participatory Chinatown. Archived from the original on 27 December 2010.
- ^ "Chinatown, the video game". The Boston Globe. 6 May 2010. Archived from the original on 9 May 2010.
- ^ "The Characters". Participatory Chinatown. Archived from the original on 2013-05-28.
- ^ Galef, Julia (14 May 2010). "Boston's Chinatown Goes Sim City". The Architect's Newspaper. Archived from the original on 6 June 2012.
- ^ "Participatory Chinatown". Games for Change. Archived from the original on 2012-02-23. Retrieved 2012-03-20.
- ^ Smith, Jeremy Adam (4 May 2010). "Participatory Chinatown". Shareable. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
- ^ McKone, Jonna (23 September 2010). "Participatory Research as Path to Equitable Transportation". The City Fix.
- ^ "Participatory Chinatown". Asian Community Development Corporation. Archived from the original on 2012-03-12. Retrieved 2012-03-20.
- ^ "Participatory Chinatown". Muzzy Lane. Archived from the original on 2012-06-24. Retrieved 2012-03-20.
- ^ "Participatory Chinatown". Metropolitan Area Planning Council. Archived from the original on 2013-03-29. Retrieved 2012-03-20.
- ^ "Participatory Chinatown (winner)". Games for Change. 2011. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011.
- ^ "Emerson team wins big at "Sundance of video games"". Emerson Today. 24 June 2011.