Feature: Creating A Newsgame - Bin Laden Raid

Author: by Staff

In Gamasutra's latest feature, developer Jeremy Alessi describes the creation process and impact of Bin Laden Raid, and the "bright and wide open" future of newsgames. "As soon as I got a handle on what occurred, I pulled my laptop out and began searching for the compound on Google Earth," Alessi writes, so beginning the process that led to the release of Bin Laden Raid a week after the Navy SEAL team killed the terrorist leader in Pakistan. While the development process had its share of difficulties -- poor communication, problems with the art and the engine -- the team managed to pull off a game that garnered interest and, more importantly, served a purpose, says Alessi. "Currently, we use Twitter and Facebook to pass our opinions on to CNN, Fox News, or MSNBC programs. Ultimately, I see News+Gameplay as a platform for solutions. Instead of stating your opinion, you will create your solution in-game. If the game is delivered quickly enough, then perhaps that solution can be used in reality," he writes. "I think we're off to a good start. If nothing else, we delivered proof that a team assembled on the fly can research, develop, and deliver 3D interactive content quickly enough to be relevant, even on a breaking news story." The full feature, in which Alessi discusses the development of Bin Laden Raid and much more, is live now on Gamasutra.