The Curfew: edugame about fighting the surveillance society

Speaking of kick-ass edugames my wife's behind, The Curfew is a forthcoming Channel 4/Littleloud game for kids 14+ that explores issues of surveillance, authoritarianism and liberation in a near-future Britain where a law-and-order party has taken over the country. Meant to be a tonic against sleepwalking into the surveillance state, it's subversive, thought-provoking and way fun. Due out end of July.

The Curfew

I write books. My latest is a YA science fiction novel called Homeland (it's the sequel to Little Brother). More books: Rapture of the Nerds (a novel, with Charlie Stross); With a Little Help (short stories); and The Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow (novella and nonfic). I speak all over the place and I tweet and tumble, too.

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guernican

It’s never occurred to me to give my partner’s behind a name, but if I did, ‘the Curfew’ would be a pretty good one.
SimplyAaron

Curfew, it’s such a friendly family word…
monstrinho_do_biscoito

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ga_rCnueID8 :D
- Chentzilla
  
  You won’t believe that, but even Steam advices to stay inside today…
WalterBillington

Here’s something – I commute by motorbike in London. Since the election, the amount of police active on the roads has multiplied by a factor of at least 5. For the first time in my life I was stopped and searched (in Whitehall as I drove through, as part of a s.44 anti-terrorism drive – guess they noticed the gatling gun duct-taped to my front fender).

I’m all for law and order, within limits of reasonable annoyance of citizens, but I think something visible is going on. Checks, checks, checks.

Mind you, they do seem to have finally canned the ID card scheme – as bafflingly stupid as that ever was.
Felix Mitchell

“written by Kieron Gillen” !!!!

@WalterBillington:
Yeah it’s stupid how the public always demand more police on the beat, which doesn’t happen, and then large numbers of police turn out at stations and on the roads to check up on law abiding people.
eddieduggan

Britain hasn’t “sleepwalked into a surveillance society”, it’s been deliberately led into that state by the police, by local authorities and by central government.
osmo

The idea of a more controlled society is common everywhere. Here they want more cops, tougher laws (even though our own government proved in 86 that longer jail sentences didnt work as a deterrent) and better state control. Luckily our (Swedens) economy fared better than, for example Brittains (IRL not in the game that is) so there isnt enough pressure for that kind of control.

Personally I think that its a dying social forms attempts to control a situation they fear is running away from them
Anonymous

We need an American edition, too.
Anony Mouse

That looks fucking awesome. V for Vendetta the game? I will be suggesting that my girlfriend’s school promote this (since Albert Meltzer the anarchist writer was an alumnus, it seems appropriate somehow)
dman

Given the previous posting, I read that intro as: “Speaking of kick-ass edugames in my wife’s behind”
LaughingLemon

“Criminalising potential suspects” in my neighbourhood would mean locking up half the people, and about a third of the cops.
Gutierrez

Police are never suspect. They are all shining example of our society’s morals and therefore exempt from the policy.
coryisgreat

Brilliant!

With a strong hint of cliche…
wylkyn

You sound as if you’ve got something to hide, citizen. I might be dissuaded from alerting the sniffers if you’ve got anything of value you would be willing to donate. My uncle is in the force, you see, so I’m connected. I could make sure they leave you alone…for a price.