Gaming to raise awareness

by Caleb Fort

Daily Lobo

Condoms, circumcision and sex education have been used in an attempt to prevent the spread

of AIDS.

The TV station MTVU is trying something different - an online video game.

The station is asking college students nationwide to submit ideas for a game that will raise awareness and educate people about HIV.

"College students have lived with AIDS and HIV as a global crisis their entire lives," said Ross Martin, head of programming at MTVU. "This is another hopefully powerful reminder that we are still in the midst of this."

The student or team of students with the winning proposal will get $5,000 in prize money.

They will also be teamed with professional video game designers to produce the game.

The station will devote $75,000 to development and marketing of the game.

Entrants don't have to be computer whizzes, Martin said.

"The contest is designed to excite the best, most exciting ideas," he said. "All you need is a basic understanding of the epidemic, an imagination and the desire to effect change."

The deadline for entries on MTVU.com is March 16.

Josh Goldstein, a graduate from UNM's computer science program who has designed small games similar to Space Invaders, said he is interested in the competition.

"I think it would be something fun to do," he said. "Getting ideas is the problem."

Goldstein said he is not sure how effective the video game

will be.

"If it's a game where you run around shooting people, maybe it's not going to help with AIDS that much," he said. "But I'm sure there's something you could do. Maybe you could make a simulation game where you try to find the cure for AIDS."

Martin said video games are an appropriate way to raise awareness.

"I think that we have no choice but to use every tool of communication at our disposal," he said. "Video games have proven to be one of the more effective tools."

The contest was inspired by the online video game Darfur is

Dying.

"We saw a lot of success with our Darfur is Dying video game," Martin said. "It was the first and only viral video game about genocide. College students around the country have really responded in great numbers."

The game has been played by about 1 million people, he said.

All students should try to come up with ideas for the game,

he said.

"We would encourage students from the University of New Mexico who may have never done anything on this issue to take a look at this and get involved," he said. "This is an opportunity for anyone to make a difference."