With a capacity for 152 gamers, there was an astounding response of 148 players, although unfortunately only two of the participants are women. The youngest player is 13 years old, and the oldest 36. However the largest age group playing is aged between 16 and 18.
The setting up of (LAN)-fest Genesis started in Easter and encountered a few problems on the way. Many local companies were reluctant to sponsor the event since it is still relatively new to Malta. However foreign companies were eager to sponsor a (LAN)-fest as it is very popular abroad. In fact, around 150 participants is the standard number in LAN-fests abroad.
It is easy to distinguish the old hands from the beginners from the equipment they use. Players have the opportunity to show off their expensive flat-screen monitors, personalised cases with neon-lit cables inside, powerful graphic cards and high-precision mousemats at such events. In fact, among the generous prizes, there is one for the most 'pimped-up' computer.
Careful monitoring of file-sharing is done throughout the event. The moment any illegal transferring of files is reported, the connection of all players involved is switched off for an hour. If they persist, the players involved and their team are disqualified from winning any tournaments or prizes.
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The scenario is a fictional Afghan village, and the player must kill the terrorists in the crowd by firing missiles. At first the missiles fly true, killing the terrorists. However, soon, buildings are destroyed and innocent passerbys killed. Villagers run and cry out in rage. Their rage morphs them into terrorists, leading to further bloodshed. This game is called September 12.
September 12 is classified as a newsgame, and is one of the many that are created on the net. It is a term coined to describe a genre that seems to be currently emerging: video games based on news events.
Traditionally, videogames have focused on fantasy rather than reality. There is a certain line of thought which believes that newsgames provide a better understanding of the world, even though a biased version is given. The game becomes a form of expression, the language and representation reflects the ideology of the designer.
Other newsgames found on the net are New York Defender amd Madrid. Madrid was created after the Madrid train bombings, while in New York Defender the player tries to save the twin towers of the World Trade Centre from being attacked. Unfortunately the twin towers will be attacked, the player has to postpone it for as long as possible. There are also local versions available: after the Parmalat scandal, the Italians can play a newsgame called 'Italia Parma'.
These games are criticised as they are said to endorse terrorism or violence. Some people believe the terrible after-effects of these events will be minimised through similar games. Others claim these games can be used to convey political ideology by hate and extremist groups. Games such as Ghettopoly, Concentration Camp Manager, and Ethnic Cleansing are highly criticised for promoting racially biased content. Although one agrees that such games cause more harm than good, one forgets that many American video games target populations such as the Vietnamese as the enemy who have to be killed. These forms of racial bias are so widespread that it has become normality.
One must keep in mind that newsgames were not created to disseminate racial hatred, but is a style that is easily exploited by hate groups. Wardrip- Fruin, co-author of First Person: New Media as Story, Performance, and Game, which discusses the relationship between story and game related questions, said that through newsgames the player feels "empathy for the people who will become terrorists out of that experience, of having seen innocent people killed".