A new Internet game is taking France by storm, but upsetting everybody else. Clodogame (translated simply as Trampgame) is a transient simulator in which players start off as a penniless street bum and must work their way up the food chain to become "king of the streets" and "the most talented tramp in Paris."
Trampgame invites virtual vagrants to attack other homeless folk, become a "peerless pickpocket," steal coins from candy machines, public toilets and laundrettes, play instruments and choose cute pets in order to increase their success as beggars, and take control of their alcohol intake. The game sounds pretty damn brilliant, and I wish there was an English version.
Of course, some people take the Internet too seriously, and charity organization the Red Cross is among those who have stepped in to criticize Trampgame: "It's a disgrace, it's degrading, it's humiliating to make the homeless the butt of derision. The image portrayed is exactly the one against which we've been trying to fight."
I don't know why they're so concerned. It's not like real homeless people have a computer to play it on.
Jim Sterling serves as reviews editor for Destructoid.com, head of the Podtoid podcast, and produces a number of news stories, original features, one-of-a-kind videos. With his passionate argumentative style, controversial opinions, harsh delivery, and dedication to brutal honesty Sterling is a name that you can't help but recognize.
Likes
PS2, iPod Touch, Silent Hill 2, Metal Gear Solid, Dynasty Warriors 3
Meet the rest of the team
| BBcode help |
| [b]Bold text[/b] |
Bold text |
| [i]Italic text[/i] |
Italic text |
| [url]http://www.dtoid.com/[/url] |
http://www.dtoid.com |
| [url=http://www.dtoid.com/]Web link[/url] |
Web link |
|
| [img]http://www.example.com/robot.jpg[/img] |
 |
Post a comment! You can also post a photo below:
Comment with Facebook
Click connect and comment instantly!
|
Comment with Dtoid
New? SIGN UP - it takes 5 seconds
|
17 comments | showing # 1 to 17
|
Comment with Facebook
Click connect and comment instantly!
|
Comment with Dtoid
New? SIGN UP - it takes 5 seconds
|
Comments policy
Destructoid is an open discussion community. You don't need to "audition" to post a comment - just speak your mind. We respect differing opinions on the site, so have at it. Be smart, funny, insightful, clueless, or cute -- but back it up with substance. Keep your cool, keep it fun. We only ask that you act respectfully and above all: don't be a troll and ruin it for everyone else. Don't bring down gamers or we'll, you know, gently shoot you in the face and stuff you into a flaming mailbox. Each comment is your opportuntity to make this community awesomer. Is that even a word?
Avoiding the banhammer only requires common sense: spamming, trolling, racism, NSFW stuff, and other forms of sucking will not be tolerated. If anyone is griefing please report abuse. Be good. Don't suck!
Contest:
12:00 PM on 09.01.2009
| 
I'm usually against knee-jerk censorship, and I'm all for parody and satire if there's a genuine, well-considered message behind the mocking. When satire is done right (see: Brasseye), it can be bloody brilliant. But heck, Clodogame seems like controversy for controversy's sake. Picking on the homeless for novelty value is plain stupid.
THAT SAID, I'll freely admit that I've yet to try Clodogame out myself, so I'll reserve my final verdict for now. If I play Clodogame and find a cutting, multi-faceted piece of social satire, I reserve the right to change my mind.
Here endeth the rant.
People need to loosen up and let games be games.
You know, this post has actually gotten me kind of nostalgic for those browser based MMOs I used to play as a teenager. I remember one let you run your own fiefdom, join or run "kingdoms" with one player being the king or queen, go to war against other people, etc. At one point I was actually the king of my group and came in like 3 on the leaderboards at the end of a round (the game would constantly restart itself every 2 months or so and everyone restarted their warring and building up from scratch). I can't for the life of me remember the game's name, though. :(
Slow charitys are slow