''Eco'' is a
simulation
A simulation is an imitative representation of a process or system that could exist in the real world. In this broad sense, simulation can often be used interchangeably with model. Sometimes a clear distinction between the two terms is made, in ...
game created by American studio Strange Loop Games, in which players have to work together to create a civilization on a virtual planet. The game values a gentle use of natural resources and is used both as an entertainment and
educational tool.
Plot
The game world in ''Eco'' is threatened with an impending meteor impact. The task of the players is to research and improve the level of technology available to them in order to destroy the Asteroid before it strikes without harming the game world too much by resource exploitation or pollution. The game world shares similarities to Earth. It is a small planet consisting of dirt, stone, and several other underground resources. It also features different biomes like forests, plains, and rivers, as well as several kinds of plants to harvest and animals to hunt.
Gameplay
''Eco'' is a multiplayer
survival game
Survival games are a subgenre of action games which are often set in hostile, intense, open-world environments. Players generally start with minimal equipment and are required to survive as long as possible by finding the resources necessary t ...
that allows players to interact with both the world and each other. The game pushes players to reenact a
sustainable lifestyle
Sustainable living describes a lifestyle that attempts to reduce the use of Earth's natural resources by an individual or society. Its practitioners often attempt to reduce their ecological footprint (including their carbon footprint) by alteri ...
. Players have to care about a balanced nutrition and need to control the gathering of natural resources, otherwise negatively harming or destroying the environment. For example, cutting too many trees reduces the amount of air pollution that can be mitigated, and creating too much pollution by using high tech machines can raise the sea level and species of plants or animals can become extinct if players harvest or hunt too much of them. In order to prevent this from happening players have to create a working society. They have the possibility to create currencies and establish an economy for trading, form a government and propose and vote on laws that can restrict what other players can do or give incentives to (not) do things by applying taxes or government grants to specific actions. Unlike other survival games, ''Eco'' does not have any combat between players or monsters, and there is no way for the player's character to die. It also encourages players to actively collaborate and work together with other players.
Production
''Eco'' was originally an educational tool designed purely for middle school students. Strange Loop Games cooperated with the
University of Illinois
The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC, U of I, Illinois, or University of Illinois) is a public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Champaign–Urbana metropolitan area, Illinois, United ...
on the creation of the game for some time. The
U.S. Department of Education
The United States Department of Education is a United States Cabinet, cabinet-level department of the federal government of the United States, United States government, originating in 1980. The department began operating on May 4, 1980, havin ...
allocated more than a million dollars for the development of the project, with its biggest boost delivered in 2015 of almost
US$
The United States dollar (Currency symbol, symbol: Dollar sign, $; ISO 4217, currency code: USD) is the official currency of the United States and International use of the U.S. dollar, several other countries. The Coinage Act of 1792 introdu ...
900,000 for a two year development contract. Strange Loop Games had previously only produced two games: the logic game ''Vessel'' and the
serious game
A serious game or applied game is a game designed for a primary purpose other than pure entertainment. The "serious" adjective is generally prepended to refer to video games used by industries like defense, education, scientific exploration, he ...
''Sim Cell''.
The design of the game has been influenced by
open-world games like ''
Minecraft
''Minecraft'' is a 2011 sandbox game developed and published by the Swedish video game developer Mojang Studios. Originally created by Markus Persson, Markus "Notch" Persson using the Java (programming language), Java programming language, the ...
'' and ''
Rust
Rust is an iron oxide, a usually reddish-brown oxide formed by the reaction of iron and oxygen in the catalytic presence of water or air moisture. Rust consists of hydrous iron(III) oxides (Fe2O3·nH2O) and iron(III) oxide-hydroxide (FeO(OH) ...
'', and has taken inspiration from the dynamic community processes present in ''
EVE Online''.
In August 2015, the CEO of Strange Loop Games and designer of ''Eco'', John Krajewski, attempted to raise $100,000 using the
crowdfunding
Crowdfunding is the practice of funding a project or venture by raising money from a large number of people, typically via the internet. Crowdfunding is a form of crowdsourcing and Alternative Finance, alternative finance, to fund projects "withou ...
platform
Kickstarter
Kickstarter, PBC is an American Benefit corporation, public benefit corporation based in Brooklyn, New York City, that maintains a global crowdfunding platform focused on creativity. The company's stated mission is to "help bring creative project ...
, in order to further extend the game. The campaign was successful, raising more than $200,000. A release date of September 2015 was targeted. It was eventually released in February 2018 as
early access
Early access, also known as alpha access, alpha founding, paid alpha, or game preview, is a funding model in the video game industry by which consumers can purchase and play a game in the various pre-release Software release life cycle, developm ...
, in order to fund the ongoing development.
Reception
German computer game magazine ''
GameStar
''GameStar'' is a monthly-released PC gaming magazine in Germany. It is the best-selling German-language magazine focused on PC gaming and it also hosts the largest video gaming-related portal in the German-speaking internet.
''GameStar.de'' i ...
'' called ''Eco'' an "ambitious survival game″ with an "innovative approach″. ''
Rock, Paper, Shotgun
''Rock Paper Shotgun'' is a British video game journalism website. It was launched in July 2007 to focus on PC games and was acquired by Gamer Network, a network of sites led by ''Eurogamer'', in May 2017.
History
''Rock Paper Shotgun'' ...
'' described the game as a "pretty Minecraft", and emphasized that survival games usually promote a heedless exploitation of resources, while the players actions in ''Eco'' has consequences that need to be thought of.
References
External links
*
* {{MobyGames, /windows/eco_, Eco
2018 video games
Business simulation games
Environmental education video games
Indie games
Linux games
MacOS games
Multiplayer online games
Video games developed in the United States
Video games set on fictional planets
Windows games
Sandbox games