Ryu2.mind

I've often joked about how the Chinese government should create games to promote their socialist ideas, and now it seems that they seem to have thought of the same idea.

Presenting the Lei Feng online game.

For those of you who don't know, Lei Feng was a soldier in the People's Liberation Army, regraded as leading the model life of a selfless patriotic revolutionary.  After his accidental death, Chairman Mao elevated him to legendary status, creating a national holiday, "Learn from Lei Feng Day"  to commemorate him and the ideals that he stood for.  My friend graceyc wrote a very good entry expounding on him, his values, and the day as well.

Comrade Lei is someone that truly has no equivalent in the cultural milieu of any non-Socialist country -- perhaps the closest thing in America would be someone like George Washington, and even so, I certainly was never extolled to "learn from" that guy.

What do I think about his leap into the virtual world?  To quote from the article about the game:

"For beginners, sewing and mending socks is the only way to increase experience and to upgrade," said Jiao Jian, a six-grade pupil in Yuexiu District, quoted by the newspaper.

"Every time you are promoted to a higher level, your clothes will become more average," he said. "You have to do good deeds in order to upgrade, such as contributing and volunteering on building sites. The more you do, the better and higher you get. Thus boosting your reputation."

"The game also sets up tasks like a treasure hunt, which can be found in many online games. But the treasure here is a copy of Chairman Mao's Collection, unlike the usual swords or jewels.

"It's a novel idea, very interesting." Jiao said.

He also said he likes to battle against the secret agents mainly. "Sometimes the enemy was very strong. The fight almost exhausted me, so I would go to talk with the Party secretary to replenish my vitality at once."

But -- the bottom line is that somehow I doubt many Chinese gamers today will be Lei Feng-in' when they could be PvPin' in WoW. =P