Over at big sister site Gamasutra, university professor and newsgame creator Ian Bogost has posted a carefully thought-out column about the Virginia Tech tragedy, how the existing Flash game based on it sells gaming short, and whether a worthy interactive narrative could (or should) ever be made about those tragic events.

In fact, Bogost charges: "If V-Tech Rampage offers an example of an unsophisticated, negligent take on the tragedy, what would a thoughtful, conscientious one look like? This question cannot afford to remain hypothetical any longer. So I hereby issue a challenge to the videogame industry: to create a videogame about the Virginia Tech tragedy. One worthy of reflection. One that captures the event’s despair as well as much as its brutality. One that the public can respect even if it makes them uncomfortable."

He continues, referencing GamePolitics' Dennis McCauley, who has previously denounced the arguably _slightly_ better thought-out Super Columbine Massacre RPG: "I challenge the industry to do better than the homebrew hacks McCauley would have us banish. I want a proper game, in a box, in the store, just like United 93 and Elephant and Munich share shelf space with Con Air and Bad Boys and Coyote Ugly." So... can it be done? And should it be done?

[UPDATE: Dennis McCauley posted in comments to note that he's put a riposte to Bogost up on GamePolitics, with a lot more interesting points, including: "I don’t get Bogost’s point about “supporting the medium.” Sure, I like games - like ‘em a lot. I’ve been gaming for a long time. Does that mean a game - any game - should get my support just because it’s a game?"]