NFI is a brilliant institution, not only do they fund amazing Film making, They fund Video Game development.

http://www.nfi.no/bransje/tildelinger/s%C3%B8keresultat?type=117641

Which is AWESOME!

However NFI does not/will not fund board game development. This petition is to raise awareness of BoardGaming in in Norway and in addition express the market potential of board gaming to the Norwegian Investment environment of Norway.

To all international people who found this petition. Norway is the richest country in the world. (But no you scream.. It is Qatar.... Yeah no, not true... In the western developed world.. The country that is richest is Norway)

GNI: $55,190

Literacy Rate: 100%

Unemployment Rate: 1.7%

Percent of GDP Spent on Education: 6.7%

Look at those stats... Apparently Everyone can read. Everyone!.. And we have under 2% unemployment...

This makes Norway interesting. It is interesting for many reasons. One being that it has all the advantages of being in the EU while not being in the EU. The reason for this is Oil. Norway is rich...Silly Rich....

Because of this Norway is one of the technological leaders in the world...

Also because of this fact Norway is generous... Allowing large immigration numbers... Providing support to various world disasters... And most importantly funding world innovation.

http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/08/11/norways-oil-fund-snaps-up-londons-savile-row/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0

but more seriously funding the worlds largest companies

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-24049876

The fund owns stock in facebook / Apple and many other IT firms.... All to provide Norwegian pensioners the life style they have earned.... The discovery of Oil is recent. The actual discoverers deserve some bonus :)

My favourite quote is :"Norway’s oil fund on average owns 1.3 per cent of every listed company in the world"

Due to this wealth Norway is amazingly supportive towards startups and small business... The country does its best to be an innovator and provider of resources to the small "IT","INNOVATIVE" businessman.

Now let's move to the petition. NFI The NorskFilminstitutt is one of the best providers of funds to storytellers... Movies, Documentaries and Video Games. This petition/Essay is for one reason and one reason only. Not to complain about NFI, But to expand the scope of their focus.

Here is a google translate of the page focusing on Video Games

"

So in summary the Norwegian film institute helps developers...

Develop their games.

Improve story in their games.

Deliver the product abroad.

All great Aims.... Now to the punch

Board Games...

Board Games I hear you shout... Board Games are what I played in my childhood.. Family nights around a table Playing Risk, Monopoly, and if you were lucky Cluedo(Clue to interested americans)

This has bred in all of us a general dislike of Boardgames. They are a childs game. An activity we were forced to partake in while we were young. Not an enjoyable activity in general...

However. Something has happened over the last few years/decades. And it all starts with the germans. The Germans despite all their faults found a small, tiny,mini nugget of fun in board games. They Discovered that board games can be fun. They reinvented the "Social".

What the germans did, was do away with the risk and monopoly's of old... They reinvented something that had not been dramatically reinvented since roman times. Maybe it was the German attitude. "This activity enables socialising!" or maybe it was their love of rules and organisation. Suddenly there were games of debate, trade, exploration.... and oh so much more.... And then of course obviously designers from all countries joined the fun.

Click this link for an incredibly humorous english man explain to Video Gamers, Why board games matter!

http://www.shutupandsitdown.com/videos/v/board-game-golden-age-talk/

In summary.. Board games are no longer Roll and Move. That term is taboo. Modern board games tell stories, Invoke emotions. and create situations where lateral thinking is required.

Why should NFI care? Why should the Norwegian Government care?

Well... Simple... Money...

Everyone knows KickStarter. If you dont, google and be amazed on how product fund raising has changed...

http://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/165271/top-10-funded-kickstarter-boardgame-projects

So boardgames have well and truly passed the $2million mark.

See the link above... Click it... It defines the rest of the Gaming Markets...

Let's look at video games

https://www.kickstarter.com/discover/advanced?term=Video+Game&sort=most_funded

Similar... However the difference is astounding. The reason it is astounding is that video game funding is decreasing and Board game is increasing...

These older Video Gamers (The average age of a video gamer is now 34) are desiring the social. The Social is the old poker night modernised. As all video games move to online interaction, A hole is left in the average gamer..

The younger gamers are similarly affected, Sometimes social interaction is needed. Even the geekiest geek needs some interaction.

The hole is the lack of social interaction. The lack of face to face is changing the face of Gaming. Board game nights are increasing week by week world wide. Gamers are getting together, interacting,telling stories and enjoying each others company...

The board game industry is huge... And it's only getting bigger...

We only ask that it is included with all other forms of interactive entertainment.