Bringing gerrymandering to the 'grand theft auto' crowd: USC prof, congressman point up affects of practice with 'Redistricting.'.

VIDEO games aren't limited to shooting things and puzzles anymore--there're social networking, virtual worlds and language lessons. But gerrymandering?

Chris Swain, a professor of interactive media at USC, and his team have married the unlikely couple--a Web-based videogame and the practice of dividing voting districts that often become political borders.

The free, online videogame called the Redistricting Game was launched last week on Capitol Hill at an event sponsored by Rep. John Tanner, D-Tenn.

Tanner is championing the "Fairness and Independence in Redistricting Act," proposed legislation that limits the number of times states can redraw Congressional districts and requires the changes to be conducted through independent commissions.

"You quickly learn on the game that redistricting isn't just about drawing lines," Swain said. "It goes into the politics of it, with party bosses, congress people, citizen groups and the courts."

The game begins with a quote by political consultant David Winston, who helped redraw district lines after the 1990 census: "When I, as a mapmaker, have more of an impact on an election than the voters, the system is out of whack."

It includes a playable version of the Tanner bill, and other features that allow players to create a bipartisan gerrymander and ensure minority representation in the imaginary states of Hamilton and Jefferson. The site also features a social networking forum, a search function for the U.S. House of Representatives and information about state redistricting laws.

The project was funded by an initiative by the USC Annenberg Center for Communication that seeks to bring technology and politics together. The game can be played at http://redistrictinggame.org/

Staff reporter Booyeon Lee can be reached at [e-mail] or at [phone], ext. 230.