This year, Imagine Cup Game Design finalists in the US took a strong interest in solving environmental sustainability challenges through gaming. Check out the four projects below and let us know what you think (leave us a comment).
Digital Infinity, Springbrook High School: The team designed a game that uses sustainable energy sources such as rivers and windmills to create electricity for ravaged cities. Players maneuver water wheels and solar panels to provide power to villages. This game will entertain and teach players alternate ways to produce electricity that won’t have damaging effects on the environment.
Dr. Fishbowl, Carnegie Mellon University: By learning to take advantage of their resources, and by taking responsibility for byproducts and waste and finding use for them, players of this game demonstrate a model of sustainability that doesn’t have to compromise between being responsible and being profitable.
E
ager Beavers PC, University of Houston: The team created an educational shooting game featuring a highly intelligent self-powered robot, the “Hydro-bot,” capable of restoring all ocean life destroyed by years of ocean pollution. During the game the player learns about environmental sustainability and the game brings to mind a vision of what the ocean environment will become in the future if we do not act now.
Zigers, University of Houston: The team created an Xbox game that addresses oil spills in the ocean. The player commands ‘Rapid, Ocean Hazard Responders’, a fictional organization
that has been charged by the United Nations Environmental Program to clean up major oil spills in the ocean.