Communicating Sustainability through Gamification

Problem Statement

Sustainability impacts all aspects of life. However, despite constant exposure, the negative consequences of certain actions often go unnoticed. Consequences usually occur with a time delay or affect distant locations, creating a sense of detachment. Sustainability-related issues seem abstract with effects being distant and the problem complex and uncertain. It becomes challenging to directly link one’s behavior to environmental impacts when the consequences are not immediately apparent or nearby. An undesirable outcome is the desensitization to the issue.

Idea and Concept

To raise awareness for sustainability, exposure to the issue is most effectively done through a medium that resonates with today’s zeitgeist. Given that video games as a medium are not only audiovisual but also interactive, they are excellent for conveying sustainability and raising awareness about environmental issues. Within a 2D-Platformer, players assume the role of a sunken diver and must navigate their way to the surface with the help of marine animals. Along the way, they encounter various obstacles caused by pollution and exploitation of the oceans, which they must overcome.

Implementation

Prior to actual implementation, extensive planning was conducted using mood boards, concept arts, storyboards, level design sketches, and a game design document. This document compiled all key ideas regarding aspects such as the story and gameplay. During implementation, executed within the Unity game engine, reference was made to these documents for guidance. Implementation involved designing assets, primarily consisting of pixel art sprites, and programming the core game mechanics. Finally, using Unity’s level editor, these elements were assembled into complete levels.