SaveEarthGame -

A Game Contest to

Promote Earth Observations

J.R. Parker Hans-Peter Plag

Contest Objectives

Initiate an international contest to create a game that emphasizes the impact of Earth observation on societal conditions.

Work with students and young people through their recreational interest to participate in game playing.

The winners will support introduction of the game on a global basis, both into schools and through community organizations.

Contest Concept 1

There has been sufficient interest in the use of video games for teaching and training that a category of game has been defined to encompass them - serious games

.

It is a general term that describes games that are used to accomplish some (serious rather than entertaining) purpose.

Contest Concept 2

Almost all University/College levels students play video games.

Most people under 40 do too.

What better way to reach this target audience?

EG Global game jam – not even a contest, no prize, 48 hours solid on a weekend to make a game YET it attracts thousands of entrants.

Phase I Results

Phase I had 23 entries from all over the world. Judged by 22 game industry/academic experts.

Winner was Tellus (from Tempe Arizona student team)

Problem: Results were not arrived at promptly, were not distributed. Teams were not apprised of the status of the contest and the schedule fell behind.

Jim Parker was brought in Spring 2010 to try to get round 2 going.

ContestEntries

Tellus

Orgargo

BalanCity

Wild Fire Command

Shadow of Life

Earth Tycoon

Master of Agriculture

E.C.O.

Project Rebearth

Saving Gaia

Emission Gunner

Earth

Eco-duty

Gods of Boo

Earth Protectors

Treeps

Virtual Earth

Save the Earth

A Race for a Better Tomorrow

Flower Farm

The Gaia Initiative

Moxito

Emergency Disaster Response

Planet in Peril

Phase 2

Goal was to complete Phase 2 before Beijing meeting (Nov 2010)

Timeline was rushed

Teams had doubts about the contest after the long delay.

Was announced to all competitors, to Game news lists, and through IEEE and academic channels.

There were many inquiries, but ultimately only one game was entered – the round 1 winner.

Teams had doubts about the contest after the long delay.

Tellus game

Tellus is a resource management game that tests players’ earth observation skills and ability to respond to the needs of the people and the environment. The goal of this project is to conceive of, and create, a video game related to using Earth Observations to solve a myriad of environmental issues, and demonstrate how real-world events and big issues affect the Earth and impact its people.

Tellus game

The primary goal of the game is to raise the quality of life for Earth’s population, which is very closely tied to the well being of the Earth itself.

Tellus

Developed using the Unity game engine.

Look at the game at http://www.indiedb.com/games/tellus-save-the-earth

Can be downloaded and executed.

Current Status

1. The game is in the hands of DigiPen, and has been sent to the judges from round 1.

2. Prize has not been awarded.

Further Activity

1. Winning game will be developed for web deployment using a content expert.

2. Media and other PR benefits will be pursued.

Feedback from (some) players

- Graphics are excellent;

- idea is very good, but key elements of the problem not clear;

- Tutorial was not working; README file not easy to understand; without tutorial, game is difficult to understand;

- goal is not clear; the goal is not to "win";

- cursor should be replaced by an avatar;

- some tasks take a lot of time;

- dialogs are at high level requiring expertise;

- Earth observations are not promoted.