[ISEA2024] Paper: Bengi Agcal, Miles Thorogood & Aleksandra Dulic — Designing a Serious Game Utilizing Beaver Behavior for Water Responsibility Education and Communication

Abstract

Keywords:
immersive environments, 3D worlds, traditional ecological knowledge

This paper introduces an approach to water responsibility education and communication through the design of a serious game centered around the behaviors of beavers. With a growing global concern for water conservation and responsible usage, innovative methods are necessary to engage and educate diverse audiences. Building upon traditional ecological knowledge and leveraging the captivating characteristics of beavers as ecosystem engineers, this research delves into the development of an interactive game aimed at fostering a deeper understanding of water conservation practices. The game design integrates key aspects of beaver behavior, such as dam construction and habitat management, to simulate real-world scenarios related to water resource and landscape management. By gamifying these concepts, the aim is to promote awareness, inspire responsible water usage, and facilitate meaningful conversations about conservation practices among players. Drawing upon principles of traditional ecological knowledge, education and game design, this study outlines the theoretical framework behind the game’s development. Additionally, the paper discusses the design process, highlighting the challenges, considerations, and strategies employed to create an immersive and educational gaming experience.

  • Bengi Agcal is a multimedia artist with computer engineering and psychology backgrounds. She is currently pursuing her MFA alongside NSERC CREATE in the Immersive Technologies program at the University of British Columbia. Through art and engineering, she aims to engage with the issues of environmental degradation. Her research interests and art practice include speculative fiction, participatory design, 3D rendering, digital sculpting, XR technologies, web computing, immersive technologies, sustainability, climate change, and material recycling.
  • Miles Thorogood is an assistant professor of digital art in the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies and heads the Sonic Production Intelligence Research and Applications Lab at The University of British Columbia. His current research aims to identify the facets of human perception used in creative processes to develop computational-assisted tools for art and design making.
  • Aleksandra Dulic is an artist-scholar with expertise in interactive art, climate change communication, and media for social change. She is the Director of the Centre for Culture and Technology (CCT) at The University of British Columbia. She leads an interdisciplinary research team that engages multiple forms of art, media and information technologies as vehicles for the expression of community, culture, and identity.