Illuminate

ARTEFACT DESCRIPTION

This version of Illuminate is a prototype build, which is the result of a collaborative research project between the Games Institute (GI) and the Interdisciplinary Centre on Climate Change (IC3) from the University of Waterloo.

The purpose of this project was to create an interactive artefact (game) that could articulate the seriousness of climate change without relying on alarmist rhetoric while also—most importantly—emphasizing a message of hope. The researchers worked on narrative design and making sure the language could be accessible to all demographics while the IC3 researchers provided the scientific expertise and knowledge about Climate Change.

In Illuminate, the player takes on the role of a citizen that has been recruited as a member of a new task force, by the Department of Environmental Futures, to work on “Project: Illuminate”. The purpose of this task force is to scan a number of common environments to identify the best courses of action the Canadian government can take that will ensure a clean, safe, and sustainable environment for present and future generations. Using the Paris Climate Agreement as a primary metric, the player will simulate different scenarios by implementing a different combination of mitigation and adaptation techniques to see which combination of choices results in the “best” outcome.

CREDITS

Games Research & Development Team — The Games Institute

Lillian A. Black — Lead Developer and Lead Narrative Designer
Pamela Maria Schmidt — Project Manager and Narrative Designer
Tina Chan — Lead Artist and Design Consultant
Adam Leung — Software Engineer/Game Programmer
Dr. Neil Randall — Game Consultant

Subject Matter Team — Interdisciplinary Centre on Climate Change

Simon Glauser — Project Manager
Natalie Heldsinger — Communications and Research Coordinator
Dr. Daniel Scott — Game Consultant
Dr. Alexandra Lesnikowski — Subject Matter Expert
Dr. Merrin Macrae — Subject Matter Expert
Andrea Minano — Subject Matter Expert
Dr. Juan Moreno-Cruz — Subject Matter Expert