A SERIES of video games will be created this weekend during a 48-hour development marathon in a bid to educate players about climate issues and possible solutions.
The Game Jam event has been organised by Glasgow Caledonian University as part of the institution’s COP 26 activity and the best games created will be displayed on campus for visitors to play during a daylong event on November 5.
Students from GCU’s game programmes will take part with a brief to create games that raise awareness of climate change and its effects, or highlight possible solutions to solving or acting on climate change.
They will be joined by students and game enthusiasts from the UK and across the world.
A panel of video game developers and experts from GCU’s Centre for Climate Justice will join the public and participants to decide the best games.
READ MORE: Activists descend on Glasgow on climate train ahead of COP26
Game Jams are traditionally held in the Sir Alex Ferguson Library but due to Covid-19 health and safety guidelines it will take place remotely this time, using a Discord server.
“The Game Jam is needed to show a creative perspective to an issue that is difficult to visual or imagine,” said Hamid Homatash, a lecturer in GCU’s games programmes, who is organising the event.
“It is easy for activists and scientists to state what will happen if we don’t change or act, but it’s very difficult to imagine what that world could look like or feel like.
“Video games allow us to explore these ideas in a visual and interactive way, provoking emotional experiences in those who play them. These emotional experiences then have a direct impact on those people and this raises awareness of the possible difficult realities ahead.”
He added: “Hopefully, this will help change the attitudes of people that normally wouldn’t be influenced by traditional forms of media. It is also a chance for a younger generation, the students, to think about how the world will change
if we do not act and for them to express their own opinions through this medium.”
Full details of the Game Jam can be found here: www.itch.io/jam/cop-26-game-jam
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel