The Sustainability Game (2025/2026: Periode 3)

Bekijk rooster Print deze pagina

Cursusdoel

Please note: the information in the course manual is binding.

This course focuses on games as a form of science communication to engage with sustainable futures. The aim of this course is for students, in interdisciplinary teams, to develop a number of sustainability games that use the unique features of games to explore future scenarios. Through the development process of this game, the students realize the following learning goals:

  • Acquire in-depth knowledge of game design as a science communication tool for engaging with the future

  • Use game design to learn about the representation and communication of complex systems and future scenarios

  • A unique possibility to work with teams in a highly transdisciplinary, creative design process

  • Translate scientific knowledge of sustainability themes into appealing applied games as science communication tools for a wider audience with diverse societal clients

Vakinhoudelijk

In the course The Sustainability Game you'll be the sustainability expert in a team of HKU game designers, artists and programmers. As a team, you'll be building a real life video game that helps people engage with a more sustainable world. You'll be getting classes by a mix of UU and HKU teachers on games and sustainability, worldbuilding and more. The course is conducted in close collaboration with partners in Utrecht City Council, the Social Impact Factory, the Regional Development Organization, and more. This course is available to all 2nd and 3rd year BSc students who have at least a bit of familiarity with sustainability (but it can be from their own disciplines). Students don’t need game design experience to take part in the course. Read all about it here in a blog, with plenty of examples! https://anticiplay.medium.com/take-a-course-build-a-video-game-change-the-world-532170cab1ec

In this course, you will use game design as a way to learn about science communication related to the future. UU bachelor's students specializing in sustainability topics collaborate with Games & Interaction students from HKU University of the Arts Utrecht to build and publish a fully functional prototype game! This means that at the end of the course, around 15 game prototypes about sustainable futures will have been developed (one per group).

UU students will follow lectures on game mechanics and academic game design theory - and a series of tutorials and lectures about games in a context of sustainable futures. This lecture series will pay special attention to science communication as a skill! You are really in the role of sustainability researcher in the project, and any involvement in game design is really up to you. The course is also flexible when it comes to accommodating your specific academic knowledge because students are participating from throughout the UU.

Games are an exciting tool for exploring interdisciplinary and complex sustainability problems, and an important, upcoming tool for imagining and experimenting with more sustainable futures. They can build directly on science to offer rigorous representations of human and natural systems and different societal roles and perspectives, while offering highly experiential, scalable modes of engagement. They allow people to step into future worlds and experiment with the rules and roles that make up those futures.

The joint course is kick-started with a game jam: a week-long process bringing together teams to build game prototypes. Interdisciplinary teams of ~5 students design games focusing on exploring sustainable futures, with UU students taking on the role of sustainability experts. Impression: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZH18LBtXFp8. After the game jam, students will continue to work with their HKU teams to finalize their games about sustainable futures.

How to apply:
The minimum number students for this course is 15, the maximum number is 38. Registration will close once 38 students has been reached, on a first come first serve basis. If you are in doubt whether this course is for you, do contact the course coordinator Joost Vervoort at j.m.vervoort@uu.nl - the answer is very likely to be yes!

Werkvormen

3. Applied game design (HKU)

1. Focused lectures and tutorials
Toelichting

These lectures include introductory lectures on game design as well as focused tutorials and lectures on games as an approach to investigate future scenarios.

2. Game jam and collaborative project
Toelichting

There s a week-long game-jam at the beginning of period 3. This week marks the start of the applied game course at HKU. In this full-time week, the students form their own teams and start developing game prototypes. Students are expected to be present during the game-jam, except when students have classes of other courses.

Toetsing

Eindresultaat

Verplicht | Weging 1% | ECTS 7,5

• A short individual reflection paper (500-700 words) on the student's Game Jam experience (pass/fail) • The final product of the group process: a playable prototype for a sustainability game (50%) • A paper (2000-2500 words) that synthesizes all components of the course (50%)

Ingangseisen en voorkennis

Ingangseisen

Je moet minimaal 45 punten van het bachelor programma hebben behaald

Voorkennis

The student must be enrolled in a Bachelor's programme and gained at least 45EC.

Voertalen

  • Engels

Cursusmomenten

Gerelateerde studies

Thema's

Tentamens

Er is geen tentamenrooster beschikbaar voor deze cursus

Verplicht materiaal

  • DIVERSE
    Scientific articles assigned for specific lectures

Aanbevolen materiaal

Er is geen informatie over de aanbevolen literatuur bekend

Opmerkingen

This course is scheduled in 3C incl. 2 preparatory evening lectures at the end of period 2.

Coördinator

dr. J.M. Vervoort J.M.Vervoort@uu.nl

Docenten

Inschrijving

Deze cursus is open voor bijvakkers. Controleer wel of er aanvullende ingangseisen gelden.

Inschrijving
Van maandag 3 november 2025 tot en met vrijdag 21 november 2025

Na-inschrijving
Van maandag 19 januari 2026 tot en met dinsdag 20 januari 2026

Inschrijving niet geopend
Permanente link naar de cursuspagina
Laat in de Cursus-Catalogus zien