From September 1st to 3rd, students from FAU and ITÜ gathered in Erlangen and developed engaging and educational games about sustainable cities on the gaming platform Roblox. The students of the EELISA student community “Metaverse & Sustainability” came together in person for the first time ever! Four students from the community organised the event and invited experts and guest speakers to join their mission. One of the organisers, Feride from ITÜ, wrote a summary of the three fantastic days in Erlangen:
In today’s digital age, gaming is more than only entertainment—it has a profound impact on the real world. Now, picture an event where this fusion of virtual and reality takes center stage! Allow us to introduce “The Future is Green” challenge, proudly organized by the EELISA student community Metaverse and Sustainability. This event provided an opportunity for participants to develop educational games with a sustainability theme. Students coming from various EELISA universities embarked on a creative journey, which resulted in the development of educational games over a span of just three days. Alongside this process, both students and expert speakers engaged in dialogues about climate change and sustainable urban planning, confronting some of the most pressing issues of our era. This unique challenge integrated the imperative of sustainability educatin into the gaming world.
Members of one of the four interdisciplinary teams working on their Roblox game.
Day one marked the begin of the challenge’s journey. Participants were introduced to the gaming platform Roblox and the world of gamification by FAU professor Benedikt Morschheuser, and FAU student and Roblox expert Corinna Wüllner.
Throughout the ideation phase, students were encouraged to explore sustainability education from diverse angles. They used their creativity to construct virtual worlds where players are instructed about strategies for combating climate change within urban landscapes.
On the second day, Roblox expert and FAU student Simon Merk addressed teams’ inquiries, offering guidance and helping the teams solidify their ideas. Meanwhile, Prof. Angela Matesanz and Prof. Rafael Cordoba from UPM lent their invaluable knowledge on sustainable city design in the face of climate change.
As day three dawned, the teams put the finishing touches on their educational games. The final preparations included creating presentations that explained the game’s stages, narrative, and core concepts— conveying the essence of their creations to the jury. In addition to these presentations, teams provided live demonstrations, offering the jury a hands-on experience of their educational games. This interactive process left the jury in a dilemma, tasked with selecting a standout team from a field of exceptional participants. Indeed, the challenge posed by this decision underscored the valuable experiences gained by all attendees in this international setting. Within the three days, new friendships were made and we all learnt lots from each other and explored together the field of educational game development.
Team “Heatwave Survival” presenting their educational game to the jury on the final day of the challenge.The guest speakers from UPM in Spain provided information on the impact climate change has on urban areas and preesented mitigation ideas.
This event underscored that games and game development serve as an impactful tool, also as a means of education.
If you want to become part of the EELISA student community “Metaverse & Sustainability” and always receive first hand information on our future activities, check out our website on the EELISA community platform and follow us on LinkedIn.
From September 1st to 3rd, students from FAU and ITÜ gathered in Erlangen and developed engaging and educational games about sustainable cities on the gaming platform Roblox. The students of the EELISA student community “Metaverse & Sustainability” came together in person for the first time ever! Four students from the community organised the event and invited experts and guest speakers to join their mission. One of the organisers, Feride from ITÜ, wrote a summary of the three fantastic days in Erlangen:
In today’s digital age, gaming is more than only entertainment—it has a profound impact on the real world. Now, picture an event where this fusion of virtual and reality takes center stage! Allow us to introduce “The Future is Green” challenge, proudly organized by the EELISA student community Metaverse and Sustainability. This event provided an opportunity for participants to develop educational games with a sustainability theme. Students coming from various EELISA universities embarked on a creative journey, which resulted in the development of educational games over a span of just three days. Alongside this process, both students and expert speakers engaged in dialogues about climate change and sustainable urban planning, confronting some of the most pressing issues of our era. This unique challenge integrated the imperative of sustainability educatin into the gaming world.
Day one marked the begin of the challenge’s journey. Participants were introduced to the gaming platform Roblox and the world of gamification by FAU professor Benedikt Morschheuser, and FAU student and Roblox expert Corinna Wüllner.
Throughout the ideation phase, students were encouraged to explore sustainability education from diverse angles. They used their creativity to construct virtual worlds where players are instructed about strategies for combating climate change within urban landscapes.
On the second day, Roblox expert and FAU student Simon Merk addressed teams’ inquiries, offering guidance and helping the teams solidify their ideas. Meanwhile, Prof. Angela Matesanz and Prof. Rafael Cordoba from UPM lent their invaluable knowledge on sustainable city design in the face of climate change.
As day three dawned, the teams put the finishing touches on their educational games. The final preparations included creating presentations that explained the game’s stages, narrative, and core concepts— conveying the essence of their creations to the jury. In addition to these presentations, teams provided live demonstrations, offering the jury a hands-on experience of their educational games. This interactive process left the jury in a dilemma, tasked with selecting a standout team from a field of exceptional participants. Indeed, the challenge posed by this decision underscored the valuable experiences gained by all attendees in this international setting. Within the three days, new friendships were made and we all learnt lots from each other and explored together the field of educational game development.
This event underscored that games and game development serve as an impactful tool, also as a means of education.
If you want to become part of the EELISA student community “Metaverse & Sustainability” and always receive first hand information on our future activities, check out our website on the EELISA community platform and follow us on LinkedIn.
Become a member! Follow us on LinkedIn!