Beyond boundaries-exploring game design as an environmental educational tool: the Whitemouth River odyssey
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Abstract
As we advance toward an interconnected metaverse, seamless transitions between physical and virtual experiences offer new educational opportunities. This study examines possibilities of using immersive games, in environmental education. It is focused on involving users in ecological stories and problem-solving in the Whitemouth River Watershed (WMR). Virtual landscape design and game software have been used to develop a video game that enhances ecological understanding among middle school students. It begins by giving an overview of metaverse concepts, game design principles and environmental storytelling techniques; illustrating how video games can represent landscapes and enhance ecological understanding to encourage the preservation and conservation of particular environments. The document concludes by presenting the educational video game developed for the WMR area, detailing its storyboard, interface, and missions. It also includes the author’s reflections on the entire process of using a game engine to create a virtual environmental experience and its potential future applications in landscape architecture.