A video game designed to explain the impact that human activities have on soil health and land use in Scotland was unveiled at Abertay University.
Students from the university’s Professional Masters in Games Development worked with the Scottish Ecological Design Association (SEDA), and scientists from the James Hutton Institute and SEFARI Gateway worked to create ‘Stone & Veil’, an engaging real-time strategy and resource management game.
Set in Northeast Scotland, the game educates players about soil health and land use, as well as the area’s unique mythology, drawing on Pictish heritage.
The brief set for the team was to help raise awareness and enhance understanding of land use for people who may not be familiar with the topics and the pivotal role of the land in our daily lives.
The game aims to highlight the complex value of land use and the impact of different forms of production on soil health.
By focusing on sustainable ecology, the game allows players to gain a better understanding of how land is deployed, with consequences for the future.
As part of their research, the development team visited the nearby Ardblair Standing Stones and walked part of the Cateran Trail.
Designed to be playable on a tablet or smartphone device, the game will be showcased at conferences and outreach events and hosted on the SEDA Land section of the SEDA website.
Student Marcus Young-Smith said:
“Working on Stone & Veil has been a great learning experience for the team, and we’ve gained a lot of valuable insights throughout the process, from discussing and agreeing the client brief, through to planning, designing and delivering the finished product. I hope that Stone & Veil can help people of different generations to engage with this important topic and the excellent work led by SEDA Land, the James Hutton Institute and SEFARI Gateway.”
SEDA Land is a Scottish registered charity focused on promoting a cultural shift in how we use and value land in Scotland with a view to achieving both a healthy ecology and a dynamic economy. It does this mainly by bringing together leading ecologists, scientists, land managers, and industry leaders, as well as artists, musicians, poets, and storytellers to consider all aspects of rural life – including biodiversity, climate, housing, communities, employment and health.
Founder of SEDA Land, Gail Halvorsen said:
"We have thoroughly enjoyed working with Marcus, Dom, Otto and all the entire Abertay team on the development of 'Stone & Veil’. It has been a fascinating experience, not least because of what it has taught us about the complexities of games development. SEDA Land is always on the look out for new ways of reaching new audiences who might not normally engage with ecological issues, and we are very optimistic that this exciting game will capture the imagination of young Scots."
Professor Lorna Dawson, senior soil scientist at the James Hutton Institute, and Knowledge Exchange Lead for Environment, SEFARI Gateway said:
“The game ‘Stone and Veil’ has in built information about soil, farming and the environment, where the player can gain knowledge of land use change though interactive decision-making play, as well as experiencing exciting challenges through contact with climatic events or the appearance of mythical creatures- both good and bad!”
Read more about the development of the game in the curvedflatlands blog.