Earth Crisis is a free, turn-based strategy game for Android about fighting climate change. It has been created by Jacob Petersen, a Toronto-based climate scientist and independent game designer whose goal was to make a game that is fun and engaging but also gets people experience the threat of climate change.
"The effects of climate change happens on the scale of decades, but with a game I can compress time so that players can experience what the future might hold for us," said Petersen.
The goal of the game is to lower carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere to a level of carbon dioxide that scientists believe is safe. Players accomplish this by strategically deploying agents. Each agent, whether a scientist, or activist, has different specialties. For example, scientists are good at building credibility, which is the basic currency in the game. If people do not believe in climate change then action is not possible.
As player progress they can unlock advancements. Advancements improve agents and unlock stronger ones using advancements. For example, environmental politics is an advancement that locks politicians as agents, and renewable energy makes entrepreneurs more effective at lowering emission. Your choice of advancements shapes how you play the game.
Opposing players are deniers and outlaws. Deniers directly oppose action against climate change and outlaws thrive in the chaos that it creates. Each will hinder players in a unique way. For example, skeptics will destroy reserves of credibility and insurgents raise regional instability. Climate change builds throughout the game manifesting as disasters that driving regions into anarchy. If the entire world descends into anarchy players lose.
“Do you think we aren't doing enough for climate change?” asked Petersen, “Do you want to see what it's like to be in charge? Earth Crisis lets players tackle the threat of climate change their own way. I think this is a really fun way of illustrating the complexity of climate change.” Electric Dragon Mediaworks is a new Toronto-based independent video game studio. Electric Dragon specializes in topical strategy and simulation games for Android. Earth Crisis is Electric Dragon's first release.
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