Gamers needed to test planet engineering game created by Murdoch University student

GAMERS are needed to test a planet engineering computer game created by Murdoch University PhD candidate Lisa Evans.

Ms Evans is hoping to find out whether her ‘choose your own adventure’ style game can influence the way people think about how the world works.

In the game, players engineer a perfect planet for a wealthy alien species using different earth-like environments including oceans and lakes, forests and deserts, to influence the climate.

Players can also choose how far away from the sun they want the planet to be, how much carbon dioxide they want in the atmosphere, and how much water and land will be on the planet.

The game uses climate simulations to guide the results of the chosen pathways.

Ms Evans runs a gaming business with her partner and is passionate about the democratisation of knowledge.

“The simulations I use in the game I’ve created give more people the chance to experience scientific models in a more tangible and hopefully fun way,” she said.

Volunteers interested in playing will need to complete an online questionnaire about their perceptions on environmental issues before the game and three-to-six months after playing the game.

Those invited to attend the workshop to play the game will be picked to ensure a wide variety of perspectives and backgrounds are represented in the study.

Register interest here.