Geopark the Hondsrug (Drenthe, NL) and Terra.Vita (Germany) are unique natural areas full of geological, archaeological and cultural-historical heritage. But how do you bring the stories of these areas to life for elementary school-aged children? With an educational game with GPS, augmented reality options and lots of adventure!
Get in touch with Giel Hekkert
For many cultural institutions and organizations it is a challenge: to present stories about our history in such a way that children also become enthusiastic about them. The current generation has grown up with the Internet and is used to learning new things in a fast, interactive way. It is a challenge to keep the attention of this target group, but at the same time their dexterity with technology provides many new opportunities.
Geopark de Hondsrug and Geopark Terra.Vita decided to work with this fact. They chose us as serious game experts to develop a game with which children and parents can explore the areas while playing on their smartphones. They already had a clear idea of the basic function: a GPS-based quest, in which 3D objects and (learning) objectives can be found throughout the area.
ApproachWe got to work on a story concept and the mini-games that can be played at different target destinations. Our programmer Sietse built from scratch a map system that shows live how far away the user is from a target destination. Even without an internet connection and on older smartphones. In addition, of course, we developed the necessary 3D models. From dolmens to masks and from mammoths to dinosaurs. These models can be “projected” onto the landscape via augmented reality. This is how we make history that is no longer tangible experienceable for a young target group.
ResultsWe are proud of the final result! An exciting, user-friendly game where learning and playing come together perfectly. Not only does the game The Lost Collection invite children to explore the entire area and learn more about special locations. It also encourages children and their parents to walk and exercise more. After all, those who track well will see the woolly mammoth walking through the Drenthe (or German!) landscape again in AR and can even have their picture taken with it. You’d be happy to take a little detour for that, right?
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This project contributes to SDG #4 Quality Education. The Lost Collection game makes knowledge about cultural heritage and nature accessible to youth. This game not only provides strong learning skills, but also encourages a healthy lifestyle. Players follow a route in which various challenges are hidden. Learning objectives are achieved through the use of Augmentated Reality (AR). Through AR, virtual views are connected to reality, giving an extra dimension to the learning effect for young people.
