Researchers from the Interactive Arts Research Laboratory (inArts.eu), based at the Department of Audio & Visual Arts in Corfu, have created an innovative serious game aimed at connecting cultural fields such as local recipes, contemporary products, and the history of the area. The game’s website is https://www.brenda.gr/, and the game is freely accessible to everyone in its trial version at https://game.brenda.gr/ featuring the main character Brenda, whom players help to uncover the secrets of the area and develop her skills as a chef.
As stated by the game designer and scientific lead of the research team, Associate Professor in the Department of Audio & Visual Arts at Ionian University Yiannis Deliyannis:
“The connection of thematic fields and the exploration of the rich content each place holds is a challenge that requires the user to perceive the application as accessible, useful, and entertaining. The use of serious games and gamification does not guarantee that participants enjoy the designed activities, which is well known to our department that researches this area. Hence, we focused on the concept of Ludification—beneficial ‘deception’ of the user combined with the above notions—designing and creating a tourism guide game with multiple features such as core storyline, support for exploratory learning, rewards, playful discovery of points of interest using augmented reality, incentives for users to try local recipes and learn about local products, among many others.”
The game environment generously and openly offers information to the user without restrictions, whether it is of historical interest or gastronomy. The only limitation is that the player must first unlock recipes by purchasing their ingredients, a process implemented by trying modern recipes at restaurants, sampling local products, or discovering the history of the area. All these activities earn virtual coins used for that purpose. Virtual coins are gained by playing the game and helping Brenda expand her experience. This gaming approach fits Generation Z, which prefers earning information through value and skills rather than purchasing it.
The game’s development was part of the “RESEARCH – CREATE – INNOVATE” Action, co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) of the European Union and national resources through the Operational Program Competitiveness, Entrepreneurship & Innovation (EPAnEK) (project code: T1EDK-05099). Participants include the Kilkis Chamber of Commerce as the hosting and managing authority, Honeybee Productions which produced the audiovisual content, and Arlise handling marketing.
Visitors to Philoxenia 2022 in Thessaloniki had the opportunity from November 18-20 to try the working demo, meet the creators, and discuss ideas on how the inArts research laboratory and their partners can turn them into playful experiences and environments.
Game Description:
A serious game aimed at promoting tourist exploration of the gastronomy and culture of a place.
How to play:
Users get information about the game through https://game.brenda.gr/.
Attached is printed material – a tri-fold flyer to be given to visitors that will include the following QR codes with:
https://brenda.gr/
(Brenda Project Website)
https://game.brenda.gr/
(Play the game on your mobile device)
