Space Apps Challenge 2017

We have developed a web app to help raise awareness about the negative impact of invader species on local ecosystems. The users (with a focus, but not restricted to children and teenagers) will have fun playing a quick and engaging game while they learn about some of the most widespread invader species in a relevant ecosystem of their local area that we determine using the Geo-location signals available on any modern device.

The information about the species in your ecosystem is gathered in a compendium with a different card for each encountered species. Each collectible card contains useful data about their habitat, main characteristics, hazard on the environment, mechanism of introduction and other fun facts. The users will also have the option of reporting sightings of tentative invader organisms to increase our database by submitting a picture and some comments (and collecting its correspondent geo-location) on a dedicated menu. The pictures will be reviewed via crowd-sourcing to determine if the submissions are indeed examples of exogenous species. The players will also collect special cards if they submit a picture of an animal already on the database. With this mechanism and an engaging game, we aim to (1) educate in a playful/didactic environment and (2) create a solid crowd-sourced database and cartography of the local species in any users area.

One of the main challenges was building the game and the app from scratch using the software Construct 2. This allows direct HTML5/Javascript implementation and easy cross-platform integration. For the game, we opted for a simple yet engaging design, where you play as a native species that is trying to survive against the invader species. You start as a small blob, and your objective is to eat other smaller blobs to progressively increase in size until you become effectively the bigger one on screen, representing that you have succeeded on your survival. However, the enemy blobs also try to do the same thing, and you lose if you get eaten by one of them. Depending on the outcome of the game, you will unlock a card describing the native or the invader species that you encountered, and it will be added to your compendium. It is worth mentioning that the physics of the game are realistic, and all the actions including moving, changing direction, eating enemies etc. have a very responsive feel, which we believe makes the game engaging and fun to play, regardless of it's unequivocal didactic value. The difficulty is very carefully fine tuned to make it challenging and exciting for all audiences.

The graphic designs of the game and the app have been done trough Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop and Inkscape. All the images are copyright free.

It was only through our multidisciplinary team that this project became a reality and we are very proud to have developed a stylish and fully functional alpha-prototype with more than 10 local species in our area of the beautiful Tejo's estuary!

Useful Links:
Link to GitHub repository: https://github.com/quendera/usurpatoris (Try the game!)

Construct 2: https://www.scirra.com/construct2