GAMIFIED ENCULTURATION
IDEAS was tasked with creating an interactive and engaging enculturation tool for front-line employees in the Pocono Mountains region. The goal of this tool was to help front-line employees understand what there is to do and where things are located in the Pocono Mountains, while also conveying the values that each employee is expected to uphold. The tool also needed to be able to be used by a wide range of users varying in backgrounds and age.
EXPLORE THE REGION
The game design was centered on the concept of exploring the Pocono Mountains region. The region is broken up into four counties, which each represent a level in the game. Players had several tools in their Explorer’s Backpack that would aid them along their journey. The main tool was a detailed map of each region.
Each region would have six places to visit, which were all real locations within the Pocono Mountains. Each location was illustrated to look like the actual location based on collected photographs. Collectively, our team illustrated 24 unique locations spread-out through four different counties.
LOCATIONS
INTERVIEW THE LOCALS
Players were tasked with interviewing the locals in each location in an attempt to gather information and find a useful clue to aid them along their journey. The locals could have a problem they need your help with, they may give you a helpful clue about the ancient artifacts, or they may just want to chat.
Players interacted with 48 unique characters throughout the game, each with their own personality and backstory. Each character provided a unique challenge or interaction for the player. We wanted each location to feel different for players to help the game environment feel more alive.
FIND CLUES
Each location in the game contained a clue that players would need to find in order to win the game, and each clue would lead them to a new location in the region. Once they found all six clues in the region, they were given the chance to piece the clues together, solve the puzzle, and track down an artifact.
Each clue was uniquely designed in terms of both story and aesthetic to fit within each location. Players would keep track of their clues and artifacts in their Inventory to help them throughout their journey.
SOLVE THE MYSTERY
After players had gathered all six clues in a region, they were challenged to piece the clues together by recalling what they had learned about each clue and each location. If successful, they would find the lost artifact in that region, allowing them to move forward to the next region.
Once players collected all four artifacts, they would win the game and be awarded a score and their Silver Ambassador Pin, which was a digital version of an actual pin they would receive from the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau after completing the game.
