EarthGame™ is a massively multiplayer online strategic design and planning real-world “game.” It is also a set of tools for recognizing, defining and solving global and local problems onboard Spaceship Earth. It combines the vast and growing wealth of global data available on the web with sophisticated data visualization techniques, embeds these within a powerful strategic planning and design methodology, and places all this into a gaming context.
The EarthGame is being developed by EarthGame Inc. a non-profit research and education organization. For more information and to learn how you can get involved, contact us here.
EarthGame Tools
The dashboard of a vehicle describes the present state of the condition of the vehicle— it’s speed, remaining fuel, engine temperature, etc. The view out the “windshield” of the moving vehicle describes the immediate future— where the vehicle is heading. In a similar fashion, the rearview mirror can be said to be a view into the past— where the vehicle has been. In addition to these components of a vehicle, there are the control mechanisms— steering, accelerator, brake for example—and the most important aspect of any vehicle— the driver or pilot. The person who is observing the dashboard, rearview mirror and windshield, and that person’s values, vision and choices as to where— what destination— the vehicle should be going is the critical component of any vehicle—including Spaceship Earth.
Earth Dashboard
EarthGame incorporates these concepts by having a dashboard where up-to-the-second meters, gauges, maps, alarms and other data visualization tools provide an accurate present state condition of the Earth; trends and time lines provide a rearview mirror for seeing where we have come from; data projections into the future provide a glimpse out the windshield; and choices and societal goals provide a view of the “driver’s” choice of destination. The Earth Dashboard is the user interface for the EarthGame. It presents the present state of the world, in real time. The Windshield or view port is where the Earth is heading, and as such, it is the future. The problems confronting humanity can be seen here. The Helm is where we steer the ship— and most importantly, determine where we want to be heading. As such, it is also where we can take corrective action to steer our world away from danger and towards the destinations we choose. You, the player of the EarthGame, are at the helm.
(Being a firm advocate of Buckminster Fuller’s admonition to never present half-finished work, this site contains only a very brief description of the overall operating metaphor of the Earth Game and a few rough concept renderings of the United Nations Earth Dashboard that EarthGame Inc. is developing.)