With water storages at critically low levels around the country, Coffs Harbour is one of several councils using a new interactive web based game to teach residents about water conservation around the home. Titled, Mission H20, the game was developed for the savewater!® Alliance, which works with its members to deliver water conservation programs throughout Australia. Members include a number of councils, such as Coffs Harbour, Albury and Dubbo City Councils, as well as other water businesses, government agencies and product companies.
The game challenges players to move through the Wilson family household and save water by finding tips and hidden videos in the house, then playing different games. The mission is complete when players have submitted their highest score, and as a bonus, high scorers go into a draw to win an iPod Shuffle.
Five iPod Shuffles will be given away every two months.
The game was recently recognised at the
12th Annual Webby Awards as an Official Honouree – a distinction that recognises work exhibiting remarkable achievement.
Hailed as the ‘Oscars of the Internet’ by the New York Times, the Webby Awards are the leading international award for excellence on the internet, including websites, interactive advertising, online film and video, and mobile websites. This year’s awards received nearly 10,000 entries from over
60 countries, with fewer than 15 per cent gaining the Official Honouree Distinction, making the Mission H20 game a significant achievement.
Some 80 students and five lecturers from Swinburne University’s Faculty of Design worked together to create the game, putting in over 18,000 hours. Mission H20 is available on Coffs Harbour’s and other member councils’ websites, as well as the savewater!® Alliance website at
www.savewater.com.au
For further information contact Luke Gibbons at the savewater!® Alliance on (03) 8508 6807.
