Competition

We are delighted to announce this theme for GamesCon this year will be Global Goal 13 Climate Action.

Perhaps the biggest challenge our planet faces is the real threat from Climate Change. It is caused by the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, which then traps heat from the sun and then warms the Earth. The main greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide.

Human activities are the main cause of climate change. We release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere when we burn fossil fuels such as oil, coal and natural gas. Greenhouse gases are also released during de-forestation and from farm animals.

We see in the news problems that are attributed to climate change, and these are having a significant impact on the communities affected

• Extreme weather
• Rising Sea Levels
• Ocean Acidification
• Biodiversity loss

Climate change is a real danger to our fragile planet and to our way of life. We need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

For Gamescon this year we are looking to see you develop game or animation in Scratch that will highlight the issues of climate change, and below are a few ideas, but we are sure your students will have many more.

Create a game where the player has to help a community adapt to the effects of climate change. For example , the player could help build seawalls or breakwaters to protect a community from rising sea levels. This could be timed so the wall is complete before the sea level reaches a particular height.

Create a game where the player has to learn about the different causes of climate change and how to reduce their own impact on the environment. For example the player could learn about the importance of reducing energy consumption, recycling, and using renewable energy sources.

Create a game where the player has to experience the consequences of climate change firsthand. For example, the player could play as a polar bear who is losing its habitat due to melting ice, or they could play as a farmer who is struggling to grow crops due to drought.

By creating a Scratch game about climate change, you can help to educate and raise awareness of this important issue. You can also inspire others to take action to protect our planet.

Here are a few examples of Scratch games that you could create:

• A game where the player has to help a polar bear find food and a place to live as the Arctic ice melts.
• A game where the player has to help a farmer grow crops in a area affected by drought.
• A game where the player has to help a community adapt to the effects of rising sea levels.
• A game where the player has to learn about the different causes of climate change and how to reduce their own impact on the environment.

These are just a few ideas, and there are many other possibilities. The most important thing is to be creative and to have fun, we can’t wait to see what you create.

Scratch is the preferred platform

Aberdeenshire GamesCon 2024 fits in perfectly with the Aberdeenshire STEM Transition project so why not sign up and be in with a chance of winning some great prizes!