Game
Aridia: Droughts of Andalucía
The game is about three farmers that produce all the same crop (olives) for the market. The setting of the game is in southern Spain where water becomes a scarcer resource over time. In the game there is not a set time frame, but the period is roughly from the time that water was not an issue in southern Spain until the future where water will be a huge problem. During the game every farmer has their own specific aim. The aim of the farmers is to continue producing their crops the best they can, each with a different irrigation method loosely representing their general perspective on the importance of a dwindling water reservoir. One farmer will keep the same irrigation system with a higher water use, one farmer will slightly improve to an irrigation system with a lower water use and one will improve to an irrigation system with the most efficient water use. In essence, the objective of this game is to raise awareness of the impact and importance of different farming practices on a landscape facing more frequent and severe droughts.
In the game the main challenge the players will face is the increasing water scarcity. Water is in the beginning an ‘infinite’ resource but when the game processes the water will be limited by events cards until there is no more water left for the players to all participate in the game anymore. This will be the end of the game and the debriefing will start about the end situation. The experience that we have implemented into the game is relevant for players because it gives them the realization that water can be a scarce common resource which must be taken care of by all actors.
In the initial design of the game the purpose of the game as an individual experience was to earn as much money while keeping the farm in business. For the collective experience the purpose is to keep enough water in the reservoir to get a sustainable water level in the region. Although these purposes are still in the game, the final design is more scripted and gives players not really the choice to achieve this purpose. The final game gives more of an experience of what would happen in a water scarce situation if all the players had a different purpose.
For more about setup & play, download the instructional pdf.
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