Developing a Serious Game That Supports the Resolution of Social and Ecological Problems in the Toolset Environment of Cities: Skylines

Robert Olszewski , Mateusz Cegiełka , Urszula Szczepankowska , Jacek Wesołowski

Abstract

Game engines are not only capable of creating virtual worlds or providing entertainment, but also of modelling actual geographical space and producing solutions that support the process of social participation. This article presents an authorial concept of using the environment of Cities: Skylines and the C# programming language to automate the process of importing official topographic data into the game engine and developing a prototype of a serious game that supports solving social and ecological problems. The model—developed using digital topographic data, digital terrain models, and CityGML 3D models—enabled the creation of a prototype of a serious game, later endorsed by the residents of the municipality, local authorities, as well as the Ministry of Investment and Economic Development.