The work force of tomorrow can learn a lot by playing video games today, say the folks at IBM.
The company in October will make available CityOne, a free online game that takes the concepts behind the popular SimCity series and tries to up the real-world ante. IBM’s version of the city simulator features problems and solutions that leaders in urban environments actually might encounter when they go to work.
One of the game’s scenarios involves a city where water usage increases twice as fast as the population, supplies are becoming strained and possibly polluted, and the municipality is losing almost half of its water through leaky pipes. On top of all that, energy costs continue to rise. To complete the mission, the player must come up with a way to deliver the highest water quality at the lowest cost in real time.
“The purpose of this game is to educate,” Program Manager Phaedra Boinodiris said. The solutions to the problems presented by CityOne are ones that IBM could help with in real life.
CityOne also presents challenges related to alternative energy, overcrowding and retail. In all of the missions, the user must determine the best way to balance the city’s financial, environmental and sociological interests.
IBM has produced “serious” games before, mostly focusing on business processing management. More than 1,000 colleges and universities use IBM games in their curriculum. Boinodiris sees CityOne and future games reaching a wider audience, including the defense industry. After discussions with military leaders, she believes that there is a need for games that simulate supply chain issues.
As for CityOne, the next phase may be to take the generic urban template used in the game and tailor it to the needs of customers in different regions.