Inspiration
Through AP Environmental Science, I learned how everyday household choices impact the environment, often in ways I hadn’t considered. Realizing that many people lack this kind of awareness, I saw the need for an engaging, informative way to highlight how everyday actions can make a real difference. This inspired me to create a virtual interactive simulation called Living Footprints.
What it does
Living Footprints is a virtual simulation created through the game development app Unity. In this simulation, users tour through living spaces. As they explore, they can interact with objects glowing blue. Once clicked, these objects take the user to another scene, where they are informed both textually and visually of the environmental concepts and processes that allow them to gain a deeper understanding of the impact of this object on the environment.
How we built it
I built it using the game development app Unity. The logic of the interactions was created through C#, which is the coding language Unity runs on.
Challenges we ran into
This was my first time using Unity, so I came into this project with no experience. Adjusting to the complex interface was my biggest challenge. It took quite a while for me to learn how to implement everything I wanted, like player movement, mesh colliding, interactions, and more.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
I'm proud of how far I've come with my Unity experience. I was able to create a fully functioning project, having had zero experience with this app prior. Additionally, I'm proud of my initiative to identify a problem through my school education and go further to tackle it.
What we learned
While I learned technical skills through C#, Unity mechanics, and more, I most importantly learned the value of using technology as a tool to educate and inspire change. When we understand the human connection to technology, it becomes a powerful force for good, capable of benefiting society in countless ways, including raising awareness through environmental education.
What's next for Living Footprints
I hope to expand the reach of Living Footprints to others' lives, whether it is other people in my community or beyond. I believe LivingFootprints has the ability to make an impactful environmental change through each person it educates. There are many reasons why I believe Living Footprints has this potential. 1) Its emphasis on visuals. People tend to retain information better when learned through visuals. 2) Its use of data. People are more willing to respond and take action when they are presented with actual numbers. 3) Gamification. This simulation engages its users through gamification. Similar to a scavenger hunt, the users try to find all the objects in an area. This both increases engagement and boosts motivation.
Additional Notes
To try the app, you need to follow these steps: 1) Download and install Unity Hub from unity.com. 2) Install the specific Unity Editor version (in the README). 3) Clone or download the GitHub repo to local machine. 4) Open the project folder in Unity Hub. 5) Let Unity import assets and compile the project 6) Run the game inside the Unity Editor
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