When we heard about the Alimentarium's new Escape Game AL2049, a type of simulator for age 12-77, we had to contact Head of Content at this Vevey Museum to find out more. Nicolas Godinot, a Swiss/French national with perfect English, explained and demonstrated the game to us.
"We wanted to put together a project that put forward the issues of today's world to feed those in years to come. The eco-system put forward in this game challenges the way we think. Of course it can be enjoyed by all ages but we really are targeting 15-25 year-olds as they are in that teenage group that doesn't often visit museums, while challenging our system and being climate conscious. Our objective is to show them through a digital system how choices we make today affect our tomorrow."
Nicolas claimed that this project, AL2049 (the name is derived from "Alimentarium" and a future date), took 2.5 years to put together from the first idea to the final implementation. He worked alongside a great team from the University de Genève's TECFA LIP department with Professor Eric Sanchez. The digital programming graphics, and fine-tuned game design were done by local Vevey company, Digital Kingdom.
The game starts with an introduction by "Professor Alix", and a group of up to 24 students with 8 tablets are instructed on how the game works.
The objective of the game is to find the right balance between producing food to eat, how many people are being fed, and what kind and quantity of energy sources are used. A look into your selection is then projected 10 years later and you can see your carbon footprint as well as the health and wellbeing of the "survivors". You can then go back and make changes and finesse your choices. It certainly opens up the mind and awareness of how these choices change the outcome. "If you don't know today what you will know tomorrow, then we truly are remiss to not bring this to the attention of those that will be around to see it through", says Nicolas. There are no magic solutions, or the "right" answer. It is all about understanding and learning through discussions with Professor Alix and the other participants.
AL2049 will be available for school groups from January 2023 and to the public from April 2023. Those that participate in person will be given online access so they can play again and again. It is possible that from June you can play this exclusively online if you don't live in the area.
Leave 2 hours at the Alimentarium for a before and after visit with one hour for the game. The guides have the ability to present in French and English and are working on getting a German version as well. Same price as private guided tours.
Alimentarium
Quai Perdonnet 25
1800 Vevey
https://www.alimentarium.org/en
October to March: Tuesday to Sunday 10h-17h
April to September: Tuesday to Sunday 10h-18h
