Concept:
“WHAT A WASTE” is an educational game aimed at educating students about the importance of proper waste segregation. Nowadays, the recycling rate in the UAE drops below 10%, mainly due to a lack of awareness and segregation infrastructure, while the government’s sustainable agenda for 2030 aims to divert 75% of the waste produced in the UAE from landfills. Inspired by real-life scenarios, such as students inadvertently placing non-recyclable items like half-full Coca-Cola bottles into recycling bins, the game’s core objective is to prevent contamination in recycling bins. Players are tasked with identifying and sorting recyclable items correctly to avoid contaminating the recycling stream. By doing so, they learn that unsorted waste not only hinders the recycling process but also increases the workload for recycling centers and waste management companies. Through engaging gameplay and practical examples, “WHAT A WASTE” seeks to equip students with the knowledge and habits needed to contribute effectively to recycling efforts, supporting the UAE’s sustainability goals and promoting a cleaner environment.
Rule of the game:
In the “WHAT A WASTE” game, players click the start button to begin. As they do, a variety of trash items will start falling down from the screen. The first crucial step is to catch the plastic waste and place it in the plastic recycling bin. When players successfully catch clean plastic trash, they earn 2 points. However, if they fail to catch any trash, their score remains at zero. The challenge intensifies when players accidentally catch the wrong trash, such as dirty plastic plates or paper boxes, as this causes them to lose one of their remaining lives. This game format not only tests players’ knowledge of proper recycling but also provides an engaging and interactive way to reinforce the importance of correct waste sorting and segregation. When the player accumulates 15 points, they win the game.
Things to Improve:
The first thing I want to improve is the PNG that I use for the waste. Since it is a large size PNG, it is very easy to lose the game. I need to change the size and add more photos of the waste.
Secondly, I need to add design and songs on the start and end pages and also include the instructions on the start page.
Lastly, I would like to update my code to include a restart button and make the game restart after I win or lose the game.