Abstract
This research examines how a serious game (Gee, 2007): Solarvale: Tale of the Sun Root (Birch et al., 2024), developed by students from SAE University College addresses the importance of ecological conservation and cultural awareness specifically in relation to the Australian landscape. While some Australian serious games, such as Catchment Detox (2008), Paperbark (2018), and Bleached Az (2019) engage with similar themes, few titles integrate storytelling with interactive ecological environments and cultural awareness in a way that encourages players to reflect on their own role and actions—which is the central focus of Solarvale. Drawing on the concepts from serious game (Gee, 2007), procedural rhetoric (Bogost, 2008), environmental storytelling (Jenkins, 2004), and player-centred design (Bartle, 2004; Hunicke et al., 2004; Marczewski, 2015), we investigate how Solarvale effectively communicates environmental values of care, responsibility, and respect for nature and Aboriginal culture through approachable and engaging gameplay.
Recommended Citation
Ho, Ping-I (Adam) and Birch, Elliot
(2026)
"Solarvale: Exploring Australian Ecology and Culture Through Serious Game Design,"
Imaginings: creative practice and inquiry: Vol. 2:
Iss.
1, Article 1.
Available at:
https://creo.sae.edu.au/imaginings/vol2/iss1/1