E-polis: A serious game for the gamification of sociological surveys

Abstract

E-polis is a multi-platform serious game that gamifies a sociological survey for studying young people's opinions regarding their ideal society. The gameplay is based on a user navigating through a digital city, experiencing the changes inflicted, triggered by responses to social and pedagogical surveys, known as "dilemmas". The game integrates elements of adventure, exploration, and simulation. Unity was the selected game engine used for the development of the game, while a middleware component was also developed to gather and process the users' data. At the end of each game, users are presented with a blueprint of the city they navigated to showcase how their choices influenced its development. This motivates them to reflect on their answers and validate them. The game can be used to collect data on a variety of topics, such as social justice, and economic development, or to promote civic engagement and encourage young people to think critically about the world around them.