"Benefit Game: Alien Seaweed Swarms" -- Real-time Gamification of Digital Seaweed Ecology

Abstract

"Benefit Game: Alien Seaweed Swarms" combines artificial life art and interactive game with installation to explore the impact of human activity on fragile seaweed ecosystems. The project aims to promote ecological consciousness by creating a balance in digital seaweed ecologies. Inspired by the real species "Laminaria saccharina", the author employs Procedural Content Generation via Machine Learning technology to generate variations of virtual seaweeds and symbiotic fungi. The audience can explore the consequences of human activities through gameplay and observe the ecosystem's feedback on the benefits and risks of seaweed aquaculture. This Benefit Game offers dynamic and real-time responsive artificial seaweed ecosystems for an interactive experience that enhances ecological consciousness.