Sandwell Borough Council has used GIS to create an interactive game to engage young people on the Tibbington estate, inviting players to enter a virtual environment. There they can use a range of building tools to present their thoughts and opinions about the area’s regeneration.
The ‘Gaming the Tibby’ project is thought to be the first use of Ordnance Survey data to create an interactive game that represents a real geographic site. What’s more, since each player’s output directly feeds into a master-planning process for the actual regeneration of the estate, the game provides a direct link to decision making at the highest level.
Derek Rowley, committee member for Safer Communities, Sandwell Borough Council, said, “The game helps draw young people in; they recognise their estate and that enables them to give their thoughts and opinions about regeneration.”
Following the success of the gaming project, Sandwell Borough Council scooped the Ordnance Survey award for the most innovative use of geographic information at the mapping agency’s local government and emergency services conference.
Ian Carter, from Ordnance Survey, added, “‘Gaming the Tibby’ is an outstandingly successful and innovative project. Never before has computer gaming technology come together with community consultation in this way. The end result has helped the council to get the opinions of people who wouldn’t usually speak out.”