🧰 Tools
Unity
C#
Blender
🧑 Role
Project Owner - Game Designer and Developer, Unity C# Developer, 3D modelling and Texturing, UI/UX Design
🤝 Contributers
Project Advisor - Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sema Alaçam, İstanbul Technical University (ITU).
💰 Funds
The four years of the PhD research was fully funded by Türkiye's Council of Higher Education
📃Publishing
🎓 Academic
This project was the part of Ph.D. dissertation by Varlık Yücel
Project Details
Within the framework of this project, the objective is to explore new approaches leveraging the potential of game-based contemporary educational tools and environments in the context of architectural undergraduate education. The focal point of this thesis is the development of energy-efficient building design strategies, culminating in the creation of a serious game prototype. The effectiveness of the developed prototype, assessed through qualitative and quantitative research methods, constitutes another significant output of this study.
Within the framework of this thesis, the objective is to explore new approaches leveraging the potential of game-based contemporary educational tools and environments in the context of architectural undergraduate education. The focal point of this thesis is the development of energy-efficient building design strategies, culminating in the creation of a serious game prototype. The effectiveness of the developed prototype, assessed through qualitative and quantitative research methods, constitutes another significant output of this study.
There is an abundance of literature on serious games aimed at end-users in the context of building energy efficiency and sustainable environments. These studies primarily seek to enhance awareness among building users regarding energy consumption, equipping them with essential knowledge and skills to encourage the efficient and economical use of building facilities. The ultimate goal is to induce behavioral changes in individuals to reduce energy consumption in buildings.
While numerous educational games aim to promote behaviors contributing to a building's energy efficiency among end-users, studies focusing on the design of the building and its designers—arguably the most crucial determinants of energy efficiency—are limited to a few examples in the literature. It is believed that encouraging architects to consider energy-efficient building design criteria and parameters from the early design phase, thereby fostering a high level of awareness towards sustainability, will lead to behavioral changes that significantly contribute to the literature and the professional field.
This thesis proposes that such endeavors will not only enrich the academic and professional discourse on sustainable architectural design but also pave the way for innovative educational strategies in architectural education, emphasizing the critical role of early-stage design decisions in achieving energy efficiency.
Within the scope of the thesis work, a prototype for a serious game has been developed in the Unity environment. An examination of the prototype's design and development process reveals that the user experience (UX) design phase has been completed, while efforts on the user interface (UI) design are ongoing. It is possible to assert that all planned game mechanics have been developed as intended and are now complete.
A specific focus has been placed on the game's calculation components, where certain deficiencies have been identified. An algorithm that calculates the sun's position based on the provided date, time, and location information has been developed and is functioning successfully. Furthermore, the algorithm for casting rays based on the sun's position (ray-tracing) and calculating the amount of light reaching surfaces versus being blocked by obstacles like walls has also been successfully implemented. The relationship between the rays that reach surfaces and those that do not provides valuable information about surface illumination.
However, work continues on daylight simulation using either the CIE Standard General Sky or the Perez Sky Model. Simply calculating the sun's position and its radiance is insufficient for simulation purposes. A consistent sky model, along with calculations on how light diffuses and refracts within this model, is crucial for the daylight simulation to operate effectively. In this context, further efforts will be devoted to refining the simulation algorithms. Additionally, the development of the user interface design will continue to progress.
This project represents a comprehensive approach to developing a serious game, integrating advanced technical components with user-centered design to enhance the educational and experiential value of the game.
