Building the Future: Crafting a Game to Raise Awareness for 15-Minute Cities
We are Team Digital Twin Cities, an IMT&S group of seven passionate individuals who spent 18 weeks developing a city-building game designed to raise awareness about 15-minute cities, targeting a younger audience between the ages of 12 and 35.
As students in Saxion University’s Creative Media & Game Technologies program, we each brought our unique specializations to the table. Our team is made up of four artists, two designers, and one engineer. Together, we set out to create something fun and educational, combining our skills to build a visually appealing puzzle game inspired by authentic Dutch cities. Our goal was simple: to showcase the benefits of living in a 15-minute city, where everything you need is within a short walk or bike ride.
Each team member took on specific roles, from creating 3D models, textures, shaders, and VFX to working with modular assets in Houdini. Our designers meticulously planned and tested game flow, mechanics, and UI/UX, while our engineer implemented these features in Unreal Engine, ensuring high-quality performance.
One aspect that stood out during this project was our collaboration with Smart Cities. While other teams struggled to connect with their stakeholders, we were fortunate to receive regular feedback from Timothy, who met with us weekly. This consistent support helped us stay on track and allowed us to create a project we were genuinely proud of. We appreciated the balance Smart Cities struck—they gave us the creative freedom to develop a product that would enhance our portfolios while still keeping the original goal in focus.
Unlike other teams that faced strict requirements to use specific technologies or media, we felt our creativity was never stifled. This freedom enabled us to produce something we’re excited to showcase on our resumes. Reflecting on the project, we occasionally felt like we could have done more, especially after feedback sessions when we had just overcome a challenge. However, learning to navigate new technologies and tools was a significant achievement in itself—something we didn’t always give ourselves enough credit for during the process.
Looking ahead, most of our artists plan to pursue careers as game or technical artists. One of our designers is keen to dive into design process pipelines, while the other hopes to find a role in a creative sector where they can let their imagination run wild. As for me, I’m eager to continue as a programmer at a gameplay studio, with the goal of making more games in the future.
In closing, we’d like to extend our gratitude to Smart Cities for their guidance and the opportunity to contribute to solutions that make our cities better places to live.
Ready for a New Challenge?
Did this story spark your enthusiasm for Smart Cities as a dynamic learning environment? If so, we’d love to hear from you! As a research group, we’re always eager to meet new students and explore opportunities for completing your graduation project or internship with us. Interested? Simply send us a WhatsApp or stop by our office (G6.25). We look forward to connecting with you soon!
