GThanks to the collaborative paths that have been established in recent months between RUFA, La Sapienza, Università della Tuscia and Sicheo, the prototype of the “San Lorenzo Defence” video game was presented: A “free-to-play” collaborative video game for mobile platform that combines the video game genres “Tower defense”, “Real World Adventure” and “Action RpG”.
San Lorenzo Defence vaims to be an immersive and engaging experience that, through play, invites people to discover places of culture and social interest in Rome’s iconic neighborhood.
The places currently implemented and playable are: the Verano Cemetery, the Statue of Minerva, the House of Memory, and Porta Tiburtina. But over thirty interesting places will be available in the online neighborhood to learn about and defend.
The meeting, which was held at La Sapienza University in the premises of the former Vetrerie Sciarra, was introduced and moderated by professor Emanuele Panizzi of the DigiLab Interdepartmental Research Center, assisted for the occasion by RUFA director arch. Fabio Mongelli, professor Paola Vocca of Roma Tor Vergata and researcher Jacopo Zuliani, who developed the programming of the app.
The plot is compelling. From the tombs of the Verano cemetery groups of zombies and other monstrous beings organize to form an army aimed at attacking and defeating the residents of San Lorenzo, allied with the out-of-town students and associative spaces operating in the area. The army of zombies, drug dealers and speculators, wants to take over first of all the places of culture, and then extend its domination over commercial activities, squares, and common goods. Positive actors, in order to prevent this havoc, unite and collaborate in defense of the neighborhood. But weapons are not used in this game! The monstrous beings are allergic to love and its symbols. Players must therefore hit the enemies with flowers to eliminate them and save the neighborhood. Those who play in the San Lorenzo district, thanks to geolocation, get bonuses that allow them not only to “experience” this charming district of Rome, but also to increase their score in the game.
The “San Lorenzo Defence” project is an integral part of a broader action of urban and social regeneration.
In the sign of territorial identity, innovation and contemporaneity, it aims to explore the languages of the new generations, ready to interface with the neighborhood in an open and direct way.
It is an experience that aspires to become an operational model in other areas of the city and especially in other urban realities. And this is exactly the object of the research initiated by the institutions and companies that have joined the plan.
The San Lorenzo Defence video game is in its first stage of development: therefore, it is necessary to facilitate the downloading of the app and verify its technical aspects through analysis and collection of data and the way it is used. To this end, presentations will be organized in schools and cultural venues in the neighborhood to involve as many users as possible.
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Find out more about the project
