Eskom game is all about power

Cape Town 21-05-2015 The Eskom Energy Planner game requires players to manage a city's energy supply by saving electricity and using ecologically friendly alternatives. Picture Supplied

Cape Town 21-05-2015 The Eskom Energy Planner game requires players to manage a city's energy supply by saving electricity and using ecologically friendly alternatives. Picture Supplied

Published May 23, 2015

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Johannesburg - Eskom has not made many friends due to load shedding but hopes a new online game could at least win it some sympathy with locals.

The Eskom Energy Planner game, that went online this week, is a virtual representation of what it takes to provide electricity to a city.

Cape Town-based company Formula D interactive designed the game and its managing director Marco Rosa said the “goal is to build a happy city”.

“A happy city has a good balance between a healthy environment, the cost of electricity and safety,” he said.

The player has to produce power for a city, considering coal, gas, hydro, nuclear, solar and wind energy sources. The actual cost of creating electricity with these energy sources is reflected in the game.

Rosa said Eskom wanted to “use the game as an educational tool”.

“This game shows how complex it is to manage the power of a city, never mind a country,” he said.

Players have to ensure public safety by removing kites from power lines or reporting cable theft when they see it in the game. When this happens, an information box pops up with the actual number to call to report cable theft.

Players are taken through different settings – a home, hospital, hotel, office and school – to solve electricity challenges in each place. You can change light bulbs, for example, and find out about the real time energy and financial savings this has for a household. The city scene also changes from day to night and between seasons to show energy needs at different times.

 

Weekend Argus

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