New interactive installations at Geopark Karawanken
Ars Electronica Solutions produced several additional interactive installations for the Geopark Karawanken Information Center – GeoAPP, GeoGAME and a mobile version of the popular GeoPulse installation.
GeoAPP Karawanken
For the UNESCO Geopark Karawanken, we developed an application that enables visitors to access information about the entire Geopark. This app conveniently provides a live hookup to the GeoPulse database, and thus eliminates the need for time-consuming updates in delivering current information about local offerings, activities and events, complete details about accommodations and restaurants, and much more. There are articles about all local attractions, whether they have to do with geology or not. And all of this information is pinpointed on the Geopark’s map that is also available offline. Plus, a navigation tool helps users find these locations and get oriented on the Geotrails in the area.
Project Credits: Lukas Bischof, Stefan Dorn, Martina Karrer, Claus Zweythurm
GeoGAME Karawanken
This game conceived especially for Geopark is designed primarily to provide worthwhile entertainment for younger visitors to the Geopark’s Information Center. The challenge that faced the game developer was to program a jump-and-run game that can be controlled by the motion sensors on the tablet on which it’s installed. Tilting the tablet moves the previously selected avatar forwards or backwards as it makes its way through the virtual Geopark. Along its route, the avatar passes by selected Geopark highlights that have been rendered as 3-D models. The point of the game is for the player to accumulate as many points as possible by collecting fossils and overcoming obstacles along the way. The impediments include trees, water, mountains and caves as well as treacherous forest spirits. Plus, there’s a sorcerer who poses questions (that attentive visitors to the Information Center should have no trouble answering). Finally, there’s a best-times list of those players whose cleverness, knowledge and dexterity enabled them to navigate through the virtual Geopark the fastest.
Project Credits: Ali Nikrang, Poorya Piroozan, Markus Wipplinger, Claus Zweythurm
GeoPulse Karawanken mobile
The high-tech highlight of the Geopark Information Center is a GeoPulse installation that enables visitors to access lots of info about the entire Geopark. And to further disseminate this content, two GeoPulse installations have also been provided for laptops that the park’s spokespersons can utilize when they appear at, say, schools or trade shows. The result is the presentation of a natural experience underscored with key background information, and this means that GeoPulse can successfully function as the region’s goodwill ambassador. Plus, an additional chapter has been developed especially for Bad Eisenkappel to showcase that community’s achievements in the area of energy conservation and to make this success story accessible by other towns and regions. This unique method of conveying information can clearly get across the ecological and economic advantages of energy-conscious initiatives and, ideally, convince other communities to follow suit.
Project Credits: Lukas Bischof, Martina Karrer, Markus Wipplinger, Claus Zweythurm
Client: Geopark Karawanken
Photo Credits: Guillaume Ohl, Claus Zweythurm
