The serious game ConnectiCity is developed by the ide3a project partners at the Technische Universitaet Berlin, used for education and published as an opensource game. The game will be a multi-layered digital, open source, serious game to enable scenario analysis, simulation, and optimisation of urban critical infrastructure systems under heterogeneous social, technical, and climate scenarios. As part of the urban environment this includes interconnections with other critical infrastructures (e.g., electric grid, telecommunication networks, mobility, ecology and other urban networks). Its purpose is to provide its playerbase with an interactive experience that introduces them to important topics such as climate-resilient cities and interconnected critical urban infrastructures.

In addition to the game itself, ConnectiCity offers a glossary containing information on key terms and concepts covered in the game. This glossary can be accessed during gameplay to enhance understanding and explore additional information related to the game’s topics.

In ConnectiCity, players assume the role of an expert consultant who is introduced to the mayor of the City named Connie. Connie explains that her city is facing extreme weather events that have been causing damage in multiple neighborhoods, while also dealing with the challenges of a growing population. To address these issues, ConnectiCity is developing a new neighborhood designed to serve as an exemplary area capable of facing various challenges.

As the expert consultant, the player’s task is to develop a plan that simulates different scenarios and creates a sustainable and resilient new neighborhood over ten rounds, representing ten years of city development. The goal is to achieve a high score in three categories: social, environmental, and economic. This is accomplished by managing a variety of trackers that represent different aspects of city development.

The player must find the right balance between each of the aforementioned aspects while considering the increasing needs of the growing population, such as housing and job opportunities. ConnectiCity’s map is divided into two groups of subcatchments, designated for housing or businesses. The number of housing units corresponds to the population capacity, while the amount of businesses reflects the environmental aspect of unemployment.

Constructing buildings increases the terrain’s imperviousness, thereby raising the risk of flash floods. Moreover, constructing more structures increases traffic flow on the map, resulting in higher carbon emissions. Poor management of BGIs will result in penalties for the player. In addition, traffic intensity is indicated by a color scheme, with high traffic intensity associated with high carbon emissions. Players can mitigate these emissions by incorporating public transportation in ConnectiCity.

As a simulation-based game, the different hydroclimatic scenarios implemented in ConnectiCity are pre-simulated using the SWMM model [1] on the Bellinge open dataset [2], which inspired the drainage network topology in ConnectiCity.