Cities are always working to improve their services. For that, they depend on well-educated and ambitious personnel, while as a potential employer they have a challenging position in the job market.
Ranj has developed an online game that demonstrates to players how important and dynamic working in a municipality can be. The game is part of the image campaign Bij de gemeente heb jij het in de hand ('At the municipality, you are in control'), which is targeted at highly educated starters.
Famous festival
In this game, players are placed in the role of an employee at a self-selected city. They must make sure that the famous festival De nacht van (The night of) becomes a success, so that the city can hold on to it. They themselves choose which authorities to use.
However, clashing interests are involved with the festival's triumph. Players visit locations and speak through interactive dialogues with various stakeholders, such as neighbours and employees of the festival's organisation and also municipal executives and the communications department. They weigh everyone's interests and use, among other things, a smartphone with e-mail function to formulate decisions.
The players are judged by the quality of their guidance from the city. If this is good enough, the festival becomes a success and players are rewarded.
Positive thinking
De nacht van stimulates positive thinking about working in a municipality by letting players experience its diversity and importance themselves. This is realised by:
- The interactive structure, which gives players a good idea of the dynamics and decision making processes in the city.
- The interactive conversations and smart use of video and image elements, which provide extra depth and experience.
- The dynamic setup, which gives the life of a civil service worker some extrasparkle .
- The game setup, which stimulates repeated play and, with that, the transfer of the message.
- The possibility for localisation, which ensures local recognition and involvement of the players.
