REBOOT, an app-based game that blends the virtual world with reality, has enjoyed a smooth start since its introduction to the MU community Sunday. A 10-week-long scavenger hunt that ends on Earth Day, REBOOT participants complete missions assigned to them via the REBOOT website.
This week’s challenges centered around a theme of reuse. They included documenting a team member drinking from a non-disposable container, donating or purchasing an item at the local Salvation Army and making repurposed team T-shirts. Teams must check in with a smartphone at various locations near campus and take pictures as proof of their participation.
“Technology has become a part of our lives, but not a part of our whole environment,” REBOOT organizer Peter Meng said in a news release. “We want to show people that technology can free you from your office, so you can get out and discover more of what is around you. We hope this game will teach people about the health and well-being of the environment and an appreciation for what is around us.”
The program was introduced to the public Sunday, just a month after preparations started in December. REBOOT project manager Hannah Sims said though project development began later than was ideal, REBOOT has experienced a successful first week.
“It’s been a very busy week,” she said. “The transition from development to implementation has been very rapid. Though it’s a challenge, the various components of this project have been working together creatively to make it a reality.”
About 160 REBOOT participants are part of 27 teams, each competing for a prize of $1,000. Although there is a cash incentive to win, the program is mainly meant to be a fun and informative way to unite the MU community around promoting positive environmental change.
“The goal of REBOOT Mizzou is to introduce players to fun, technologically-interactive, community-based ways of engaging their friends and environment to promote sustainability and community health,” Sims said in an email.
Sims said many participants are still beginning to choose their teams, learn the game and figure out a strategy. She expects in two to three weeks, the level of competition will pick up.
“Some of the challenges are time-sensitive, but for teams that haven’t joined yet, there’s still time to catch up,” Sims said.
The program’s main sponsors are the MU Sustainability Office and the Reynolds Journalism Institute. The program was also developed through collaboration between many MU resources, including local sponsors and students. About 25 people, including computer development and convergence journalism students, are on the REBOOT development team, which works to formulate new content and material for each week of the game.
Sims said the REBOOT Mizzou team is making an effort to stimulate participants socially, physically, intellectually and creatively.
“We’ve tried to build a broad base of people who can suggest challenging and creative missions,” Sims said. “Missions will be varied weekly, with some being more difficult than others. We hope that missions will be challenging in many different ways.”
The missions are relayed to participants each week via videos of a virtual character named Ava posted on the REBOOT website. Ava the avatar, who is from the future, is researching how previous generations managed to decrease negative effects of global warming and climate change. REBOOT Mizzou participants track her theories, and on Earth Day, April 22, the program will deliver her final results and name a winning team.
Sims said the success of this year’s REBOOT Mizzou program will influence the decision to renew the project next year.
“It’s an idea that we’re considering if people show interest,” Sims said. “Of course, we’d have to change it up a little, with a new plot line and different challenges.”
