The Windows Phone Hunger Game

Carleton University students won second place winner at the 2012 Canadian Imagine Cup with a Windows Phone game that reminds us of the challenges involved in delivering aid and supplies to where it is most needed.

The Problem:

World Hunger. 3 billion people around the world survive on $2 a day. One seventh of the people in the world will go to bed hungry tonight.

The Solution:

Team Novarum from Carleton University (Skye Gagne, Zara Tooth, Ryan Bottriel, Matthew Fournier and mentor Jean-Sylvain Sormany) built a windows phone game to collect funds from advertising revenue and give it to Stop Hunger Now. Stop Hunger Now is a charity that provides meal packs that cost 25 cents and include rice, soy, dehydrated vegetables and a flavouring mix including 21 essential vitamins and minerals. By supporting this charity through advertising revenue in the game, players can make an impact when they play the game. Team Novarum understands by making a fun game you can engage and involve people who might not otherwise take the time to support the charity.

The Game:

Based on the hunger theme, the app challenges the player to get food to remote locations. Players have to steer a package of food from the top of the screen to the bottom where a group of people are waiting. Obstacles block the food’s path and must be overcome by manipulating elements such as water, dirt, and ice. For example you can use water to wash away dirt.

Each level starts with a simple map. The player must determine what elements need to be added, or taken away for the food to reach the people.

You can see a preview of the game in this video

Feed The People

 

The game graphics are straightforward but the physics make it fun! Congratulations Team Novarum for taking the time to try and inspire all of us to do what we can to make a difference!