The 2021 Geophysics Study Program student team from the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Indonesia (FMIPA UI) achieved a proud achievement at the international event, the ASEAN Geospatial Challenge 2023. This was announced online at the Geo Connect Asia 2023 event on March 16, 2023.
The team, named ArtemiS, brought forward the idea of gamifying the Indonesian map as a cutting-edge technology to increase public understanding, especially among Gen Z, about the standard map of Indonesia and to accelerate digital tourism.
For this idea, the team consisting of Adnan Hasyim Wibowo, Abimanyu Dharma Kamanungasan, Azhari Ramadhani, and Stella Eulia Andoko succeeded in winning the Excellence Award.
For your information, gamification is an online learning method or concept that uses mechanics based on elements in a game or game as a learning approach.
Team leader Adnan Hasyim Wibowo, or Hasyim as he is familiarly known, explained to the FMIPA UI public relations team that his team had put forward the idea Gamification of the Indonesian Standard Map as an Advanced Tool for Improvinf the Indonesian Society’s Mental Map and Accelerating Digital Tourism to Realize Sustainable Development Goals in ASEAN.
“We believe gamification can make online learning more enjoyable. There’s a sense of satisfaction when users successfully achieve certain goals within the gamification,” Hasyim explained the team’s reasoning for choosing gamification for their project to the UI Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences public relations officer.
This project, he continued, converts Digital Elevation Model Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (DEM SRTM) data from standard Indonesian maps, then combines it with land cover maps from geospatial information institutions that are processed into the Minecraft game.
Background of the election game Minecraft was used in this Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) project because the team believes Minecraft can hone creativity. Minecraft itself is a sandbox game developed by Swedish game developer Mojang Studios.
Game This is one of the game options that has been widely used as a gamification medium. Its popularity, supported by its creative community, gives Minecraft unlimited exploration potential.
“Minecraft, which has a feature for creating maps based on our imagination and creativity, allows players to duplicate various natural landscapes that exist in real life,” said Hasyim.
But unfortunately, according to the team, there are still few parties who are looking at the gamification potential of Minecraft to be applied as a digital learning and tourism medium.
The results of gamification are a tool to realize sustainable development goals, especially points 4, 9, 16, and 17.
“This project combines conventional spatial data with instruments that are more relevant, engaging, and in line with current trends,” he said.
He added that this project utilizes geospatial data processing software, namely MicroDem and WorldPainter, to recreate the map of Indonesia in the Minecraft game.
“This project has significant implementation feasibility and development potential, as evidenced by several trials that have been and will be conducted by the project initiator,” he said, explaining the project’s advantages.
Hasyim and his team’s initial steps began in February 2023. The team shared tasks between their busy lecture schedules. Hasyim, the team leader, was tasked with conducting feasibility and potential tests and acting as the overall editor, while Abimanyu was tasked with calibrating the virtual space in Minecraft and testing the virtual space, Azhari was tasked with analyzing the novelty brought and ensuring its relevance to the SDGs, and Stella was responsible for processing DEM SRTM data, which is data that displays the topography or shape of the earth’s surface based on satellite altitude data that will be used as the Minecraft world (virtual space).
The ASEAN Geospatial Challenge 2023: Geospatial Youth Edition is a competition that promotes the use of geospatial technology and information to support Southeast Asian countries in achieving the UN-set SDGs. The competition is targeted at students from Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the ASEAN region.
The ASEAN Geospatial Challenge 2023 was organized by the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) Geoworks and supported by the Geospatial Information Agency (BIG) at the national level. The national competition was held from January 16 to February 13, 2023, while the international competition was held from February 12 to March 16, 2023.
