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Uncover the inspiring Solarpunk movement in our latest article, where we explore a future where technology and nature coexist for a sustainable, diverse, and resilient world. Dive into this optimistic vision that counters dystopian narratives and inspires hope for the younger generations.

Is there a more hopeful way to see the future? Can we see beyond the dystopian narrative that floods our devices every day? Well, there just might be something that can help. Something that asks us what if technology served us better?

In an era where the idea of a dystopian future has become increasingly prevalent, Solarpunk emerges as a beacon of hope and positivity. This concept, contrasting the popular "high tech, low life" theme of Cyberpunk, envisions a future where technology and nature coexist harmoniously. It's an idea that resonates deeply with our current societal needs - sustainability, community, diversity, and resilience.The Solarpunk movement is more than just a literary genre; it's a cultural phenomenon that has found expression in books, games, and movies. This worldview presents an optimistic, innovative future where technology serves to enhance, not deplete, our natural environment. It's a narrative that inspires us to believe in a better tomorrow, one where we work alongside nature, not against it.As we navigate through these challenging times, it's crucial to share these hopeful narratives with the younger generation. By introducing them to Solarpunk, we offer a vision filled with creativity and the possibility of a better world. These stories have the power to inspire action and foster a mindset geared towards building a future that prioritizes harmony between technology and the environment.In our latest video, we delve into the world of Solarpunk, exploring its principles and how it stands as a necessary counter-narrative to the 21st-century's pessimism. We invite you to watch and join us in contemplating a future where the dreams of today shape a brighter, greener, and more inclusive tomorrow. Let's embark on this journey together, reimagining what our world could become with Solarpunk as our guiding light.

Digital Futures refers to the possibilities, advancements, and potential outcomes of technology and digital innovations in shaping our future society.

Digital Futures

Demystifying Solarpunk: A Vision for Tomorrow's World

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Explore the rich history of avatars from ancient Hindu mythology to modern digital identities in gaming and online interactions.

Some know them only as James Cameron’s large alien creatures but avatars have an origin all of their own—and it may surprise you. 

In pop culture, many know avatars as the giant blue beings from Pandora, or as Aang the young (112-year-old) boy frozen in ice who must master the four elements. But avatars have existed long before these stories were created. In fact, many millenniums ago.&nbsp;The word "avatar" comes from Sanskrit and translates to the embodiment of a powerful being or god in a different form. In Hindu tales, the best-known avatar is Vishnu, who takes human form to restore righteousness.&nbsp;Some people translate "avatar" as "incarnation"—this theme appears in the animated TV series Avatar: The Last Airbender—but they're different. "Incarnation" suggests being born in flesh, but the term "avatar" suggests a mythical form. In Hinduism, avatars represent spiritual perfection and noble goals.But since its Hindu origins, the term avatar has expanded and grown in its interpretations, taking various forms in popular culture. During the development of digital chat forums, they became a name for the icons we create online to identify ourselves. Very much like Hindu interpretations, taking a mythical form, albeit just for the earthly purpose of chats.&nbsp;But it did catch on.Soon after, it popped up in games. Avatars allowed us to transform as deities were once said to have— this time in an online world. In gaming, avatars now commonly refer to the characters we put ourselves into. The British online game pioneer Richard Bartle has been researching the topic since the mid-1980s and points out the following: “Many people who write about avatars actually mean characters, but they don't understand the difference. Avatars are puppets, characters are simulacra. However, neither avatars nor characters are people. They still have something to do with the absorptive power of online worlds. There is a level of immersion that goes even deeper than the character: the role.”Playing as avatars offers a unique form of freedom for children, allowing them to explore identities and worlds without the constraints of the physical realm. This playful immersion can foster creativity, enhance problem-solving skills, and boost confidence as they navigate through various scenarios and interact with others globally. It’s not just about entertainment; it’s about expanding horizons and understanding diversity in a safe, controlled environment, enabling kids to learn and grow in ways that were unimaginable just a generation ago. Encourage your child to embrace this digital playground with open-minded curiosity.In the World of Us game, players’ Avatars can roam and explore, take up an identity, and a new style and if they feel like they may just don a new personality. The idea is to play, right?&nbsp;

Education Games are interactive and enjoyable digital games designed to teach and reinforce educational concepts, skills, and knowledge in an engaging manner, helping learners retain information more effectively.

Educational Games

Avatars: A Short History

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Explore Marcela Zanon's unique journey from chemistry to community engagement in game design at TALES.

Meet Marcela Zanon, from research and development in chemistry to our Head of Community Engagement and Events. 

Marcela’s journey is a tale worth exploring. It began with the mission to do good and has taken many routes in how that looks throughout the years. Today, that work looks like creating experiences with and for our communities through co-creation and multiple different frameworks that employ the single-minded objective of how we can do better—together.&nbsp;“I have followed a non-traditional career path. I studied chemistry at university because I dreamed of making a positive impact on the cosmetics industry by creating products with natural ingredients. I came to the conclusion that the industry's direction was heavily influenced by marketing departments. Therefore, to encourage a shift towards more conscious consumption, it needs to be driven by consumers who must be equipped with information on topics they may not be fully aware of.” Marcela’s research and development skills were not lost along the way. She began to work towards producing experiences that foster community and facilitate clear communication. “This journey led me to the opportunity to design experiences for TALES. It all began in Brazil through a partnership with the AfroGames project in Rio de Janeiro, where children from a favela learn how to develop video games. Gradually, we expanded our reach and activated all the localities we work with today.”“My creative process is inspired by cooking. It begins with the selection of ingredients. Consciously making decisions and ensuring I am well-informed about the ingredients, I can assess my own needs and desires daily to craft each meal.” Much like life in the kitchen, game design incorporates a blend of mixing, connecting, and designing the final presentation. “I aim to engage all my senses throughout the process. It's a daily exercise that trains my brain for moments of interaction—whether it's talking, reading, or, most importantly, listening to people—as if I were preparing the next culinary experience.”When it comes to game development, Marcela shines in crafting the journey. “I don't possess a specific background in this field. Rather, my expertise lies in designing experiences tailored to specific targets by comprehending their behaviours and needs through tech to facilitate a positive impact.” Large parts of the game require us to understand how users will interact not only with the tools of the game but with each other. This mindset means her skills are creating a narration within the game and ensuring that the game we make is tailored to the players.&nbsp;Marcela’s most exciting moment at TALES so far occurred during the collaborations with the Game LABs initiatives—in India, Romania and Brazil. This initiative was created to empower the communities to tell their histories and mythologies through game creation. “Just being able to be close to them and learning from them and knowing that the work we create not only inspires me on a personal level but will also help inspire hundreds of people down the line.” Exploring the relationship each of the four localities have with the mythologies was an eye-opener. “Working with four cultures that are so rich and powerful, the creators truly care and want to protect how the narratives will be perceived by others. Young developers are creating games that become tools of communication with the future generations.” Marcela’s role was to not only facilitate these experiences but to translate them back into the TALES core team. “It is super interesting to me to be this bridge between the localities and our core team to exchange this information in a way that we can all learn together and ultimately translate it into the game we are building.”As the game develops, inspired through all this collaboration we asked what she feels best describes this moment in the journey. “The complexity of the creative process behind every design aspect within the game, along with the multitude of hands, time, and effort required to meticulously craft each piece. The collaboration is what makes it work. Knowing that there are numerous minds from around the world that have influenced every decision and aspect of the game's creation - it’s mesmerizing. .”As the World of Us game develops, we’re always asking ourselves what will be the best moment in the game’s release. For each person it’s different based on their interests and role in its creation. “The WoU game will serve as a space for the exchange of ideas and ancestral knowledge.” And the goal for Marcela? “To foster curiosity and inspiration in young people’s lives. I hope that the interpersonal connections formed within the game, as well as those with the environment, will be unique, planting seeds within users that they can carry into the real world.”&nbsp;We cannot thank Marcela enough for the insights into their role in this journey we’re undertaking. Next up on our Makers agenda:&nbsp;Horea from our Game Development Team. Watch this space or follow us on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/worldofus_wou/">@worldofus_wou</a> to learn more.&nbsp;

WoU, Who?

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Discover the collaborative journey of Veronica, Game Producer for the World of Us, as she shares insights from her experience and the innovative approach behind the game.

Meet Veronica Stroever, and get access-all-areas insights from our Game Producer

Since joining the TALES, Veronica has led the team to all sorts of milestones. Our Game Producer, responsible for keeping this epic project on the move, sat with us to discuss the World of Us, what it means and how they contribute to the collaboration.&nbsp; “I used to work at Rockstar Games, in their Performance Production department. During my time there, I worked very closely with the directors, writers, actors, engineers, and animators to help create audio environments and performances that would completely immerse a player. I quickly learned how much detail and effort goes into every single moment of a game.” So, how does the World of Us project stand up against one of the world’s best-known gaming companies? “This is my first time working on such a collaborative project. When I joined, I expected more rigidness with what TALES was asking the Digital Creators to make. Instead of giving them a list of what they needed to make for the WoU, we provided a generic list of assets as a guide of what can be featured in-game, but they were welcome to go ‘off book’ if they wanted.”World of Us is, as its name implies, a global project. And with this, some areas need to be navigated more carefully. “There are a lot of different time zones to keep in consideration.” Keeping track of the people is as important as keeping track of the work. “It’s important to make sure tasks are finished and milestones are achieved, but also that everyone has the support they need to do their job.” Thinking with such a global mindset has been part of Veronica’s way of living since childhood. “My parents are flight attendants, which allowed me and my sister to travel and experience as many different cultures and customs as possible from a very young age.”She’s been fortunate enough to understand the impact of the representation of local cultures. “We have trees and bushes coming from the Danube Delta and Kouilou, and flowers and animals from Acre and Kerala. This matches with what the Digital Creators saw on their trips, and the game is more authentic because of it.” While the World of Us may be a digital escape, the inspiration that has been drawn to create it stays as true as it can to local lore and landscapes. Why improve on the things we love, eh?No stranger to collaboration in her role, Veronica couldn’t hold back on the value of a strong team. “We would be lost without our Game Designer, Anna’s, brain! We can see from the assets being created what comes from allowing the team to have more input on what they create and why.” This way of working together isn’t the industry standard and that’s why we think it pushes the work to include even more insights and create a more well-rounded environment. “The experience is part of the learning process.” We couldn’t agree more.&nbsp;Coming from a background in entertainment, including Television Production, an educational game isn’t necessarily the most obvious next step. But that doesn’t stop her from dropping some excellent truth bombs. “You can teach more than one lesson with game design. For example, a mission can be as simple as finding 5 animals. The main “lesson” is that the player learns about different animals, but to find the animals it involves logic, deductive reasoning, and maybe even collaboration from other players.” But when it comes to a game designed to teach and enrich young minds there are many things that need to be taken into consideration. “The themes aren’t necessarily topics you’d learn in a classroom setting, sometimes they’re more subtle.” Nowadays, academic education takes precedence over a lot of emotional education. In World of Us, we’re looking to find a balance. “This game also teaches players how to communicate without using words. They will need to reach out to other children for help and trust that working with someone new can help them complete a puzzle or plant a seed.”&nbsp;And our final question, what would make this project a success? “We’d love it if a child in a grocery store is able to spot a fruit their avatar ate in the WoU. Then we know we’ve done our job.”A massive thank you to Veronica for allowing us to pick her brain. Next up on our 'WoU, Who?' agenda:&nbsp;Marcela Zanon who steadfastly holds the reins of Community and Engagement.&nbsp; &nbsp;

WoU, Who? 

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Examining the potential for digital platforms to offer a new, inclusive approach to museum learning, redefining how history and culture are taught to children.

Museums have been around for centuries but what does the future hold for these homes of history

When the World of Us game was being imagined we found ourselves coming back time and time again to the same question: Can you take the experience of learning in a museum and translate it into an online space for children? But that only left us faced with a larger discussion. If you can recreate museums online, is this the way forward?Home to history, museums have long been the guardians of knowledge. They allow the public to explore beyond borders and travel through time—sometimes over centuries. With all this culture housed in brick and mortar, the desire to expand its accessibility online is both tantalising and challenging.&nbsp;If you can’t see it, touch it, stare in awe at it, will the younger generations still engage with it?&nbsp;During our exploration we learned many things. Notably, we uncovered some underpinnings of traditional museums—particularly those in affluent cities—that might not always narrate an authentic truth. The journey of many artefacts to these establishments has been, at times, fraught with ethical dilemmas and a clouded history. Items that were once unknown are now being identified and better understood. And also, the introduction of modern moments in time that hold weight in the world as we know it now.&nbsp;In such instances, we pondered whether the digital realm offers a way to right these historical wrongs. Can new technology better narrate a more inclusive and truthful history, setting a new paradigm for future generations?In this series, we’re not just looking at the replacement of physical with virtual. We’re analysing the very essence of education, representation, and the experiences we want to impart to future generations.Before we can build something in the World of Us we have to best understand its strengths and weaknesses in the world we live in—IRL. Museum learning has only ever been imagined one way. We want to know what the future holds for these things of the past.&nbsp;

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Demystifying Solarpunk: A Vision for Tomorrow's World	Igor Morais and World of Us	Dec 27 2024	Digital Futures
Avatars: A Short History	Nainy Sahani	Apr 23 2024	Educational Games
WoU, Who?	Marcela Zanon and World of Us	Apr 18 2024	Educational Games
WoU, Who?	Veronica Stroever and World of Us	Apr 10 2024	Educational Games
Reimagining Museums as Hubs of Digital Learning	World of Us	Mar 26 2024	Digital Futures