The Centre of Digital Ecosystems

We will be showcasing the latest version of our sim, 'In Deep Water', at the Games for Change Asia-Pacific 2025 Summit 🎮 🌏 at ACMI Iris Anstey and I will present a demo on day one of the Showcase Program, Tuesday, October 7 2025, at 9:30 am. This week Ana is working on our new box controller - and we can't wait to see people using it to explore our beautiful marine world for the first time. Showcase Program: https://lnkd.in/gddP6QZp In Deep Water, presents the diverse waterways of New Zealand and is full of incredible stories about how microplastics are impacting marine creatures and the ecosystems that we all depend on. Players scan estuaries, coastlines, and the deep sea using a novel set of physical controllers -something like you might find in a research submarine!?! Our friends Michelle and Spyros will be presenting on Day 2, along with many other designers and academics exploring the transformative potential of games ⭐️ Summit Program: https://lnkd.in/gkJkDa7Y Games for Change Asia-Pacific | ACMI The Centre of Digital Ecosystems | RMIT College of Design and Social Context #GamesOfConsequence | https://lnkd.in/gbj2sbx4

In August, our Director, Deb Polson, joined our project partners from UoA on a tour of industry leaders in plastic waste management across Hawkes Bay, Aotearoa New Zealand. Over several days of site visits, process demos, expert interviews, speculative discussions, wild ideas - with generous people at waste recovery and transfer sites, package engineers and product retailers (waste creators), recyclers, construction sites, hospitals, landfills... There is still a great deal of disappointing attitudes concreting unsustainable practices ("what's in it for us?"). But there are also standout game changers who are: - demonstrating that change is possible independent of external or regulatory pressure - making a difference by taking risks and budget hits - sharing their practices and resources with others in an attempt to scale up the impact - better prepared for the future of increasing waste and reducing options 👷🏽Alexander Construction: Committed to reducing waste to landfill from their construction sites and to 'limit resistance', they invested in a well-designed waste management system providing recycling bins with clear coded signage at construction sites that get collected and consolidated in their Napier yard. They offer this system to collaborators and competitors ⭐️ 👩🏻⚕️ Royston Hospital: WOW! We had no idea how much single-use equipment and materials are needed in a single surgery 🤯. But dedicated scrub nurses developed a separation and recycling system to collect, clean, and reuse unrecyclable materials across their hospital and externally. They demonstrate proven solutions for sector-wide adoption 🏆 🚚 Ōmarunui Landfill: A privilege to witness a new landfill in the making. This landfill is set to last the people of Hastings for the next 30 years. However, the ambition of the HDC is that this will be the LAST landfill. They have built an Education Centre on site as part of their wider strategy to make this a reality. https://lnkd.in/gnGcGhUf Of course, these efforts are small in the scale of a global waste and pollution crisis. But they are having a great influence across the sector. 🫶🏼Joining Deb: Julia Fehrer, Nele Terveen, and Rico Boesch from University of Auckland Business School and Joya Kemper of University of Canterbury ⭐️ Leading us: Rosie Dawson-Hewes, Gemma Burnside, Toni Bye, Geoff Gibson, Steve Nicholls and their colleagues from 3R Group Ltd and Hastings District Council - Te Kaunihera ā-Rohe o Heretaunga (HDC) This project is led by Johan Verbeek, Deb Polson, Julia Fehrer, Simon Bickerton and funded by MBIE Science and Innovation (Endeavour Fund). A 5-year collaborative effort in re-shaping the Plastic Waste System in Aotearoa NZ - involving local and international institutions, ministries, industries, and communities. Design Team: https://lnkd.in/gC2T_kDM RMIT University | RMIT College of Design and Social Context

"My Dream PC: Designing a Cosy Gateway to PC Building" A talk presented by our game designer Charlotte Galvin and writer Josefina Huq at Replaying Japan 2025, led by our colleague James Manning of the Games Program RMIT. My Dream PC is our cosy simulation game created as a tribute to the vibrant PC building community, and especially to the talented and generous women who openly share their intense creative processes, technical expertise, and finished builds across social media. Replaying Japan 2025 Website: https://lnkd.in/gvF_7cqD You can play 'My Dream PC' at ACMI in the Game Lab:https://lnkd.in/gD5GNvYv Or visit our page here: https://lnkd.in/g5MxDKpQ My Dream PC is made by the 'Games of Consequence' team at CODE: http://rmit.edu.au/code ACMI RMIT University RMIT College of Design and Social Context #GamesOfConsequence #CommunityInspired Thanks to Iris Anstey and Caleb Noller for the photos!

🎮 Calling all screen-based practitioners! The ACMI + RMIT University Audience Lab are taking applications from game designers, filmmakers, moving image artists, and emerging creative tech developers to showcase their projects and engage with real audiences at ACMI, as part of the next Audience Lab on Saturday 13 September 2025. EOIs are now open and close 5PM Friday 8 August 2025: https://lnkd.in/dBjU43r9  Launched in 2018, the ACMI + RMIT Audience Lab has become an important industry pathway for developing, experimenting, and testing new works. Collaborating with ACMI’s diverse audiences, creators are offered a unique opportunity to engage face-to-face with museum visitors and receive real time feedback. Why participate?    ◼️ Free space to test and showcase your project at ACMI  ◼️ A workshop on how to maximize feedback  ◼️ Operational & AV support on testing day  ◼️ Marketing support to help promote your project    Whether you're developing a video game, screen-based artwork or interactive VR simulation, we’d love to hear about your project! RMIT University is ACMI’s Major Research Partner.    #GameDesigners #VideoGames #MovingImage #CreativeTech #IndieGames #ScreenCulture #DigitalArt The Centre of Digital Ecosystems | Deb Polson | Arieh Offman | Emily Sexton | Bella Wren | Celine Saoud    Learn more about the ACMI +RMIT Audience Lab here: https://lnkd.in/gAQBhg64

🌊 In honour of World Whale and Dolphin Day, meet the two resident whales of In Deep Water—a mother and calf navigating the currents of our marine eco-simulation game. Crafted with care and backed by marine science, these digital whales are part of a larger story about ocean health, plastic pollution, and the fragile beauty of Aotearoa’s underwater ecosystems. 🐋 In Deep Water blends playful interaction with real-world research to invite players into a living, breathing ocean world—before it’s irrevocably changed. #WorldWhaleAndDolphinDay #GameDesign #ConservationThroughPlay #InDeepWater #GamesOfConsequence #GameForChange #OceanHealth Not so fun facts: - Per day, a krill-obligate blue whale may ingest 10 million pieces of microplastic, while a fish-feeding humpback whale likely ingests 200,000 pieces of microplastic. https://lnkd.in/gXGftwvU - One dead pilot whale was found to contain 80 plastic bags in his stomach. - Between 19 and 23 million metric tonnes of plastic were estimated to have entered the marine environment in 2016. That’s more than the combined weight of every single blue whale on Earth. https://lnkd.in/gTAViA7S Whale and Dolphin Conservation Read more about this important day here:https://lnkd.in/gHS2ubsp Roxana Schteinbarg Instituto de Conservacion de Ballenas RMIT University | RMIT College of Design and Social Context

Closes this Friday! Victorian Premier's Design Awards deadline extension! https://lnkd.in/g9KJErPu The Awards are free to enter and open to individuals, studios, agencies, businesses, and students throughout Victoria. Get your application going - there is still time! "The Victorian Premier’s Design Awards celebrate the very best in design across the state. We’re calling on innovators, visionaries and design leaders to submit outstanding projects that push boundaries and drive positive impact. The Awards have eight design categories, including Architectural Design, Communication Design, Design Strategy, Digital Design, Fashion Design, Product Design, Service Design and Student Design and are judged by amazing jury of established design leaders" Lea Heiss, Jury Chair These awards provide multiple ways for your work to be recognised and celebrated. The VPDA is more than an awards program; it is a growing community of talented, generous, fabulous, diverse... designers. #VPDA2025 #GoodDesignAustralia #VictorianDesign

BIG NEWS!!! You can now play our game, My Dream PC, at ACMI 🎉 Head to the ground floor where you'll find the Games Lab installed as part of ACMIs centrepiece exhibition, The Story of the Moving Image. https://lnkd.in/gD5GNvYv My Dream PC is a heartfelt tribute to the vibrant PC building community, and especially to the talented and generous women who openly share their intense creative process, finished builds, and technical tips across social media. Your work inspires us and helped shape every detail of this game. 💻🛠️💖 https://lnkd.in/g5MxDKpQ Created by the #GamesOfConsequence Team at CODE led by Deb Polson. And a special congratulations to Charlotte Galvin, who was the creative lead on this project and the amazing team of Iris Anstey (technical art), Caleb Noller (programming), Pooja Mandavia (sound), Nattha Dhamabutra (3D Art). All graduates of the RMIT School of Design, Digital Design. https://rmit.edu.au/code https://lnkd.in/g3Hzxhi3 RMIT University RMIT College of Design and Social Context #MyDreamPC #PCBuilders #CosyGames #MakingIsPlaying #GirlGamers #WomenInTech #GameDesign #STEM #CommunityPlay #CreativeCommunities

NOW OPEN! The RMIT Vice-Chancellor's Research Fellowships program is now open for applications, inviting candidates from both Australia and internationally. There are a number of high-priority 'strategic research areas' for applicants to consider, including one being offered by us here at CODE under the Digital Innovation program: (D3). Regenerative Digital Design This high-priority topic is focused on research that advances regenerative topics with simulation, virtual environments, digital twins, AI, and digital design. We are seeking researchers who are eager to collaborate with teams of designers and developers working on dynamic modelling systems in the Centre of Digital Ecosystems to test the effectiveness of intervention strategies within ecosystems shaped by complex social, technical, governmental, and environmental challenges. Info and apply here: https://lnkd.in/enT2CsAW There are many ways to contribute — as a systems designer, human factors researcher, HCI academic, data scientist, modeller, creative technologist, or from any other related field. We welcome those with a strong commitment to reducing harm to the planet and its communities by engaging in the complex ecosystems of waste reduction, environmental regeneration, sustainable urban and regional development, and community engagement. CODE design teams work with scientists in fields as diverse as marine institutes and waste recyclers, museum curators and urban developers, AI developers and film-makers... The successful VCRF candidate will be offered a place in our city studio, have access to RMITs many fabrication and digital labs, and be supported by a dynamic team, a vibrant centre membership, and our vast network of collaborators working in research centres and industry here in Australia and New Zealand... as well as our many colleagues in international organisations. CODE is quite new, but fast growing https://lnkd.in/gXiuVSCY If you are keen to know more about this amazing opportunity, you can message our Director, Prof Deb Polson RMIT University | RMIT College of Design and Social Context #DesignResearch #RegenerativeDesign #DigitalInnovation

An amazing opportunity for those working in Australian museums and public galleries …