Roots is a light interactive video game that allows players of all ages to search for and find the root cause of global environment changes through objects hidden throughout the game map. When each object is found, there is a description of why the object is important and how it effects the Earth. The focus of this project is to show how interactive storytelling can be used to help raise awareness for ways to protect the environment.

The design of the game included research about trees, global environment issues, and types and styles of video games. I then storyboarded the scenes, created a proof of concept in Unity 3D, picked out the colors and moodboards, designed the props in Photoshop and Illustrator, and brought it all together in Unity 3D. Roots focuses on using simple interactive storytelling techniques, similar to the genre of games known as hidden object puzzle games, such as Hidden Expedition by Big Fish Games or Where’s Waldo. You play the role of an environmentalist, with players being given an environment with five oddities, the goal being to find all five to move on to the next level, over the course of two levels. The game takes approximately less than ten minutes to play. This project hopes to tell the story of how small changes can have a large, positive impact, and to educate and inspire players to adopt more environmentally friendly behaviors in the real world.