MEERAAS: A gamified solution - boardgame -to discover the heritage of Pakistan

Abstract

Pakistan is facing the loss of its cultural heritage over the years. The young generation who are in the age group of 8 to 10 years are not well informed and exposed to it. There are several factors, one of which is the increase in screen-media devices which are common now a days and they lack the local and ethnic content which could contribute to the cultural bonding of the child. The children have immense exposure therefore they are more inclined towards different content and mostly western media which could include English cartoons, Japanese Anime or any other shows or games. To solve this problem a gamified solution is designed to inform the children (8 to 10 years old) about the Pakistani heritage at a young age in a playful and engaging way. The impact of less exposure towards our culture is, we as a nation are moving away from our self-identity. Our vernacular products that would be parts of a child's play have immensely reduced due to the increase in access towards the Western or other Asian cultures due to these media devices. The Pakistani child of today, has forgotten what importance our cultural stories and products had. The gamified solution allows a product to be available for a minimum age which is 10 years. Allowing to explore the cultural heritage and engage the parent and child to spend time together and increase the family bonding. The strategy and gameplay is designed according to the child's cognitive developmental milestones. As a nation identifying ourselves and appreciating our vernacular is important so that we do not lose our identity and stay connected to our roots in the future and this game is an initiative to introduce this concept at an early age.