Andrea's Churwalden - A Swiss Urban Game for tourism
Andrea’s Churwalden works by providing the players with specific tasks to complete that require them to explore the town, make discoveries and make unusual encounters that more conventional touristic activities do little to encourage. The game sets off with an introduction provided by the game mascot named Andrea, a cartoon Swiss Ibex, that serves as a tour guide to introduce the players to the game’s roles and mechanics. The game requires one player to take on the role of the Navigator, tasked with operating the actionbound app and informing the participants of the tasks that will need to be fulfilled. The group needs a pen and some paper and an app to stream music such as Spotify. The players can choose to take turns as the Navigator if they desire.
The actual tasks involved are split into three categories. They are all set according to a specific area the game intends the players to explore. One of the required tasks involve taking photos of unique sculptures around Churwalden and uploading them to the actionbound. Another example requires the players to approach local Churwalden residents and ask them for recommendations on places to visit in the town and to write them down. Some tasks also require the players to find specific objects in one of the three locations for the activities. One of them requires finding the Churwalden playground and offering a local resident to seesaw together. The tasks often encourage the players to interact with the locals and find out features and other interesting things about the area and its people. It is up to the players to decide when they want to pause or end the game using the in-game menu. The game offers the opportunity to upload the answers to the actionbound so that the players can share their results with their friends.
Ultimately, this game serves to give visitors a unique perspective of the town of Churwalden. The objective was to develop an experience that encourages people to discover the city in unconventional and engaging ways, and to motivate people to step out of their comfort zone when traveling.