Baywatch

AUCKLAND, Today: TBWA/’s Eleven PR has created a video game, Pick Up Quick!, which aims to inspire Kiwis tackle the issue of litter. The coastlines at Tokahaki Point, Kapiti Island and Ta Tāhunanui Beach, Nelson are the virtual focus of the game created for Sustainable Coastlines with support from PlayStation NZ.

Called Pick Up Quick! and designed to tackle the problem of litter on Kiwi beaches, it’s hoped the game will encourage players to become Citizen Scientists to combat the issue in real life.

Created to look just like the real-life coastlines featured, the aim of the game is to collect as much junk as possible within 45 seconds.

Data from real litter clean ups carried out by Sustainable Coastlines as part of its Litter Intelligence project was used to inform each level of the game.

“What makes this game special is the creative use of real world data to inform the virtual in a way that encourages Kiwis to take action to prevent rubbish getting there in the first place.”

Eleven MD Angelina Farry said: “What makes this game so special is the creative use of real world data to inform the virtual in a way that encourages Kiwis to take action to prevent rubbish getting there in the first place.

“It’s the virtual world and real combining in a positive way that is rarely seen. The level of accuracy and detail in replicating the beaches and the litter found on them is seriously impressive. The whole game and the community purpose behind it is incredible and I hope as many people as possible get to play it.”

Leading the creation of Pick Up Quick! has been Stacey Bartlett (who also goes by the username Ividusk), a 25-year-old school administrator from North Canterbury, with further expertise provided by Media Molecule.

“I’ve been playing PlayStation since I was eight,” Bartlett said. “So I was excited to be asked, if a little nervous, but I worked closely with the Sustainable Coastlines team to try and make the coastlines as realistic as possible.

“I want people who have visited Tahunanui Beach in Nelson to play the game, recognise the beach and understand the scale of the problem and then take action to stop the litter getting there in the first place.”

• Pick Up Quick! is available to play for FREE here on the PlayStation Store