Ruritania Game

Typically, a game with Ruritania lasts between 4 and 5 rounds; in the Workshop section, there is more detail about this. For now, it is enough to know that each round represents roughly 1 year and is divided into four general phases:

Initiation
We see what is happening in the world, what is possible,
and what impacts the previous year’s investments had.

Negotiations
Participants in their roles select projects to do
and try to convince others that they are worth funding.

Implementation
The funded projects are implemented.

Finalization
The town’s resilience is tested.

The game is over when you have played either 4 or 5 rounds or you run out of time. There is no need
to announce that it will be the last round; simply announce that the game is over and that you are moving
to the debriefing. Remember you need to leave 45 minutes for a debriefing.

Ruritania Game was designed by the Centre for System Solutions (CRS) in cooperation with UNESCO, Replicators, and UNIBO as part of the EU Horizon 2020 project RURITAGE. It was co-developed and further used by project partners across Europe to engage local stakeholders – that is, teachers, policymakers, and business owners in discussions about how to sustainably approach revitalisation and address other local challenges.

Ruritania Game is a tool that can be used by moderators, leaders and animators of local communities. A workshop based on Ruritania Game can be an occasion to bring together stakeholders from the community and immerse them in a simplified reality that will help them build connections with each other and understand the real-world complexity of achieving rural regeneration, foster creativity, and support consensus building, in effect leading to the increased commitment to action. The game helps participants understand the tradeoffs and synergies in achieving their goal. The Ruritania Game workshop may be the first joint step to further actions for the sustainable development of the local rural area.

It allowed participants to experience and reflect on tradeoffs and synergies between various strategies of developing rural areas. It also helped them develop a shared understanding of the major challenges and opportunities for their areas. The evaluation shows that Ruritania Game helps participants understand the tradeoffs and synergies in achieving their goals.

A few regions received a special verion of the simulation tailored for their needs. List of the regions/institutions below. The versions differed in some elements (specific heritage buildings) and languages.

Recipients:

• Madra Geopark, Turkey (language: turkish)
• Appignano del Tronto, Italy (language: italian)
• Geopark Karavanke, Austria/Slovenia (language: german/slovenian)
• Magma Geopark, Norway (language: norwegian)
• Geo-Naturpark Bergstrasse-Odenwald, Germany (language: german)
• Gronja Radgona, Slovenia (language: slovenian)

Ruritania Game Kit