Anyone wishing to explore the Reiche Zeche research and teaching mine can do so digitally and, in doing so, become part of a research team at the Technical University Bergakademie Freiberg. This is made possible by the new Minecraft-based online game “Countdown Freiberg”, which the university has now launched.
Unlike traditional sandbox worlds in Minecraft, “Countdown Freiberg” tells a coherent story. At its heart is a mysterious crystal that threatens Freiberg. Only through cooperation, curiosity and wise decisions can the mystery be solved. Across a total of 13 quests, players explore digital recreations of real-life locations in Freiberg, including the Reiche Zeche and Freudenstein Castle with the terra mineralia. Along the way, they interact with characters and repeatedly encounter scientific concepts. Adventure, science, cooperation and a touch of chaos go hand in hand.
The idea behind it: complex issues relating to raw materials, the circular economy and sustainable technologies are translated into an interactive gaming world. The focus is on global challenges such as the management of finite resources.