Factsheet

Developer:
Studio ZB
Based in Zurich, Switzerland and Berlin, Germany

Release date:
Prototype released 30 September 2022

Platforms:
DL Windows Prototype
DL macOS Prototype

Website:
https://studiozb.media

Regular Price:

EUR15

Description

All around the world, citizens, activists and journalists collect evidence of human rights violations by using mobile devices to film and photograph their experiences. This material is shared almost in real time on social media platforms like YouTube, Facebook, etc. Using open source intelligence (OSINT) methods such as geo location tracking, satellite imagery and meta data analysis, digital investigators sift through this flood of images, footage and testimonies, in hopes of gathering evidence to hold perpetrators of war crimes and human rights violations accountable. Truth Detectives — true crime with real content trains you to become a full–fledged OSINT investigator. You will learn how to use OSINT tools and gain experience by reconstructing real-world cases of human rights violations, preparing you to join and support activist networks like Amnesty International or Bellingcat — unfortunately the reasons to do so are many.

History

During the production of ‘Truth Detectives’ the documentary, several activists mentioned their career in strategy games as starting point for becoming digital investigators. At some point they realised that in real life the same skills (collaboration, combinatorics, logical analysis, etc.) are required as in games. Hence they shifted their interest to solving quests of more pressing real world problems. We are turning this setup around once more and use the similarities of the required combinatorial skills by creating a game as training ground, in order to shift the attention of our users from the virtual back to the real world. So that our trainees are then fit to support OSINT initiatives by organisations and NGOs worldwide. The starting point is an investigation by Syrian Archive on the alleged bombing of a civilian hospital on 28.5.2019 in the area of Idlib in Syria. https://syrianarchive.org/en/investigations/daralHikmahospital

Features

  • New genre, real crime investigation with real content.
  • Based on real events and publicly available material.
  • Learn OSINT methodologies, which can then be applied in real life initiatives.
  • Adresses the quesion how a private person, who is not located in a crisis and conflict area, can get engaged and support human rights organizations world wide.
  • Challenges how the “official” history, written by corrupt states, is challenged by the civil society searching for an “objective” truth.
  • Makes the lives of culprits more difficult by creating a critical public.

Videos

Teaser Video Vimeo


Images

download all screenshots & photos as .zip (31MB)
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download logo files as .zip (33KB)
logo

Awards & Recognition

  • "The Truth Detectives project is supported by the Migros Kulturprozent Story Lab" 2024, Switzerland
  • "Game Development Award for Best Socially Valuable Game" Game Connection America 2024, San Francisco
  • "DOK.digital – Award for New Narrative Formats" DOK.fest Munich, 7 May, 2023


Selected Articles

  • "The prototype for this contemporary and innovative game has a high social relevance, shows the potential when journalistic and interactive skills are combined and complemented with scientific expertise. It can sustainably promote the media competence of users by enabling them to learn journalistic research using real image sources, to uncover fake news or even to become online investigators beyond the game in order to uncover human rights violations."
    - DOK.forum Munich, from the jury statement, Award winners of DOK.forum 2023
  • "This is the best game I've seen so far."
    - Visitors at Game Developer Conference San Francisco 2024,
  • "This must be done!"
    - Visitors at Game Developer Conference San Francisco 2024,

Original Investigation
Medical Facilities Under Fire: Dar Al-Hikma Hospital in Kafr Nabl, Idlib https:.

License
The investigation Medical Facilities Under Fire: Dar Al-Hikma Hospital in Kafr Nabl, Idlib, by Syrian Archive is released under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/. Hence the story of this game prototype is released under the same terms of this license. The game prototype remains property of Studio ZB - © 2022 https:.

Made With Unity ...
https:.

... and Fmod
https:.

With the support of MFG Baden Wuerttemberg
https:.

... and Swissgames - Pro Helvetia, Swiss Arts Council
https:.


About Studio ZB

Boilerplate
We are an interdisciplinary studio, making games with a Zurich-Berlin flair.

More information
More information on Studio ZB, our logo & relevant media are available here.


Truth Detectives — true crime with real content Credits

Anja Reiß, Raphael Perret
Concept, Editors and Realisation

Raphael Perret
Project Owner

John Klima
Technical Director

Jann Anderegg
Video Editing and Dramaturgy

Anna Brinkschulte
Consultant

Carmen Büchner
Title Design

Nina Fog
Voice Over

Christian Kolbær
Dialogue Camera

Raphael Perret
UI Design

Raphael Perret
Map Stitching

John Klima
Sound Design

Alfonso Serro
Musical Score

John Gürtler
Musical Score

Syrian Archive
Original Investigation Medical Facilities Under Fire: Dar Al-Hikma Hospital in Kafr Nabl, Idlib

Video 1
Orient News

Video 2
Citizen Reporter Ahmad Hanini

Video 3
Al Araby News

Google Maps
Satellite Images

Studio Fizbin
3D Models: Hospital, Water Tower, Dented Roof, Radio Tower

John Klima, Raphael Perret
3D Models: Streets, City of Kafr Nabl


presskit() by Rami Ismail (Vlambeer) - also thanks to these fine folks