Heritage in Motion - Europeana

The Archeological Museum of Naples, among the most visited in the world, and full of exclusive collections such as those of Pompeii and Herculaneum, as well as the Farnese and the wonderful Egyptian collection, has made videogames part of its strategical planning 2016-2019. “Father and Son” has been released for free on 19 th April 2017 for iOS and Google Play with other platforms under evaluation. Father and Son is the first game fully produced and distributed by a worldwide archeological national museum. Among others, the museum would reach new worldwide audience, engage the visitors and create a bridge between phisical and digital experience through the check in feature, you can play everywhere and anytime Father and Son but only visiting the museum you unlock new game features. The first results are astonishing, we summirized the insights in the following infographic http://www.fatherandsongame.com/uploads/infografica_appstores/infografica_fs_ENG.pdf
Father and Son is a 2D side scrolling narrative game that explores the feelings of love, dreams, fear and the passing of time through the story of an archaeologist and the son he never knew. Throughout the game, the main character crosses the lives of people from different historical eras: Ancient Rome, Egypt and Bourbon Naples. What begins as a personal experience, becomes a universal and timeless story where the present and the past are a set of meaningful choices. “This game means we can achieve one of the museum's new Strategic Plan objectives activating a new connection with the public. From anywhere around the world, you can interact with our Institute and the city of Naples. We want to be perceived in the world as an innovative hub, a place where the cultural vi-sion is pursued without barriers”, says museum’s director Paolo Giulierini
Ludovico Solima, associate professor of Management of Cultural Organizations, Second University of Naples "With 'Father and Son' the museum aims to reach and engage new worldwide audiences in an unexplored way. We are".
The game
Narration and story are the two main protagonists. Players will assume the role of Michael: after receiving a letter from his archaeologist father he never knew, the protagonist goes to MANN to find out more. From here a journey through the ages begins, from ancient Rome to Egypt, passing through the Bourbon age and coming up to the Naples of today. The player will thus be able to explore the streets of Naples, along the halls of the museum and interact with the stories through the ages.
"Video games help us shift from the traditional storytelling to storydoing, a new way for museums to connect audience to a story and create engagement”, says, Fabio Viola, game producer and founder of TuoMuseo.
In Father and Son, each player's choice will affect the story and lead to different endings. Michael will interact with different characters and will have to make important decisions that can influence the entire narrative. The aim is to fill in gaps not only about his father's life, but also the characters he meets along the way. And only at the end, will Michael be able to rediscover himself, thanks to meetings with characters from the past and the present. Completely playable anytime and anywhere, Father and Son introduces a special physical/digital feature. Visiting the museum and making the check in, the game automatically will super charge the experience unlocking extra features. Furthmore, starting by the end of April, visitors will find special merchandising dedicated to the game in the museum's bookshop.