New method for flood hazard mapping with Minecraft and open 3D city models

Abstract

This study developed a 1/1-scale flood hazard map in the popular game Minecraft, allowing children to learn about the risk of flood inundation in their own neighborhood. The map was developed using a 3D city data from the Project PLATEAU of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. The results in the city of Koriyama confirmed that the map accurately modeled targeted city objects and flood inundation areas into Minecraft, with a good spatial reproducibility and operability, suggesting that the developed map can be a useful tool for teaching children about the inundation hazard level in their community.