Survive Blood Island Interactive Game

Transcription

1 Survive Blood Island Interactive Game Overview Survive Blood Island is an interactive, educational game inspired by a board game called Juma and HIV, which was developed for WHO by Children Health Education and Prevention (CHEP). In Juma and HIV, which is aimed at HIV/AIDS prevention, players roll the dice to move a character named Juma along a path and they read safety information included in the stops along the way. Similar instructional design principles are embedded in the interactive, computer-based Survive Blood Island game. Pedagogical Goals While playing the game, participants will learn essential background and precautionary information about blood safety in an entertaining and creative way. The game is challenging enough to encourage repeated attempts. The more a player tries to complete the game, the more important lessons are introduced and reinforced. How Does It Work? The game is accessed by clicking on the Game button in the main navigation bar throughout the All the Way to the Blood Bank course. When the game is launched, players are introduced to a fictitious place called Blood Island. On this island, players will encounter a number of blood safety-related challenges that they need to overcome. In the process, each player will learn important lessons about blood safety. After clicking on the Arrow button in the introductory screen, the player can choose a character with which to play the game. Copyright 2003 World Health Organization Page 1

2 The player can select one of two characters, Wait or Semmy, by clicking on the character. The level of difficulty for both characters is the same. This selection starts the game. The game begins at Level 1. In this level, the player has to navigate the selected character through a rocky landscape featuring a number of different health hazards. Only Level 1 is currently implemented in the game. This screenshot shows the main interface for the game. The chosen character s name and image appear at the top of the screen. To the right of the character icon is the Health Meter display. This display shows the current number of health points that are available at any time during the game. Each game begins with 4 health points, and a player can receive a maximum of 14 health points at Level 1. The number of health points will increase or decrease as the character progresses through the game. When all health points are depleted, the character returns to the beginning of the level. The Information Token is represented by a light bulb. The character can grab the light bulb by hitting the Spacebar and jumping up to it. After touching the Information Token, the character s Health Meter will be increased by one health point and the Information Token window will display an important piece of information about AIDS, HIV, or STDs. These Information Token screens have accompanying audio narration. In the lower left corner of the interface is the Audio Toggle button. This will turn the sound off and on. In the lower right hand corner is the Help button, which will give an overview of the functionality and objects that are encountered in the game. This feature is not active at this time. Copyright 2003 World Health Organization Page 2

3 The player can move the selected character through Level 1 by using the arrow keys on the keyboard. The right and left arrows move the character to the right or to the left, the down arrow makes the character duck, and the Spacebar controls the character s jump. This screenshot indicates that by grabbing the Information Token, the player s Health Meter has increased by one health point. Also shown is the Information Token screen, which displays important health information. This screen will be displayed for approximately 5 seconds, after which the game resumes. When the player s character does not evade a Hostile Element, like the one shown here, the player will lose one health point. In addition to Hostile Elements, the character will also encounter various pitfalls. For example, when a character falls off of a cliff, all health points are lost and the character returns to the beginning of the level. The player will not have to recapture the Information Tokens that were previously captured. However, the number of Hostile Elements will remain the same. The Health Meter will be reset to four points. Since there are fewer Information Tokens, which allow the player to gain additional health points, the game will become increasingly challenging. Copyright 2003 World Health Organization Page 3

4 This screenshot shows another Hostile Element in the game. In this case, a shadowy figure will attempt to attack the character. One health point will be lost every time the character comes in contact with this Hostile Element. The vitamin shown in this screenshot is a Health Token. If a character has been attacked by a Hostile Element, the player can replenish the Health Meter with this token. The Health Token will only replenish one bar to the Health Meter. Note that the Health Meter has seven bars, but one of the bars is empty. After the Health Token has been taken, the empty bar is filled. Copyright 2003 World Health Organization Page 4

5 This screenshot shows another Hostile Element. These dirty needles fly from right to left and come in waves of three. The player must navigate the character around these Hostile Elements by jumping over or ducking underneath them. There are dashed lines to the right of the health points in the Health Meter to indicate the number of Information Tokens the player must find in each level. This example indicates that the player s character has to capture one more Information Token before the player can proceed to the next level. In this screenshot, the character has lost a few health points, as indicated by the empty bars in the Health Meter, but has found all the Information Tokens, as indicated by the lack of dashed lines to the right of the health points. At this point, the player proceeds to the next level by navigating the character to the far right of the playing area. Congratulations! You have completed Level 1. Copyright 2003 World Health Organization Page 5

6 Levels 2 and 3 have not yet been completed. These levels will feature increasingly difficult scenarios with Level 2 taking place in a cave and Level 3 in a city. Copyright 2003 World Health Organization Page 6

7 Survive Blood Island: Information Token Text 1. AIDS is an illness that occurs in the body when its immune or defence system is weakened. 2. A Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) is spread by having sexual intercourse with someone who has an infection. 3. AIDS is caused by HIV, which is a virus that destroys our immune system. 4. Anyone can catch HIV, young and old, rich and poor, big and small, man or woman. 5. There is no cure or vaccine for AIDS. 6. STDs can cause infertility and damage reproductive organs. 7. You can get an STD or HIV if you take risks. 8. You can spread STDs or HIV if you are infected. 9. Most people with AIDS will die within 6 months to 2 years after AIDS has developed. 10. The AIDS virus can pass from the mother s blood to the baby s blood while it is developing in the mother or when the baby is being delivered. Copyright 2003 World Health Organization Page 7