Triage Trainer - Morbid Yet Clearly Useful

TruSim is developing a serious game for the purpose of training health care workers that are the first responders in the case of a violent disaster. The gamer interacts with a three dimensional environment where the camera views the world through the eyes of the first responder. As the player walks through the world, they encounter debris, injured people with visible wounds of various types, etc. The graphics and imagery are realistic enough to make the squeamish uncomfortable as they move through the environment.

When an injury is encountered, the player can perform an examination and then must decide whether the patient is in urgent need of attention or not. If an injured party is well enough, the player should ask them to walk to the ambulance crew. If the injury is more serious, the player should begin treatment.

The player must make decisions constantly. For example, when the player decides to perform an examination, they must decide the level of examination they will perform since some examinations take longer than others. Once the examination is complete, the player must tag the injured party as to level of priority with four options available ranging from priority 1 (immediate treatment) to priority 4 (deceased).

Article in Government Technology

I guess I can count myself one of the squeamish because the prototype video demonstration below is a little tough for me to watch. There is constant alarming noises such as sirens, moaning, etc. and it is a little unnerving seeing bodies littering the streets even in a simulation. Despite that, the game is compelling and seems like it will achieve its educational goals quite well once it is released.

Heidi Thibodeau AKA Heidi Beezley

Avatar High

I found this game while I was researching competitive games for the one I am creating for my e-game. The game has come up with a lot of realistic experiences the students in a high school will go through. I plan to allow my freshmen to try it out!!!

http://games.the-n.com/games/avHigh/ahigh.php

Features of the game:

• Name your high school
• Name your team
• Pick 2 school colors
• Customize 8 students:
  • Name each student
  • Age and grade level are given
  • Select skin color, hair color and hair styles

The virtual high school contains eight unique students whom you can sit back and watch, help them become happy, or ruin their lives.

THE STUDENTS

Each of your students is a unique individual, with his or her own likes, dislikes, and feelings. Your students get better or worse at things like academics, sports, and art depending on how much time they spend doing them.

The right frame of every screen contains the image below. The number of points earned is listed at the top (1) and below is a map of the school (2) showing the four rooms utilized. Next, there are horizontal bar graphs (3) noting the levels of academics, athletics, artistic ability and happiness. Lastly, there are comments on what the student is thinking (4) and details about the student (5) that is currently selected.

HAPPINESS

Different things make different students happy. Doing things they like will make students happy and when they have to do things they don't like, they'll get sad.

DECISIONS

Your students will decide what to do if you don't give them any orders. They decide what to do next based on what they think about things and how they're feeling.

Socializing
Students will look for someone to talk to when they feel like socializing.

Activities
Studying at the library makes their grades go up, playing basketball at the gym makes them better at sports, and painting in the art room improves their creativity. Each student has activities they like and ones they don't.

FRIENDS AND DATING

Your students make friends by talking with other students. If students have a lot in common, they'll start liking each other more and eventually become friends.

After a while a student might develop a crush on another student if they like someone enough. If they work up the nerve to ask their crush out, the two students will start dating if the other person feels the same way. If not, the person with the crush will get rejected and will end up having a pretty bad day.

THE SCHOOL

Your school has four rooms: the art room, the gym, the library, and the cafeteria. Students will walk between the rooms to go to new activities or to find someone to talk to. Students can go to any of the rooms -- except the cafeteria -- at any time.

The Art Room is where students go to paint, which will increase students' creativity:



The Gym is where students go to play basketball and get better at sports:



Students go to the Library to study and improve their grades:

The Cafeteria is where students each lunch everyday, all at the same time:

THE STUDENT DETAIL SCREEN

This screen lets you customize your student and learn more about him or her.

Journal
The journal lets you read your student's innermost thoughts. They'll write about how their day has gone and what they think about other students.

Report Card
This lets you check out how your student is doing at school, and will show what they need to be spending their time on.

Happiness Meter
This readout lets you see the student's happiness level over the past 5 days.

Give Crush Button
If you have enough points, click this button to give the student a crush on another student.

Give Body Odor Button
Make your student smell so bad no one will want to be anywhere near them. The effects last one day and will cost you 100 points.

Special Items
Buy your student one of these items if you think they could use a boost in a certain area. Students can have only one item at a time:

• Sneakers
  This item improves the student's athletic skill.
• Brushes and Oils
  This item improves the student's artistic skill.
• Laptop
  This item improves the student's studying habits.
• Cell Phone
  This item makes the student more social.
• Driver's License
  This item makes the student cooler.
  
  

Change Clothes
Click here to cycle through different styles of clothing. Changing a student's outfit will cost 250 points.

Events:

• Big Test
• Big Game
• Art Show
• Prom
• Graduation
• Party
  

How to Win the Game:
Once a certain amount of the major events are complete, the graduation button is unlocked. It is then possible for the student to be able to graduate and complete the game.