#TECH: Battling Covid-19 with informative game

WHILE the Covid-19 pandemic has hit society with trauma, anxiety, and spread of false information, two autodidacts Pakistani have developed a helpful, fun, and informative game in debunking myths and incorporated many behavioural changes to befit the new norm.

Stop the Spread, a multi-platform game was developed by a 13-year-old Nabhan and 14-year-old Kenan, which focuses on their tagline “Spread the word, not the virus!”.

The simple game creates a major contribution in fighting the menace of Covid-19 and their imaginative gamification principles as well as eye-catching animation will be able to intrigue players in relishing it.

This inventive way of cultivating society is also helpful in spreading the word not only to friends but family members as well.

How it started

The adventure started when the duos developed the free game at the end of February 2020 and completed it a month after, the celebrated online release was on April 4, 2020.

However, what is more, fascinating is how they both were not properly educated (neither school nor home-schooled) and they were entirely self-taught from every small step of the way.

From coding to the animation, their remarkable talent entails the design of other intricate IT aspects such as logos, graphics, animation, editing, game website, and web server and hosting, which were 100 percent developed by the non-IT-background twosomes.

About the game

The game compromises six simple and easy levels with the first (Facts & Myths) containing facts and information from a reputable site which is WHO, where players will be quizzed at the end of the level.

Next, the second level (Protection) will simulate a proper hand-washing tutorial/quiz to teach players to do so in the appropriate sequence.

Similarly to the first level, the third level (Prevention) is completed with shown slides courtesy WHO followed by the quiz.

Furthermore, the fourth level (Symptoms) for self-taught symptoms and seek advice accordingly.

Moreover, level five (Walk the Talk) will have your avatar to undergo a real-life-like experience in practicing the knowledge you’re acquired from the previous levels and overcoming obstacles by using similar items used in battling the pandemic (hand sanitizers, proper sneezing or coughing method and etc).

The final level (Soapy to the Rescue) is a classic retro-arcade style endless shooter that allows your soap to shoot at various coronavirus.

Players are able to carte blanche throughout the level and evade being killed instead.

Game levels

Level 1: Facts & Myths

Level 2: Protection

Level 3: Preventions

Level 4: Symptoms

Level 5: Walk the Talk

Level 6: Soapy to the rescue (Endless game)

Since digesting this new-found information by heart is a bit tricky to many people, the ingenious game will be able to aid society in remembering the rules and dos and don’ts easier.

In addition, the World Health Organisation (WHO) approves the game as a method to prevent and reduce the number of Covid-19 patients.

The #PlayApartTogether campaign was introduced in April who joined forces with 18 other video game companies (including live-streaming giant Twitch and Activision Blizzard).

This effective alternative will be able to save lives and allowing players to interact with their friends online without being physically present.

Source: NST