Covid-35
For Simon Fraser University
Covid-35 may be firendly looking, but it is a deceptively complex simulation of a future/fictional novel coronavirus outbreak on a continent divided between six nations.
The Faculty of Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University asked us to adapt their existing simulation game built in a world they developed based on their Pandemics & Borders research project.
The game had to be a robust, multiplayer experience for use by both students and stakeholders. It needed to function in web browser and on PC. Required features included the ability to chat between teams, reconnection to the game state when a player is disconnected from often unstable institutional Wi-Fi, and results graphing in order to guide debriefing after each round.
One of the key challenges was modelling economic performance of a nation during a pandemic. We worked closely with the experts to ensure the game reflects potential real outcomes within the scenario.
Playing The Game
The objective for each team of players (acting as government of a nation) is to contain and eliminate the pandemic over a number of turns. The real challenge, however, is maintaining social, economic, and political stability within their country.
While each government should focus on securing these objectives domestically, international cooperation, rather than competition, may enable the best global outcome.
Each government has the ability to set internal policies and observe their results. Policies cost resources to enact, but those same resources can be spent to assist neighbouring nations and/or donate to the Global Health Organization to impact events in the game.
Just as in the real world, not all nations have resources to match their ambitions. The game is at its best when players roleplay based on their nation’s political and socio-economic circumstances. Decisions fit for one nation may not fit for another!
We hope this game will train future leaders in the public health space and maybe even play a small part in mitigating the effects of future pandemics.
