In a Nutshell
At RMIT University's GEElab, we are researching how game design thinking can positively affect and alter architecture & urbanism, mobility, popular media, storytelling, engagement, other sciences as well as society itself.
December 2011- (ongoing)
In this research project, a team of RMIT Researchers developed a game for construction industry students to safely experiment with workplace hazards in a game environment. The game aims to address the issue of learner engagement in construction induction training and to increase the retention of what users learn.
Aim
One of the key challenges for Occupational Health & Safety training is to engage and motivate learners. Serious Games are a promising vehicle to captivate learners and enhance their retention of important concepts. Trouble Tower aims to entertain players while teaching them about OH&S for Construction.
Not only does this game assist with hazard identification and management of hazards through controls, it allows players to interact with, explore and experiment with hazards commonly found on a construction worksite. This enables them to become familiar with worksite safety and learn the consequences of leaving hazards unresolved and the importance of applying the appropriate control.
Through its engaging and interactive nature, the game is also intended to help users retain their knowledge of workplace hazards and to assist with knowledge transfer into the real world.
One of the key challenges for Occupational Health & Safety training is to engage and motivate learners. Serious Games are a promising vehicle to captivate learners and enhance their retention of important concepts. Trouble Tower aims to entertain players while teaching them about OH&S for Construction. Not only does this game assist with hazard identification and management of hazards through controls, it allows players to interact with, explore and experiment with hazards commonly found on a construction worksite. This enables them to become familiar with worksite safety and learn the consequences of leaving hazards unresolved and the importance of applying the appropriate control. Through its engaging and interactive nature, the game is also intended to help users retain their knowledge of workplace hazards and to assist with knowledge transfer into the real world.
Gameplay
In Trouble Tower, players must apply hazard controls to a worksite to resolve common construction worksite hazards, thereby preventing injuries and enabling the construction of a tower.
Trouble Tower is set around an unsafe construction site. Each worker faces a different hazard that causes them harm and prevents them from working. In order to save the workers and complete the tower, the player must identify and manage all the hazards on the worksite by applying the hierarchy of controls. These controls are displayed as icons that can be dragged into the worksite and applied to any hazard.
When the player applies a control to a hazard, they are immediately shown the consequences of their actions. If the control was inappropriate, humorous animations signify whether the action had no effect or injured the worker. If the control was appropriate, the hazard is resolved, the worker begins to work, and a section of the building is completed. This draws a link between safe work practices, productivity and progress.
Once all the hazards on a level are solved, the player must report their findings to the supervisor. This stage of the game introduces a simplified version of the Incident Report Card and signifies the importance of informing others of hazards. Furthermore, it allows them to become familiar with the concept of OH&S documentation such as the Safe Work Method Statements and Material Safety Data Sheets to assist them through the game.
Game Developement
Trouble Tower was developed by a team of game designers, artists and programmers of the Games program at RMIT University in just under 6 months. The game was developed in Unity 3D and primarily designed for the iPad but can also be played on PC and Mac. A commercially available version via the Apple App store is currently in development.
Trouble Tower Team
Chief Investigator
Dr Stefan Greuter
Partner Investigators
Assoc Prof Dr Susanne Tepe
Dr Frank Boukamp Assoc
Prof Dr Fiona Peterson
Prof Dr Ron Wakefield
Christopher Barnes
Dr Steffen P Walz (GEElab)
Development Team
Rhys van der Waerden (Production Management, Programming)
Kim d'Amazing (Game Design, Game Art)
Kalonica Quigley (Game Design, Game Art)
Thomas Harris (Programming)
Tim Goschnick (Game Art) Jeffrey Hannam (Sound Design)
Project Contact
Dr Stefan Greuter
Discipline Head (Games & Animation)
School of Media and Communication
RMIT University
Email: stefan.greuter@rmit.edu.au
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