Virtual Safety Village was commissioned by the Sault Ste. Marie Safe Communities Partnership.  With all the dangers that surround kids growing up and all the long lectures they hear from parents, teachers and other authorities about 'playing safe', this game gives kids a chance to have some real fun when learning about personal safety and injury prevention. Virtual Safety Village is a 3D interactive game that lets kids learn about the proper way to navigate everyday hazards in the home and on the street, all in a secure, online environment.

 

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The objective of the game is to catch a malfunctioning 'safety' robot that is wreaking havoc in the player's home and neighborhood by making everything it touches 'unsafe'. With the help of ‘safety goggles’, the player must assess the safety concerns that the robot has created (like a hairdryer placed too close to a water source), and correctly choose the right course of action to solve the problem. The safety learning outcomes that the player achieves through playing the game are centered on electrical, bicycle, railroad and fire safety. In short, Virtual Safety Village is a game that teaches children how to enhance their personal safety by assessing risk and making the appropriate safety decisions.



My role in this game was to integrate all interface and 3D assets, and program game-play for each of the learning areas. This included character and camera controllers, path systems for the bike and cars, character and item customization, menu interfaces, and audio visual cues throughout the game.  I also optimized the game for iOS and Android devices although it has only been released as a web game.