Q: What’s all this, then?
A: GameSave is a hack-a-thon style event which takes place over the course of 4 weeks, during which multiple teams of game developers and emergency relief professionals will each create a complete game concept and working demo aimed at disaster relief and mitigation.
There will be an organization and planning period where team members will be expected to communicate with one another via the wiki and by whatever other methods they so choose. Teams will then meet for a intensive hack-a-thon session in Seattle, Washington where they will pair up with disaster relief personnel for vital information, as well has have sequestered time for the bulk of the build. When the hack-a-thon is up, teams will return to their homes and continue to collaborate and polish their concept for submission.
Each concept/demo will be judged by a panel of experts, pulled mainly from the fields of game design and emergency management.
Q: So, how are these teams formed?
A: Teams can be assembled in several ways. A team can be composed of independent individuals who organize themselves initially through our registration site and wiki. Teams can also be sponsored as a unit by their respective employers. Sponsors can also opt to “adopt†a team, meaning that they help cover expenses for indie teams.
Q: How do I register?
A: Follow this link to our general interest signup. You’ll then be among the first to know once registration is open. Once you’re registered, you can create a profile and start interacting with other participants, gain access to resources, and get all kinds of other vital information via our wiki.
Q: On what platforms can we build?
A: Any platform you like, so long as it addresses the stated problem.
Q: Why are you guys doing this right now? Wouldn’t it be a little easier to put it off for a while?
A: Well, yes. HOWEVER, the Cascadia Subduction Zone is 50+ years overdue for a megaquake, and the cities along the west coast of North America (you know, Vancouver, Victoria, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, etc) are not even half as prepared as Japan in terms of building code and emergency preparedness. According to our planet’s geological history, the “Ring of Fire†tends to follow a clockwise pattern of movement among the faults
Of course that’s just a start, because there are all kinds of places that can have all kinds of disasters. Almost anywhere could become a Haiti, a NOLA or a Japan. There are an awful lot of disasters that we can’t control, but for which we’re also not that prepared.
Q: OK, all that stuff is true, but a game? Seriously? Why?
A: Because it’s fun! Some of the concepts that are the hardest to learn in a traditional classroom setting are made much easier to understand when experienced in the form of a game.
Q: But what kind of game could people make out of a disaster scenario?
A: It is largely up to each team to decide how to address the problem within their game concepts. However, we can offer a few facts about emergency management procedure as a general idea: The information used by first responders to know where they are needed, how to get there, and what resources are available to them on the way is still parsed manually by people. Volunteers dedicate hours to learning the current systems of translating, categorizing, and geolocating information before they can even begin helping. A game which, just as one example, teaches players show to do these things in an intuitive way means faster responses from a larger pool of people.
With enough development, these games could also train crisis responders. In the meantime, it would certainly make for a more informed and engaged public. As far as who the intended players are, it’s really up to the dev teams!
Q: Where does the information come from?
A: There are many different ways in which information is generated during times of crisis. Just as one example, Ushahidi is a crowdsourcing and information maangement tool in which instances are built off of observers tweets. People in emergency situations often tweet with hash tags or texting to short codes about what they see – closed roads, buried people, open gas stations. We can pull from previous events to create simulations. Some retail companies also keep close track of their shipped inventories, and are able to reroute things. This information will also be available to be used in the games.
Q: Who is organizing this?
A: Well, if you mean who thought of this whole mess in the first place, that would be Willow, director of Geeks Without Bounds, a non-profit organization dedicated to connecting hacker and maker communities to existing humanitarian organizations and Annie, the features editor at Gameranx, a publication of news, reviews, and critical analysis of games and gamer culture. However, we would not have made it this far if not for some really excellent volunteers. If you are interested in becoming one of these excellent volunteers, please go here!
Q: How did you come up with this?
A: Well, it started as a comment thread on an article about PAX East coverage over at Gamer Melodico. A few of us got onto the subject of using games as tools for education and positive change, and how it’s a topic that’s starting to be discussed more in the public eye.
Lots of people are now familiar with Dr. Jane McGonigal’s ideas regarding games as powerful teaching tools. Â We wanted to apply that concept specifically to emergency management and relief. Â We believe that in order to have a sustainable model for disaster mitigation, we need more powerful methods of education for workers, volunteers, and the public.
Q: Who does GameSave want to help out?
A: Anyone willing and able! Specifically, we are looking for more publishers and dev studios who are willing to sponsor teams to compete. This means donating some man hours and potential travel expenses, though we will also have travel scholarships available for qualified candidates. If this is you, please go here!
We’re also grateful to publications and companies who can help us put the word out. If you’d like to be put on our press contact list, please sign up here!
And of course, we can definitely use enthusiastic volunteers, particularly if you’re in the Seattle or San Francisco metropolitan areas. There are other volunteer opportunities available as well, so if you want to help out, sign up here!
Yes, all of the above links take you to the same place. This is our pre-registration/interest list. Formal registration will be opening soon, but for now, this is the best way to receive updates.
Q: Where do I need to go in order to participate in the “IRL†events?
A: The hack-a-thon build session will happen in Seattle, WA in late June of 2011. The awards ceremony and reception will be in San Francisco, CA mid July. Yes, we know. That is really soon. But at least it doesn’t directly conflict with E3 or PAX Prime!
Q: Is there any kind of assistance available for participants who aren’t local and/or sponsored, but can’t afford to just pack it up and hop on a plane?
A: Yes, we will be offering various travel scholarships for participants. We are not entirely sure how many or how much we’ll be able to offer yet, because this depends on our sponsorship levels! However, we encourage everyone who needs one to apply. Candidacy is based on income and skill set, but we hope to be able to accommodate as many willing participants as possible! We will have an application for travel scholarship up soon, so if you are interested in applying, add your name to the pre-registration for up-to-the-minute info!
Q: I’m able to help fund travel scholarships and would like to donate to the cause! Where do I go to make this happen?
A: Right here. After you submit your info, we’ll contact you posthaste. You can also mail checks to The School Factory, one of our fiscal sponsors, if you prefer the hands-off approach. Make sure you specify that the donation is for GameSave, along with any particular areas in which you’d like the contribution to be applied (ex: travel expenses, LAN setup, developer chow), and it’ll come straight to us. And your donations are tax-deductible, so that’s cool.
Q: I represent a company or group that could provide some sort of sponsorship. Are there any benefits or incentives to do so?
A: To see the various ways in which your organization can benefit from sponsorship, head over here.
Q: What is the difference between the Seattle and San Francisco events?
A: The build event in Seattle is primarily going to be for participants. It will mostly consist of group work time, as well as some face to face interaction with emergency management personnel who have donated their time to provide information and guidance to this project.
The reception event in San Francisco will be a formal presentation of each game concept/demo, as well as an awards ceremony and reception. Tickets for this event will be available to to the public!
Q: Where do I go to get tickets to the reception?
A: You’ll be able to get tickets via our Kickstarter page!
Q: I’m not a developer, nor do I have much extra money, but I’d still like to help! What can I do?
A: Well, if you’re near Seattle or San Francisco, there are plenty of opportunities! If you’re elsewhere, it might not be quite the same kind of involvement, but we will take all the help we can get! Tweet about us, write about us, and tell your friends and family. Disaster preparedness is the name of the game! Just head over to pre-registration to find out more!
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