SARS WARS; epidemiology; video game; SARS-CoV-2; coronavirus; Liège Game Lab; citizen sciences; engaging; SEIR; serious game
Abstract :
[en] In mid-2020, the University of Liège (ULiège, Belgium) commissioned the ULiège Video Game Research Laboratory (Liège Game Lab) and the AR/VR Lab of the HEC-Management School of ULiège, to create a serious game to raise awareness of preventive measures for its university community. This project has its origins in two objectives of the institutional policy of ULiège in response to the crisis caused by SARS-CoV-2: to raise awareness among community members of various preventive actions that can reduce the spread of the virus and to inform about the emergence and progression of a pandemic. After almost two years of design, the project resulted in the creation of SARS WARS, a decision-making management game for browsers and smartphones. This article presents the creative process of the game, specifically the integration of an adapted SEIR (susceptible-exposed-infectious-recovered) model, as well as the modeling of inter-compartmental circulation dynamics in the game’s algorithm, but also the various limitations observed regarding its original missions and possibilities for future work. The SARS-CoV-2 video game project may be considered as an innovative way to translate epidemiology into a language that can be used in the scope of citizen sciences. On the one hand, it provides an engaging tool and encourages active participation of the audience. On the other hand, it allows us to have a better understanding of the dynamic changes of a pandemic or an epidemic (crisis preparedness, monitoring and control) and to anticipate potential consequences given found parameters at set time (emerging risk identification), while offering insights for impact on some parameters on motivation (social science aspect).
Research Center/Unit :
Liège Game Lab - ULiège RADIUS - ULiège GIGA - ULiège SIG Lab - AR/VR
Disciplines :
Life sciences: Multidisciplinary, general & others Communication & mass media
Author, co-author :
Messina, Alexis ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département médias, culture et communication > Humanités numériques et cultures vidéoludiques
Schyns, Michael ; Université de Liège - ULiège > HEC Liège : UER > UER Opérations : Informatique de gestion
Dozo, Björn-Olav ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Centre informatique de Philosophie et Lettres (CIPL)
Denoël, Vincent ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département ArGEnCo > Analyse sous actions aléatoires en génie civil
Van Hulle, Romain ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Aérospatiale et Mécanique (A&M)
Etienne, Anne-Marie ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de Psychologie > Psychologie de la santé
Delroisse, Stéphanie ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de Psychologie > Psychologie de la santé
Bruyère, Olivier ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences de la santé publique > Santé publique, Epidémiologie et Economie de la santé
D'Orio, Vincenzo ; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège - CHU > > Service des urgences
Fontaine, Sébastien ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences sociales
Guillaume, Michèle ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences de la santé publique > Santé publique : aspects spécifiques
Haubruge, Eric ; Université de Liège - ULiège > GxABT : Services généraux du site > Site GxABT - Gestion de site
Donneau, Anne-Françoise ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences de la santé publique
Gillet, Laurent ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des maladies infectieuses et parasitaires (DMI) > Vaccinologie vétérinaire
Saegerman, Claude ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des maladies infectieuses et parasitaires (DMI) > Epidémiologie et analyse des risques appliqués aux sciences vétérinaires
Developing a video game as an awareness and research tool based on SARS-CoV-2 epidemiological dynamics and motivational perspectives
Alternative titles :
[fr] Développer un jeu vidéo comme outil de sensibilisation et de recherche basé sur les dynamiques épidémiologiques du SRAS-CoV-2 et des perspectives motivationnelles
Original title :
[en] Developing a video game as an awareness and research tool based on SARS-CoV-2 epidemiological dynamics and motivational perspectives
Publication date :
24 February 2023
Journal title :
Transboundary and Emerging Diseases
ISSN :
1865-1674
eISSN :
1865-1682
Publisher :
Hindawi Limited, London, United Kingdom
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
Name of the research project :
Risk Assessment Group - WP9 - Developing a video game as an awareness and research tool based on SARS-CoV-2 epidemiological dynamics and motivational perspectives
Funders :
ULiège - Université de Liège
Commentary :
Acknowledgments
Many people were involved in the creation of SARS WARS. The authors are grateful to the ULiège GIGA and RADIUS for the support and provision of epidemiological data. Thanks for the precious help of the ULiège student alpha testers: M. Beaupain, E. Cema, A. Ceman, I. Garciamarti, L. Hubert, J. Najmeddine, P. Rome, T. Tepszich and B. Wauters. An acknowledgement must also be made to the game development team: A. Bourguignon, A. Jacquemin, S. Robertfroid (computer development, graphics, and coding) and the Liège Game Lab (gameplay and writing). Thanks are due to D. Hansen for his careful review and suggestions.
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