About the project

Game Dev Técnico, a student club at Técnico, created a computer game – COVIDA – that aims to raise public awareness on new coronavirus prevention and focuses game dynamics on social distancing and consciousness.

COVIDA challenges the player to survive 5 minutes in a virtual world, avoiding as much as possible contracting the virus or exposing other players to it.

COVIDA is available at www.gamedev.tecnico.ulisboa.pt/covida.

The game takes place in a virtual world similar to ours: each player controls a person, who starts at home and must satisfy a set of basic needs, namely energy and mental well-being. To this end, players must be able to make decisions that protect or expose them to the virus, such as going to the supermarket to buy essential goods, or to socialize with other players. However, the game allows players to reduce the risk through simple actions, such as taking essential goods to other players or preventing hospital overcrowding; or increase the risk, if players do not respect the necessary social distancing when going outside. Faced with the risk, players can go to a hospital to be tested and, in case of infection, they can recover there.

Players must ensure not only their own survival, but also the survival of the rest of the population. In COVIDA, the player faces similar dilemmas to the ones we have been living during this pandemic. The player must meet his/her social needs and avoid contracting or spreading the virus. Players must act if they think they are infected, but they must think twice before going to the health center to get tested for COVID-19, otherwise there will be no tests for those who really need them. In fact, taking a pro-social behaviour increases the chance of survival for everyone.

Play now!

Location

Lisbon

Entities

• Game Dev Técnico
• Instituto Superior Técnico

Keywords

• Computer game
• Social distancing

Related websites

• Official site of COVIDA