Immunology Game Basic Game Play Introduce the immune

Immunology Game

Basic Game Play • Introduce the immune system. • Have the player infect the body by learning about and selecting a fomite. • Have the player interact with the immune system and learn how it responds. • The outcomes of interactions push the player to the endgame condition.

Technical Hurdles Power. Point Unity • Randomized Interactions • Everything • Initiating the Endgame

Power. Point Prototype: The Ideal Play Through Learning via Player interaction with the environment and well defined consequences.

Choose a Fomite to start the infection.

The subject has brought the contaminated object in contact with their mouth. Maybe they were chewing on a pencil that someone else touched or took a drink from someone else's water bottle. The virus has entered the body and has made it to the intestines.

Viral Particle Encounters a Monocyte Click the Monocyte to Initiate your interaction.

Viral Particle Encounters a Monocyte: Detection by the Monocyte You move too close to the monocyte allowing it to detect you. It releases cytokines into the body which will draw the macrophages. The body’s immune response increases Spread the Infection Click to Initiate your next interaction.

Cytokine Concentration Gradient Click the Viral Particle to Initiate your interaction.

Cytokine Concentration Gradient: Macrophage Catches the Virus The viral particle is engulfed by a Macrophage and phagocytosized. Spread the Infection Click to Initiate your next interaction.

Click the Virus to Initiate your interaction. Viral Particle is Phagocytized You managed to avoid encountering a You have an unavoidable encounter with a Macrophage. macrophage. You are carried safely away by the internal currents within the bodily fluids. The viral The body’s immune response increases. particle count increases. Spread the Infection Phagocytosis is the process in which the macrophage engulfs a viral particle into itself, uses peroxides, strong bases, and proteolytic enzyme (an enzyme that breaks proteins apart at between amino acids), and releases the pieces of the virus, now called viral debris and antigens, back into the body. Click to Initiate your next interaction.

Spread the Infection To exit the body and infect another person show what you have learned about the immune system. Ready? Go to Questions! Not Ready? Return to the Body

Questions: The Body’s Reactions Which of the options below are actions taken by the body in response to an infection? Click to check your answer. Monocytes release Fomites to alert the immune system about the virus. Macrophages engulf and phagocytosize viral particles and antigens Macrophages move towards viral particles and antigen Monocytes release Cytokines to alert the immune system about the virus. Correct Macrophages move towards increasing concentrations of Cytokines Macrophages release cytokines when they encounter other cytokines. Antigens are the destroyed remnants of a viral particle Antigens can trigger the release of Cytokines Correct: Monocytes release Cytokines when the encounter viral particles or antigens. Monocytes release Cytokines. Macrophages move towards cytokines. Not Ready? Return to the Body Next

Questions: Sequence One What does the following images convey? Click to Check your Answer? Cytokines alert a Monocyte to the presence of a virus Incorrect Cytokines alert a Macrophage to the presence of a virus. Correct Fomites alert Macrophage to the presence of a virus. Incorrect Not Ready? Return to the Body Next

Questions: Missing Step One What likely occurs in the missing step? Click to Check your Answer? ? Cytokines attract the Macrophage to the location of a viral particle. The Macrophage phagocytosize the viral particle. Correct Cytokines encounter a Viral Particle and break it apart into antigens. Incorrect Cytokines attract the Macrophage to the location to further attract antigens to the location. The Macrophage phagocytosize the antigens. Incorrect Not Ready? Return to the Body Next

Congratulations on Spreading the infection. Choose a Fomite to start the next infection.

Pre/Post Test: Content Knowledge Gains

Comment about Target Audience: Is the game better for first time introduction or review?

Participant Feedback • Need for Improved Interactivity • Too much like a simulation • Need for Improved Navigation and Motivation • Introducing the virus and the parts of the immune system in an engaging way. • Too much movement on scenes can be distracting. • Nature of Embedded Learning • Learning through gameplay versus learning through cut scenes. • Increased cognitive load learning both educational content and game mechanics.

Unity Prototype: Sample gameplay that addresses some of the participants feedback.