The Concept

Disaster Countdown is an online Web-based Flash game. It is designed to teach teenagers what to do in the event of a disaster. It is similar in game play to the popular Mystery Case Files.

The Game

Disaster Countdown is a timer-based game. It is played in a first person, isometric view. The setting is a teenager’s bedroom cluttered with various items.

In each level, a specific disaster forces the player to evacuate the room. The player gains points by locating important objects and dragging them into a bag. The player has 60 seconds to fill the bag

If the player fails to earn enough points or perform all of the required tasks, he/she must replay the level successfully before being allowed to move on. At the end of the level, the player receives tips and reinforcements about disaster preparedness.

Game Play

Using the mouse, the player clicks on items scattered about the room and drags them to the green bag in theright hand bottom corner of the screen.

When the object is released into thebag, it appears in the inventory dock at the bottom of the page. Clickingobjects in the inventory removes themfrom the dock and returns them to the room.

“Necessary” objects increase theplayer’s score. “Extraneous” objects have less or no points.

The player must place enough goodobjects in the bag and exit via the doorbefore the time runs out, or they willrepeat the level.

If the player exits the door before theyhave 100 points, they must repeat thelevel.

The player has three chances to repeat the level before the game is over.

Level 3

Each level features a different disaster, which is representedby a different element on the screen.

In each level, the objects lookdifferent and are placed differently. As the levelsprogress, there are moreextraneous objects and youhave less time to fill your bag.

Level 1 - Flood

Player must fill the bag and exit the room before the water fills it.

Level 2 - Fire

Player must fill the bag andexit the room before it fills with smoke

Level 3 - Tornado

Player must fill the bag andexit the room before it fills with wind.

Success

If the level is successfully completed, the user receives a WIN screen and is allowed to proceed to the next level. The win screen features a picture or animation of the player at a meeting place with their family and emergency officials.

Failure

If the player runs out of time before they score enough points and exit the room, they get a LOSE screen and are prompted to play the level again. If they have already repeated the level three times, they are sent back to the beginning.

Tips

Both ending screens feature a random preparedness tip.