SGS Feature: 'The Dynamics Of Disaster'

In today's main feature on Gamasutra sister site Serious Games Source, National Center for Atmospheric Research scientist Seth McGinnis is interviewed regarding the Hurricane Landfall game, a 'serious game' that teaches players how to deal with the rebuilding and recovery process following a natural disaster. When asked about the background and goals for this extremely relevant project, McGinnis explains: "Our goal with Disaster Dynamics is to harness the power of experiential learning via serious games to teach undergraduates and other students about the interactions between natural hazards and human decisions. The Hurricane Landfall game (for which we’re searching for a better name) does this by putting the players in control of the development of a coastal community that’s subject to hurricanes and other disasters. There’s a whole host of lessons you can teach using the game, but the primary thrust of it, what we want the players to pick up on if they’re only going to get one thing out of it, is the value of systems thinking. That is, the importance of thinking about the big picture, of planning for the long term, of stepping back and trying to understand how things interact, and how that relates to natural hazards and sustainability." You can read the full Serious Games Source feature on the subject, including more information on this intriguing 'serious game' (no registration required, please feel free to link to this feature from external websites).