Pubdate: Fri, 15 Jun 2012
Source: Comox Valley Record (CN BC)
Copyright: 2012 Comox Valley Record
Contact:  http://www.comoxvalleyrecord.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/784
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?135 (Drug Education)

VIDEO GAME ANTI-DRUGS

A small team of local youth aged 10 to 13 are releasing a video game 
entitled DrugApocalypse or DA for short.

The game answers the challenge of providing factual information about 
the use and abuse of substances including cocaine, LSD, ketamine, 
alcohol and crystal meth.

Concept producer Griffin comments, "Some of the substances mentioned 
in the game that I did research on are drugs that are highly addictive."

"It is a mistake to not teach young kids about the dangers of drugs," 
says Karen Botsford, community health nurse.

The project was approved and commissioned by the Community Drug 
Strategy Committee, an initiative of the City of Courtenay. The DA 
team sought answers through teen literature and asked the assistance 
of a community nurse and members of the Community Drug Strategy 
Committee for information on the substances.

Since January this year, this small team of novice game-builders has 
been working in their basement, their garages and wherever their 
laptops take them, to collaborate and brainstorm and build, to meet 
their declared release date of June 20.

DrugApocalypse will be aimed at the interest level of students grades 
four and higher. DA will be simple enough for nine-year-old students 
to play, but captivating enough for pre-teens and older age groups.

Ten-year-old team member Paul says, "I had a game idea and thought it 
would work."

The DA team developed a simple two-dimensional animated video game 
that is quirky, fun and gets kids talking and playing, and more 
importantly, conquering substance use and abuse.

"Players will discover pretty quickly that if they want to stay alive 
they should avoid the drugs. If you can't avoid the drugs you'll lose 
the game," says DA programmer David.

DrugApocalypse is offered as a free download on YouTube at 
www.youtube.com/daverobertson71. There is a free download site for 
the game at www.mediafire.com/download.php?f9fr6bprikjh313.

Requiring just 30 megabytes, it is a quick three-minute download to your PC.

- - Community Drug Strategy Committee
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom