VESSEL Damage Control Trainer

By BBN Technologies


Business Category











2009 Best Serious Game Business Category


Skills and Ideas Taught: VESSEL Damage Control Trainer allows players to develop shipboard damage control skills and more general cognitive skills associated with situational awareness, communication and decision-making.

Goal or Challenge:  Players must achieve a set of tasks related to damage control — some of which are given to the player at the beginning of the mission and some are given during the course of the mission based on their actions.  Certain actions may be prevented until the player has completed a particular task.

Primary Audience:  Recruits at the U.S. Navy’s bootcamp at Recruit Training Command (RTC), Great Lakes.

Assessment Approach:  Throughout each mission, the player’s actions are assessed to determine whether they are demonstrating appropriate intent and accuracy. The player’s performance against the learning objectives is assessed automatically through the player’s actions in the game and choices made in dialog interactions.

Description:  VESSEL Damage Control Trainer provides training on damage control skills within the interior of a simulated Arleigh Burke class destroyer. It focuses on learning objectives that directly support the Recruit Training Command curriculum and embeds training within a story that promotes score values, provides a relevant context and reinforces the culture of the service. The game reinforces decision-making, communication protocol, situational awareness and shipboard navigation. Players navigate within a virtual ship, performing typical game actions, such as opening doors, inspecting objects, collecting personal equipment, and using damage control tools. The game provides information resources and feedback designed to help students of different levels succeed.

Game Engine: unknown

Operating System:  Windows

Platform:  Personal computer

Special Hardware:  None