Welcome to Camp Macarrón!
In the heart of Tejón Forest, strange radioactive mushrooms have begun to sprout from the ground and release dangerous spores into the air. Although this new fungus does not appear to have a negative impact on the natural environment, anyone who comes into direct contact with this new threat is quickly infected by a highly contagious virus.
"The goal of this type of game is to 'educate,' so it's very important to rely on reliable sources," explained the game's producer, Bruno Arce, who holdsa bachelor's degree in Animation and Video Gamesand teaches the Production 2 course in the same program.
The game is co-produced by ORT and the British Hospital, with support from Banco Santander. The British Hospital provided indispensable support in ensuring educational resources for infection prevention, thanks to the medical guidance of Dr. Gerardo Pérez, an internist, and Silvina Pintos, head of the British Hospital’s Infection Control Committee. Discussions with them were essential for providing the necessary information and also for clarifying doubts during the development process. Arce acknowledges that, subsequently, “one of the most complicated parts” of the process arose: deciding which information to include in the game. “Which messages are the most important for the kids to take away, and how do we turn them into game mechanics so that it’s fun and doesn’t feel like a forced experience?”
In addition, the game was designated as being of Ministerial Interest by the Ministry of Public Health on May 25 and by the Ministry of Education and Culture on May 31. The project was made possible thanks to support from Banco Santander and the Ceibal Plan.
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What is *Monsters vs. Viruses* about?
This makes the player the temporary leader of Macarrón Camp, which is home to some pretty adorable monster campers. He’s the temporary leader because the real camp director was infected by a nature virus that apparently lurks in the forest.
The player's goal is to keep morale high in the camp while following safety protocols to prevent further spread of this mysterious virus.
Players will experience firsthand the challenges of keeping campers happy, entertained, and well-rested, all while ensuring they follow safety rules—such as social distancing and capacity limits—so that everyone can enjoy this unusual summer vacation.
Bruno Arce said that the video game took three months to develop and is now available for download in Uruguay.
The target audience is children and teenagers, ages nine to fourteen. “At first glance, one might think that designing a game that appeals to a child is easy. However, nowadays there are countless games, TV shows, toys, and forms of entertainment they can access; there are a million distractions, so it’s hard to get their attention to play a game that also tries to teach them about a specific topic,” said the producer, who listed three main aspects to consider during development:
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Gameplay duration
We know that children generally can’t focus on a single task for very long, so we try to keep play sessions to no more than seven or eight minutes.
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The topic of content
While we want to teach you about the risks and how to stay safe, rather than presenting you with a wall of text, we believe it’s better for you to learn these lessons indirectly through metaphors. During the game, the messages should be concise and accompanied by images so that you can grasp them quickly.
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Visual aesthetics
It’s important to have visual references of what children consume on a daily basis, so we can tailor the game to something they would choose to play themselves. Monsters are a key element in Monsters vs. Viruses, as we want players to be able to identify with them and form a connection.
The team
- Programmers: Joaquín Volonté and Vincent Silva (a systems engineering student at ORT)
- Artists: Maru Silveira and Rodrigo Noguera (Bachelor's Degree in Animation and Video Games from ORT)
- Game Designer: Federico Grandal (student of Animation and Video Games at ORT)
- Content Designer/Game Designer: Victoria Grünberg (Bachelor's Degree in Animation and Video Games from ORT)
- Producer: Bruno Arce (Bachelor’s degree in Animation and Video Games from ORT; professor in the same program)
- Music and sound: Trovador Sound
- Medical advice:
- Dr. Gerardo Pérez – Internist at the British Hospital
- Silvina Pintos, M.A. – Head of the Infection Control Committee at the British Hospital
Contributing to preventive healthcare is at the very heart of the British Hospital’s mission. That is why we were eager to support this innovative initiative by ORT to reach young children through their own language.
Sandra Bogado, M.A., Psychologist, Benefits Manager at the British Hospital
The idea for the game originated at the university. The dean of the School of Communication and Design, Eduardo Hipogrosso, said: “The health crisis is an issue that has concerned us from the very beginning. That is why we at the university felt we needed to do our part for society.”
Previously, also through the School of Communication and Design, the "Tapá-bocas" advertising campaign was launched, in which high school students proposed creative ideas to raise awareness about safety precautions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In this second initiative, the university targeted a younger audience—children and teenagers—“who, obviously, are also facing the same challenges as the rest of society: isolation and the desire to get out.”
Hipogrosso clarified that the game isn't about COVID-19, but rather that "when you don't take care of yourself, you get infected and lose."
There are values that are conveyed through the game, such as respect for protocols, social distancing, and the use of face masks; that is what ultimately leads to the player's success.
Eduardo Hipogrosso, Ph.D., Dean of the School of Communication and Design