The Washington Post tells us about a Canadian-developed video game that aims to demonstrate what it’s like to drive drunk.
Developer Jim Parker, a digital-media professor at the University of Calgary, says that the goal is to make teens think twice before mixing vehicles with vodka or any other type of booze. With the help of some of his students, Parker hopes Booze Cruise will be used in schools and by police to prevent teens from doing this in advance.
The game simulates delayed reaction times, obstacles, and impaired vision, all implemented with the cooperation of Calgary, Alberta police. The goal is to get home safely. Normally, these types of educational or instructional games don’t sound (or look) like much fun, but it seems like Parker and his team have a sense of humor.
“The basic story is that this person is absolutely pissed and woke up in the trunk of their car and now is going to drive home,” Parker said. “And then just for fun, we put distractions on the side of the road, like pink elephants.”
If they want to implement the most realism possible, they should include options to choose how many drinks you’ve had. Maybe they could also include a Burnout-style level for those hopeless drunks that never sober up.
[thanks, JV]
