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A screenshot from the main menu for Building Resilient Communities game showing the game and VDMC logos and a flooded virtual street

Building Resilient Communities

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Virginia Digital Maritime Center at Old Dominion University

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The Hampton Roads BRC game immerses players in the role of policymakers tasked with building resilient communities in the face of climate change and flooding. Over a simulated 10-year period, players must allocate funds toward various mitigation strategies, such as building codes, land use planning, and environmental management. The game challenges players to balance short-term needs with long-term sustainability, making strategic decisions that minimize human and property losses. With realistic simulations developed by a subject matter expert (SME), players receive immediate feedback on their decisions, allowing them to adapt their strategies and see the real-world impacts of their choices. Through role-playing and collaborative discussions, the game fosters critical thinking and engagement, helping players understand the complexities of policymaking in the context of climate resilience.

Game Overview

The Hampton Roads BRC game teaches players several critical skills and concepts, including strategic decision-making, budget management, and systems thinking. By stepping into the role of policymakers, players learn how to allocate resources effectively to mitigate the impacts of climate change and flooding, balancing short-term needs with long-term resilience. The game also emphasizes the importance of collaboration and communication, as players must work together to discuss and refine their strategies. Additionally, the game introduces players to the complexities of climate policy, environmental management, and the interconnectedness of social, economic, and environmental factors in building resilient communities. Through realistic simulations, players gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and trade-offs involved in policy decisions, enhancing their problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

The primary goal or challenge players face in the Hampton Roads BRC game is to effectively manage a budget over a 10-year period to implement policies that mitigate the impacts of flooding, storm surges, and other related environmental threats. Players, role-playing as policymakers, must allocate funds towards various mitigation strategies, balancing short-term needs with long-term sustainability. The challenge lies in making strategic decisions that will minimize human and property losses while navigating the uncertainties of future climate events.

Throughout the game, players must analyze data, anticipate the outcomes of their decisions, and adjust their strategies based on feedback provided during the simulation phases. The ultimate objective is to build a resilient community by optimizing policy choices across different sectors, such as engineering, environmental management, and government outreach, all while staying within the constraints of their annual budgets. The players’ success is measured by their ability to reduce the projected impacts of flooding and achieve positive outcomes for the community over the course of the simulation.

The Building Resilient Communities (BRC) Flood Game is an interactive, role-playing game designed for participation from a wide range of stakeholders including individual citizens, community and neighborhood leaders, non-profits and advocacy groups, business and industry, policy officials, elected representatives, and leaders from government departments and agencies.

The Hampton Roads BRC game assesses player performance through a combination of real-time feedback and cumulative outcomes over the course of the game. As players make budgetary decisions and implement policies during each phase, the game provides immediate feedback on how these choices impact various Measures of Performance (MOPs), such as human casualties, property damage, and overall community resilience. This real-time assessment allows players to gauge the effectiveness of their decisions and adjust their strategies accordingly.

Performance is further evaluated in the Simulate/Analyze phase, where the game presents data on the long-term effects of the players’ policies. The game tracks and displays the cumulative impacts of their decisions across multiple years, allowing players to see the broader consequences of their actions. Success is measured by the players’ ability to minimize negative outcomes, such as reducing casualties and property damage, while effectively managing resources and planning for long-term sustainability. This ongoing assessment, combined with the opportunity for players to refine their strategies through group discussions and iterative decision-making, provides a comprehensive evaluation of their performance throughout the game.

The Hampton Roads BRC game was designed with flexibility in mind, allowing it to be played in both group and individual settings. While the game encourages collaborative decision-making and discussion among players when played in a group, it is equally effective as a solo experience.

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A screenshot from the main menu for Building Resilient Communities game showing the game and VDMC logos and a flooded virtual street
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