Image credit:
Incident Commander 2 by BreakAway Games
Incident Commander,
developed by BreakAway
Games, was selected as a finalist in the 2018
Serious Games Showcase and Challenge in the Business Category.
Incident Commander 2 is a Serious
Game to train players in Incident Response protocols. It is intended to serve
as a game-based exercise tool for crisis responders who are already familiar
with the Incident Command System (ICS) but need to practice tactical command
decisions and improve the ability of decision-making in emergencies.
There are situations in which decisions must be made quickly, e.g.,
management of different types of crisis. All decisions, including those made
under pressure of time constraints, need a thorough consideration, since they
might influence a whole chain of future events.
Incident Commander 2
is focused on tactical gameplay. Each player chooses one or more tactical roles
that designate which responder service units they can control on the tactical
map. The goal is to allow players to use the Incident Command System (ICS) and
demonstrate its efficacy. The role of Incident Commander (IC) and the
subordinate roles are assigned and players are given the agency to use ICS as
an easy method to delegate authority and facilitate communication.
Chemical Spill - Image credit: BreakAway Games
Setting
Up Command- Image credit: BreakAway Games
Calling
for Off Map Assets - Image credit: BreakAway Games
EMS
Collect Wounded - Image credit: BreakAway Games
The ICS actions control all gameplay, including making both abstract
decisions and concrete actions such as placing a staging area. The game is most
successful in creating a visual framework to showcase ICS protocols and lines
of command, and structure the strategic choices the players must make,
contextualizing the hierarchical nature of incident command and response.