McDaniel’s Anti-Smoking Computer Game to Be Developed by Indianapolis Company

INDIANAPOLIS – Gabriel Entertainment, an Indianapolis-based designer and developer of computer and console games, has announced that it is working with a leading Indiana University researcher to develop an anti-smoking computer game for girls.

The goal is to let pre-teen females have fun and engage them long enough to communicate the myths and dangers associated with smoking. Ocean Secret, as the game is tentatively titled, is the first installment in a series of health-related games to be known as the Dolphin Pier Mysteries.

Project development has been made possible by a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) award through the National Cancer Institute and matching funds from Indiana's 21st Century Fund. The project team includes Gabriel staff, researchers, nurses and educators. Guiding the educational content is Dr. Anna McDaniel, director of the Health Informatics program in IU's School of Informatics and associate professor in the School of Nursing.

The testing for the game will include pre- teen girls from the Girls Inc. of Indianapolis, a non-profit organization dedicated to inspiring all girls to be strong, smart, and bold.

"Ocean Secret involves an exciting partnership," Gabriel principal Michael Root said. "Dr. McDaniel is a well-known researcher and all-around expert on tobacco prevention. Gabriel brings the creative and technical chops to the table."

McDaniel, whose research specialty is the use of technology to support smoking cessation and nicotine dependence treatment, said the game approach holds great promise for communicating to a young audience. "Too many girls are smoking today," she said. "Research has shown us that girls are particularly sensitive to media messages, and this is part of the rationale behind the project."

According to a report on Tobacco Use and the Health of Young People released by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Center For Disease Control and Prevention,

"Each day in the United States, approximately 4,000 youths aged 12-17 try their first cigarette. If current patterns of smoking behaviors continue, an estimated 6.4 million of today's children can be expected to die prematurely from a smoking related disease."

Ocean Secret is in the final stages of creative development, which has included character development, story line formulation, story boarding and dialogue development. The prototype game will be submitted along with an application for funds for a Phase II SBIR award to complete and launch the game by mid-2007. The game is expected to be distributed by mass-market channels such as Wal-Mart, Best Buy and CompUSA, as well as the education market.

"It is exciting to experience industry and universities working together on a cutting-edge project, with a strong potential for commercial success," Root said. With a format that is both engaging and educational, Ocean Secret will deliver subtle messages about the dangers of smoking, while communicating positive female role values."