Coming Soon: Trails of the Guard – Interactive RPG Designed for the US National Forest Service

Tentative Title
“Trails of the Guard: The Ranger’s Journey”

Player/Learners
Target Audience: Aspiring rangers, trail keepers, environmental science students, and individuals interested in forestry and outdoor management.
Engagement Strategy: Interactive gameplay that simulates real-world trail maintenance and forestry management challenges.

Subject Area
Focus on trail maintenance, forestry management, and sustainable environmental practices.

Learning Objective
Cognitive: Enhance players’ understanding of environmental management and conservation strategies (Analyzing, Applying).
Affective: Develop a sense of responsibility and stewardship towards natural environments (Evaluating).
Psychomotor: Simulate real-world scenarios of trail maintenance and environmental management (Creating).
Core Dynamic
Problem-Solving: Players face various environmental management challenges and must devise effective solutions.
Resource Management: Managing limited resources effectively for trail upkeep and conservation efforts.
Core Loop
Inspect: Assess trail conditions and identify issues.
Plan: Develop strategies for trail maintenance and resource allocation.
Implement: Execute the planned actions.
Evaluate: Review the impact of actions and adjust strategies as needed.

Assessment
Players are assessed based on their effectiveness in managing the trail and surrounding environment, including how they address specific challenges and utilize resources.

Scoring
A feedback system that reflects the health of the trail and surrounding environment, resource management efficiency, and visitor satisfaction.
Reward
Unlocking advanced levels, new areas to manage, and special equipment or skills for more effective management.

Construct 3 Demonstration
The planning and implementation phases of trail maintenance tasks, showcasing the decision-making process, resource management, and the direct impact of actions on the environment.

This framework outlines a comprehensive game design that aligns with educational objectives, engaging the player in meaningful and educational gameplay centered around trail and forestry management.

Expected Outcomes and Objective:

Design: Players will design comprehensive and sustainable trail maintenance and management plans that balance environmental health, visitor safety, and resource allocation.

Concise Enabling Objectives

Identify: Recognize and categorize different types of trail damage and environmental concerns.
Analyze: Evaluate the impact of various trail issues on the environment and visitor experience.
Allocate: Efficiently distribute resources such as manpower, equipment, and budget for optimal trail upkeep.
Develop: Create strategies for addressing common challenges in trail maintenance, including erosion control and invasive species management.
Integrate: Combine knowledge of ecology, visitor management, and resource allocation into a cohesive management plan.
Implement: Apply the developed plan in a simulated environment, adjusting strategies based on feedback and changing conditions.
Assess: Critically review the effectiveness of the management plan and make iterative improvements.


Performance: After completing the game, players will be able to develop and implement a sustainable trail maintenance plan.

Conditions: Given a virtual trail environment with various challenges (such as erosion, invasive species, and fluctuating visitor numbers), and a set of tools and resources (like trail maintenance equipment, environmental data, and budget constraints).

Criterion: Players must successfully create a plan that maintains the trail’s integrity and ecological balance over a simulated period of one year in the game. Success will be measured by achieving at least an 80% score in trail health, biodiversity preservation, and visitor satisfaction, as determined by the game’s internal assessment metrics.
This objective is specific (developing and implementing a trail maintenance plan), measurable (80% score in key areas), and set under defined conditions (virtual trail environment with various challenges and resources).