RESEARCH ADDENDUM - Part 2

21/02/2009 During the course of our research into the current project, we utilised the ‘SCOPUS’ search tool and read into a series of different articles regarding fire evacuation and training. One article in particular, ‘Rapid prototyping a virtual fire drill environment using computer game technology’ was more useful out of all the subjects found. Here are some extracts from the article we decided were most relevant for our virtual fire training prototype and why.

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Article: 'Rapid prototyping a virtual fire drill environment using computer game technology.'
Author: Smith, S.P.
Journal: Fire safety journal
ISSN: 0379-7112
Date: 2009
http://tinyurl.com/ag2aqs

http://tinyurl.com/b698dd

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“The Source Engine was developed by the Valve Corporation and is most notably used in games such as Half-Life2 and Counter-Strike: Source. The Source Engine features a high degree of modularity and flexibility, lip synchronisation and facial expression technology and a realistic physics system. The engine also supports particle effects, volumetric smoke and environmental effects such as fog and rain. An advanced artificial intelligence system is provided which enables sophisticated character navigation, enabling characters to run, jump, climb stairs, etc.
The level editor that is used to produce levels for games using the Source Engine is the Valve Hammer Editor, commonly referred to as Hammer. All the necessary tools for creating a mod and game content, e.g. via Hammer, are included with the Source SDK, which is available after purchasing a Source-based game, e.g. Half-Life 2, and can be downloaded using Valve's digital content delivery service called Steam. Documentation for the Source SDK is provided on the Valve Developer Community wiki, which was created by Valve and is the definitive and most comprehensive source of information on using the Source Engine.”
- A justification of why we have chosen to use the Valve 'Hammer Editor' to prototype our product also. The Valve Editor is the most easy to use level development program currently accessible to students and is very flexible.
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“The building chosen to be modelled was the Computer Science Department at Durham University. The department building consists of three floors with a number of offices, meeting rooms and a reception on the first floor. Three exits were identified: the main entrance on the ground floor, a rear exit on the first floor and a connecting corridor between Computer Science and the Engineering Department on the second floor.

Floor plans of all three floors of the department were used to determine the layout and relative scale of corridors, doors and rooms. Elements in the real building that would act as audio and visual cues to someone during a fire evacuation were identified in the department and their positions added to the plans so that they could be accurately included in the final model. These included fire alarm triggers, fire alarm sirens, fire exit signs and fire extinguishers. Photographs of various areas of the department were taken to aid texturing the 3D model.”
- This extract of the article helps with texturing and building up the model of our building for the fire simulation. Taking pictures of the real life locations helps with texturing objects with the photograph being used as a reference.
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“One of the main features required of the game engine was support for fire and smoke effects. Using the Source Engine and Hammer, this was accomplished by using fire entities, which are objects that generate fire at their origin and smoke effects above the flame. The smoke can be toggled on/off, the height of the flame can be specified and fires can be set to have an infinite duration, i.e. fires that will burn forever.
The spread of fire through the virtual environment is an important part of fire drill simulations. This was achieved by placing several fire entities in close proximity to each other and only igniting the fire entities at the fire start point. Although this did not produce a completely accurate representation of how a fire might spread in a real building, it was a useful method for quickly producing a fire that spreads over time.”

RESEARCH ADDENDUM

20/02/09

We contacted a Fire Safety officer from Humberside Fire & Rescue Service, and discussed the types of training areas they use for new recruits. We were given an in-depth description of the situations used, and general dimensions of training areas. http://www.humbersidefire.gov.uk/default.asp


http://www.trainingtowers.com/training_towers_our.asp
We found the above site, showcasing many examples of existing training towers for us to base our design upon. Of particular note is the "inventories" of each house, giving a good idea of the elements we need.

Software Pitch - Hammer Editor.

For our project we feel that as a team we would benefit much more using the Valve ‘Hammer Editor’ rather than the suggested Unreal Engine. Our reasons for the decision lie in the fact that the Hammer Editor is much more user-friendly, and is designed for creating more “realistic” levels than Unreal. This difference is clear when using the static mesh/prop libraries: Unreal contains predominantly technologically-themed items and alien equipment, whereas Hammer has things such as Coke machines, Chairs and other human, Earthly, affects. This means it’s much easier to create normal-seeming areas in Hammer than in Unreal.

Valve’s Hammer is also far more advanced than Unreal, with fire and water effects and above all physics taking a much greater role in Hammer than they do in Unreal, where they seem almost an afterthought to making large space deathmatch levels. The Hammer Editor is also a much newer engine than that of Unreal, a lot more frequently updated and generally more suitable to the project. Scripted AI is much easier and more flexible to input than that of Unreal, helping make the addition of civilians much easier and more effective than that of the Unreal ED.

Seeing as though our simulation will consist of a single player level, Hammer is much greater suited to this rather than Unreal, of which was intended more so for use of Deathmatch multiplayer levels.

Another reason for our choice is that while we learnt Unreal last year, we’re currently learning Hammer and it’s easier to use skills found in one lesson in another than to use two different programs for essentially the same tasks at the same time. Each of our team members feels much more comfortable working in Hammer than Unreal, therefore we feel that using the editor will allow our team to benefit more as a whole than that of using the Unreal ED.

Virtual Fire Training Sim - Items to include.

Before the development stages of our 'Virtual Fire Training Simulator' can begin, the team must take into account what will need to be included in the finished product and where these items will be most necessary. Here is a list of things we need to consider creating for our simulation.

Briefing:
Before coming in contact with a fire situation, fire fighters must become de-briefed with what they must take into account regarding the flaming building (such as fire escapes, fire door locations) and residence of who lives there.

Smoke:
Limiting fireman's vision, standard fire training simulations fill the test building area with smoke and cover the visor of a fireman's helmet in it to limit vision even more so.

Civilians:
The most important part of a fire rescue mission. Any survivors trapped inside the premises must be the top priority of fire fighters minds. The quickest and safest route in and out must be used to escort trapped residence to safety.

Staircase:
Tackling stairs whilst a fire is in the building can be a tricky situation. The addition of staircases and multiple floors is vital for our training simulation.

Furniture and Obstructions:
Navigating through buildings whilst under pressure is never easy, and in a fire situation obstructions in the environment such as tables and chairs can cost firemen valuable time. Firemen need to learn how to deal with these obstructions as quick and efficiently as possible.

Windows:
Windows are a necessity in a fire situation providing a quick emergency escape out of the building and also a good means of ventilation to dispose of smoke.


Crisis Situations:
What if a fire fighters oxygen tank malfunctions? Despite how low a chance things of this nature will happen, solutions must be taken into account for how firemen can deal with problems with their equipment the fastest and most efficient way possible.

Welcome.

This blog has been created to showcase the work of small games development company, Team Bowchickabowow Industries, as they produce artefact's for clients based at the University of Bolton. Team Bowchickabowow Industries currently consists of four members;

Team Leader - Kyle Cherry
Level Designer - Lee Sparkes
Professional Artist - Adam Parker
3D Designer - Mark White

With already a decently sized list of game design ideas under their belt (Grim Darkness, Space Kenya), Team Bowchickabowow currently is undergoing development on a 'Virtual Fire House Training Simulator' created using a variety of different digital development tools such as Valve's HAMMER Editor, Adobe Photoshop and Autodesk's 3Ds Max.

The team will make use of this blog for uploading team meeting information, individual journal uploads by each team member as the development cycle progresses, any research involved with the task at hand and with the overall progress of the work before the final deadline.