WO2002033678A1 - Drug abuse prevention computer game - Google Patents

Abstract

An intervention method in which computer-based role-playing games are utilized to allow players to experience simulated effects of substance abuse on the individual, family, friends, and community, and thus learn by experience to avoid the adverse consequences of drug abuse through abstinence, promotion of abstinence by others, and treatment and correction of substance abusers. Role-playing games allow players to pretend to be a character in a story, making the decisions and saying the things that character would say in the situations that happen along the way. Game objectives are set which the player or players attempt to complete through game-play. The intervention method involves realistically portraying the consequences of substance abuse and its interference with the individual's or group's chances of meeting the game objectives. To better meet the game objectives, players must practice social resistance skills, and are rewarded for avoiding drugs as well as for helping other characters avoid drug use. Thus, within the safety of the role-playing game environment, conditioned learning is used to teach players to avoid substance abuse as they learn by experience about the effects of drugs.

Description

DRUG ABUSE PREVENTION COMPUTER GAME

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyiight owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by 5 any-one of the patent document or patent di.sclo.sure, as it appears in the Patent and Ti ademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyrights whatsoever.

Field of the Invention:

The invention relates to an intei active computer-based role-playing game to promote l ϋ abstinence from substance abuse.

Background of the Invention:

Key components of effective drug abuse prevention programs have been identified by extensive research on the effectiveness of existing diug abuse interventions. Some ol these key 15 components are:

1 ) The approach should be research based/theory driven. Research that focuses on tests of theory-driven ideas and that successfully incorporates t sts ol hypotheses pei mits the design of interventions that rely on methods proven to be effective, while discarding those methods proven to be ineffective. 0 2) The appioach should deliver developmentally appropriate information about drugs. Children and adolescents aie more interested in concrete information on the here and now experience than they are in infoimation about possible effects in the distant lutuie.

3) Social resistance skills training should be incoipoiated. These programs help piepaie individuals to identify pressures to use drugs, and give them the skills they need to iesist

25 peer pressure to use drug's while maintaining their friendships.

4) Interactive teaching techniques should be used. Successlul di ug abuse lesistance auricula tend to use role-playing, discussions and small gioup activities to promote the active participation of the students.

5) Adequate coverage and suff icient follow up. The eflectiveness ol mtei x entions m 30 pieventing subsequent substance abuse increases with increased exposuie lo the key components ol the intei vention, and decays ovei time since the last exposure to miei x ention 6) --valuation. It is important to be able to evaluate the success of the appi oach lo demonsti atc its effectiveness, and to identify the key components of the approach thai make it ef fective so that they may better be exploited in future revisions of the method.

8 Peer group involvement in teaching. It has been widely repoi ted that in pievention curricula the use of peers to deliver substance abuse prevention information gieatly enhances program effectiveness. Furthermore, Oetting and coworkers have suggested that the peer cluster. which they define as the small intimate group who share beliefs and values, mediates the influence of other psyehosocial variables on drug abuse.

9) Identified coπelates of substance abuse which are likely to play causative roles in either facilitating or preventing substance abuse should be addressed. For example, contrary to popular belief, the data suggest little correlation between knowledge about the medical effects of drugs and drug use, but the same data reveal a high coi relation between perceptions that drug use is incompatible with the individual's life objectives and the individual's abstention from drug experimentation. The data suggest that prevention eff i ts should emphasize the incompatibility oϊ substance abuse with the achievement of life plans and the negative psychological and social consequences of drug use.

Operant psychology is an experimental science concerned with the role ol the envii on ent in controlling behavior. Operant psychology seeks to determine how the characteristics of behavior and its probability of occurrence aie determined by 1 ) the environmental conditions that precede and accompany the behavior (cues), 2) the environmental changes that occur as a consequence of the behavior (consequences), and 3) the organism's pievious expei ience with the environment (behavioral histoiy . Through experimentation and hypothesis testing, behav ioi al analysts have generated a wealth of knowledge about the lawf ul relationships that govern the environmental control of behavior.

At the core of the conceptual fi amework of behavioral analysis is the occasion, behav ior. consequence ielationship. An occasion is a set of distinct env ii onmental condit ions uiulei vv hiϋi behavior predictably lesults in the contingent piesentation of^" a consequence: behav ior is anything the subject does; and consequences aie those ev ents that follow the behavior closely in time. On an\ giv en occasion, a v ariety ϊ behav iois av be possible. The specific behav ioi exhibited on a given occasion, however, is heav ily inf luenced by past expei icnce with the consequences of similar behavior on similar occasions in the past. If the appeal ance of a stimulus as a consequence of a behavior (e.g., fruit is deliveied when I piess a button) incieases the probability that that behavior will reoccur on similar occasions in the future (I leain to press the button for fruiO, the stimulus is termed a positive leinfoicer. If the removal of a stimulus as a consequence of behavior increases the probability that the behavior will reoccur in the future, the stimulus is termed an aversive stimulus or a negative reinforcer (e.g., I learn to turn of f a power switch to escape an electrical shock).

Behaviors may result in reinfoicement on some occasions but not others. When a behavior is repeatedly reinforced in the presence of a stimulus, but the behavior is not reinfoiced in the absence of the stimulus, the stimulus is said to set the occasion for reinfoicement (e.g., if pressing a lever delivers food treats only when a light above the lever is illuminated, the light's illumination sets the occasion foi reinforcement). When the behavior comes to be expressed at a high rate in the presence of the stimulus, and at only a low l ate in its absence, the stimulus is said to control behavior, and is referred to as a discriminative stimulus, (illuminating the light elicits high rates of lever pressing).

Of particular interest to the piesent invention are generalization, conditioned leinforcement. and conditioned avoidance. Genei ali/.ation is the process by which behavior thai is elicited by a discriminative stimulus can be elicited by a second, similar stimulus that differs slightly from the lirst along some dimension. For example, if a pigeon is trained to respond for food during illumination of a red stimulus light, it will also respond (initially at a somewhat lower l ate) during illumination of a reddish-orange stimulus light. The more dissimilar the second stimulus is lrom the stimulus subjects were trained to lespond to, the less likely stimulus generalization is to occur ( thus, in our example, it is unlikely a blue stimulus light would elicit lespoiuhng).

Some stimuli aie initially neuti al, hut become reinfoi cei s because ol then assoc iation with reinforcement in the prev ious experience of a subject. These stimuli aie called secondary oi conditioned reinlorceis to distinguish them fiom unconditioned ( i.e . innate ), oi pπmai y reinforcers, w hich lequiie no expenenee to be el fective. J ust as there are tw o kinds oi pi iman leinfoiceis theie aie two kinds of conditioned ieinfoiceis Positive conditioned ieintoiceis aie those whose piesentation is iemloic g, while negative conditioned ieinfoiceis 01 conditioned aveisive stimuli aie those whose withdiawal is iemloicmg lo ιllu~.tιate, il illumination ol a gieen button has been established as a disciimmative stimulus signaling the availability ol tood contingent on piessing the button, subjects can be tiamed to peifoim a task (eg piess α led button) in oidei to illuminate the gieen button The behavioi oi piessmg the led button is maintained by the conditioned leinfoicement oi illumination oi the gieen button On the othei hand, it a subject leceives an electnc shock when a led light is illuminated the led light ill become a conditioned aveisive stimulus, and the subject can ieadily be tiamed to peifoim a response to extinguish the led light (conditioned avoidance)

The efhcacy ol a conditioned leinloicei is deteimined by many faetois Ihiee ol the most impoitant lactois aie 1) The efficacy ol a conditioned le ioieei increases with higher iiequencies of pauing with the pnmaiv le foicei on which it is based, 2) I he schedule ol piesentations of the stimulus on which the conditioned leinloicei is based also helps determine its efficacy Foi example, behavioi is easily acquned under a tixed latio (FR) ol 1 schedule (FR 1 each lespo se is followed by leinfoicement), but behavioi maintained by a 1 R 1 schedule is also ieadily extinguished In contiast beha ioi is less ieadily established, but moie icsistant to extinction undei a vauable iatio (VR) schedule (a vauable number oi lesponses must be emitted beioie α leintoicer is piesented) oi α vαnαble mteivαl schetlule (VI α vauable period oi time must elapse beioie an emitted lesponse [oi lesponsesj will pioduce leinfoicement) and ^) The efficacy of the conditioned leinloicei is α function of the efficacy of the pnmaiy leinloicei on which it is ultimately based

Conditioned learning de conditioned leinfoicement oi conditioned avoidance) is opeiationallv distinct horn mstiuctional learning With mstiuctionαl learning the lust person experience is leplaced with mstiuctions (e subjects learn vicanouslv thiough dnecl observation oi bv verbal wntten oi some other loim ol symbolic communication) It i hkclv that behaviois learned by lust hand experience a conditioned avoidance piocess mav be moie lumlv established than those learned vicanouslv by mstiuction Foi example consider the stiength ol eontiol over behavioi of the mstiuctmg a child ' Don t dunk that its hoi' m comparison to a child's previous experience getting burned by drinking a steaming beverage, or the therapeutic challenge of eliminating a behaviorally conditioned phobia. In regaid to drug abuse, the idea that knowledge obtained through instructional learning may not effectively control behavior is borne out. As in the case of the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.H ^{1 M}) program, data show that very substantial increases in knowledge about drugs of abuse are not accompanied by corresponding decreases in future experimentation with drugs.

A recent, well-controlled study gives support to the hypothesis that conditioned av oidance may be effective in preventing substance abuse. Johanson et al have demonstrated that a computer-generated delayed matching to sample task and a stimulus tracking task, can be used to establish a conditioned preference for one of two placebo capsules as a function of being paired with money reinforcement. In this study, volunteers were administered two differently colored capsules thai the volunteers were told might contain two different drugs. Both crφsules in fact contained only placebo. The subjects participated in matching to sample and tracking sessions after taking each of the capsules, and were told that the amount of money they could obtain for participation in the study would depend upon their performance of the tasks. In fact, the participants' performance was irrelevant, and the amount of money earned was gieaicr follo ing one capsule than the other. To obscure the fact that accuracy was unrelated to earnings, the tasks were designed to be sufficiently difficult and "ambiguous" a to prevent the subjects from readily determining the accuracy of their performance. When the participants were subsequently presented with the choice of self-administering one or the other of the capsules. 75'-. predominantly chose to self-administer the capsule associated with the high level oϊ monetary reinforcement. This degree of control over choice behavior is similar to that reported for d- amphetamine, phenmetra/.ine, and alcohol. Therefore placebo capsules were able lo control the same degree of choice as unconditioned drug reinforcers.

This demonstration of the control oϊ choice behavior in the absence ol pharmacological effects suggests that, in addition to their directly reinforcing effects, drugs may also function as conditioned reinforcers through their association with established reinforcers. Drug-taking often takes place in an environment in which social reinforcers are also available. As Johanson et al note, it is therefore likely that this association will result in the development ol conditioned reinfoicϊng ef fects that would add to the di ng's unconditioned ieinfoi cing eflec ls 1 hese conditioned ieinfoicing effects may be an impoi tant f actor in the early phases of di ug use ^'I he piesent invention iccognizes that since conditioned reinforcement may lead to diug-taking, conditioned avoidance may be used effectively to prevent drug abuse.

The approach of using of using conditioned avoidance in substance abuse pieventϊon is poorly documented. The lack of prior research on the topic is piobably due to the negative connotations and ethical concerns associated with aversive conditioning, which conjuies images oϊ shock therapy. Also, in its usual incarnation, avoidance conditioning would involve administering drugs under aversive conditions, a piocedure which would be antithetical to its own purpose and highly unethical, to say the least. There is, howev er, a small litcr atuie on the related topic of substance abuse rehabilitation (i.e., smoking cessation). The techniques employed used either electric shock paii ed with each diag taken on a cigarette, or smoking itself as the aversive stimulus in a continuous, uipid-smoking procedui e in which subjects w ei e requiied to smoke nipidly until they were unable to continue. These techniques were initially highly effective in conditioning abstinence (initial success iates ranging fiόm X ( to 100^r. were repoi ted), however maintenance of cessation over extended per iods of time was pi oblemαtic (about }QPc iclapse at 3 months post treatment, and no dif ference fi om contiol conditions at I year post treatment). This failure to maintain abstinence may be due to an inability to piov ide booster sessions (and note that some subjects aie treated foi as few as 3 days ), as to do so would be antithetical to the purpose of the pioceduie, i.e., to quit smoking. In consider ing the application of conditioned avoidance to pievention, it should be iemembcred that it is f ar easier to pievent substance use than extinguish it once it has been established.

Despite having the support of an extensive histoty spanning thiee-qiuuteis of a cenlui y , the pi maples of operant psychology have seldom been biought to beai on the question ol human substance abuse. Wheie attempts to apply these theones lo human inte enlions hav e been attempted, however , the tesults hav e been extiemel piomising. Foi example, w hen behav ioi αl pπncϊples were leeently applied to the diug lehabihtation clinic (now lefeπed to as "contingency management" ), a > ^l)0^r. impi ov emenl in success i ates at 24 weeks w as observed in companson to ti aditional ther apies. ^'I he phenomenon ol conditioned avoidance is pai ticularly w ell-suited loi used in substance abuse interventions as it is ielatively easy to establish and highlv iesislant to extinction (it lasts a long-time without boostei sessions) To oui knowledge pnoi to this invention the behavioial pnncφle of conditioned avoidance has not been applied to held ol substance abuse pievention

The potential foi video games to influence the behavioi oi Ameiican youth is widely appieciated An estimated 6 million aicade/aetion computei games weie sold in Januaiy - Octobei, 1996, with loughly half of those games going to end-useis under the age ol 20 One on-line computei game seivice (bhzzaid net) lepoits 40,000 users a day. with useis spending an αveiαge of 3 houis on-line at a time So gieat is the peiceived influence of video games that the United States Congiess has held heatings on then content and labeling In leeogmtion of this influence, the United Kingdom's Health Education Authonty has pioduecd it's own multimedia diug educational game "D-Code" in Septe bei of 97, and the US Diug Enloicement Agency has placed the message "Winners don't do diugs" on the stait-up screen of manv video aicade games Unloitunately, the effectiveness ol this type of campaign is difficult to assess

In oui pioduct suivey, the diug effects modeled in enlertamment-oiiented games ie typically enteitainmg and eithei without negative ellects oi with negative effects (stαugeruui binned vision loss ol "motoi" eontiol) mcoipoiated into game plav in such a ay that they nonetheless might encouiage diug or alcohol use Foi example, in the leeent ieleαse of the game 'Redneck Rampage" dunking not only causes staggering, bluned vision loss of "moloi" eontiol and ultimately letehing (amusingly poitiayed) dunking also impioves the plavcr's health status when he is sutfe ng horn lnjunes

Although there aie numerous educational computer soltwaie games on the maiket those that deal with substance abuse do not mcoipoiate the vast knowledge about the iclationships thai govern envuonmental eontiol ol behavioi One computei game engages a player with a "maiijuana iclαted situation¹ (eg ' \ on aie studying loi tomoi unv s big exam when Inends come ova and ask you to smoke some icallv good stuff with them ') The pla i is then given α list of options to choose fiom ( 1 ) sαv no (2) just tiv α little ( 3) sαv ves but only αftei the ex m and (4) say yes and foiget the exam After the player selects one ol the options he oi she lece v es f eedback based on the selection, for example, "Too bad ¹ You flunked your exam". ^"I he plαyei is then subsequently piesented with a new situation that piesumably tollows h orn the player's pievious choices, for example the subsequent choices would include: ( 1 ) the playe who abstained is once again invited by friends to smoke mai ijuana; (2) the player who smoked maiijuana and flunked the exam is told, "...you have just gotten stoned, your li iend suggests you go for a dip in the pool...". As an aid to the player, a "responsibility meter" is ever piesent on the screen to inform the player how responsible their choices aie deemed.

A second paper describes the development of what appears to be a program of similar design, "SMACK™." which focuses on the consequences of heroin use. In contrast to the Marijuana

Action Ma/.e, the developer of "SMACK™" repoits that the computer-simulated situations are accurate portrayals of the drug culture, and accui ately poi tray the consequences that stem fiom di ug-use. However, a lack of preventative effect might be expected, as the game appeai s to unrealistically lgnoie the positive rewarding, euphoi ogenic effect of di ngs. Fuithermoie. if the game players iefuse taking the di ugs, the game as descr ibed offers little educational or entertainment feedback in view of the positive choice taken by the player, for example, normally, ref using to spend time and money on di ugs may allow the oppoitunity for the person to apply loi and get an exciting job, or to save money and go on a date. This could pai adoxically lead to conditioning a ieinforcing effect of the drug, as the game could be moi e interesting when di ug sampling leads to novel situations.

Simulations hav e been used in attempts to prevent substance abuse. Specif ically. U.S. patent 3916534 describes a driving simulator that allows the user to test/practice his oi her skills at contiollin-z a simulated vehicle under various load and hazaid conditions ^'I hese hazαi d conditions include settings modeling oϊ the lmpαu ment ol user by vai ious lev els of blood alcohol. In another example, to show high school students the i atal el lec ts ol di unken oi drugged driving, pai ticipants vveai "Fatal Vision" goggles that distort per ception and make the wearer disoi iented. uncooidinated, and woozy. Fhey then di ive a cai t through ,ιn obstac le com so of stuffed animals.

The behavioral pi maples the above games and any other games like them employ αie distinctly diilerent horn the piinαple oi conditioned avoidance While such simulations ielv on conditioned learning (learning thiough experience), the behav oial pnncipal they employ to eneouiage diug abstinence is dilleientiαl leinfoicement "Dillαenttαl le loicement" lelcrs to the fact that icwaid (eg, successluUy completing the simulation objectives, such as completing a simulated diivmg couise in a good time) is moie ieadily obtained in the "diug lice" than in the "intoxicated" simulation Thus, with the diffeiential leinfoicement pioceduie a pielerence is established foi one condition lelative to a second condition bv pioviding a high-density ol positive leinfoicement (lots of icwaids) in the fust condition ("diug-fiee") and a low density of positive lemloicement (te levvaids oi no positive leinfoicement, (tamed "extinction" 01 "fiustiative non-iewaid") in the second condition (intoxicated) This pioceduie difiers opeiationally horn conditioned avoidance, which negative leinfoicement is used to condition active avoidance ol a given situation The following example lllustiates this distinction

A) Differential Reinfoicement and Fiustiative Non-Rewaid A user is evaluating computei 1 lies backup softwaie The user installs the pioduct "Rapid Backup A ' on his computer and uses it thioughout the day The usei finds that the piogiam lapidly and accuialely backs up his tiles when he activates the backup featuie The next day, the user installs the pioduct Rapid Backup B" on his computer, and uses it thioughout the day The user nds that the piogiam olten iapidly and acauately backs up his tiles when he activates the backup teatuie. but occasionally when he activates the backup featuie there is a delay, after which he is piesented with the message "Backup Failed, Re-tiy¹" (This would be "fiustiative non-iewaid' of his backup attempt) I he likely outcome is that the user will Imd "Rapid Backup B" htistiating, and pielcr "Rapid Backup A" to "Rapid Backup B,' but still might be glad to use "Rapid Backup B" il ' Rapid Backup A" we e not available to him

B) C ondilioned Avoidance A user is evaluating computer files backup soliwαie 1 he user installs the pioduct 'Rapid Backup C" on his computer and uses it thioughout the day I he user finds that the piogiam usually iapidly and aceuiatelv backs up his tiles when he activates the backup teatuie but occasionally when he activates the backup featuie he is piesented with the message "Backup Failed All I lies Cieated Since Last Backup Have Been Deleted ( I his would pan tin aveisive stimulus" with the pieviously neutial stimulus oi "Rapid Backup C ' and thereby establish "condit ioned avoidance" of "Rapid Backup C" ) ^'I he likely outcome ts that the user will find "Rapid Backup C" highly aveisive, delete the program "Rapiil Backup C" f i om his computer and ml^'oi ni his colleagues that they should do likewise, and avoid, foi yeai s to come, any other software pioduced by the company that released "Rapid Backup C."

It will be it appreciated that, as described above, 1 ) the more frequently the av ersive failuie is experienced, the moie f irmly the conditioned avoidance will be established. 2) 11 the avei sive failure is experienced only inter mittently (e.g., on a VR or VI schedule), the conditioned avoidance will be much longei lasting. That is, if failuie was expei ienced eveiy time, and on a subsequent exposuie no failure was experienced, the user might ti ust that the piobleni had been fixed. If failuie was initially expei ienced only intermittently, and on a subsequent exposuie no failure was exj^erienced, the user might still fear that the pi oblem had not been fixed, and continue to avoid the software. 3) The conditioned aversion will be greater if cr itical l ather than trivial files were lost (the conditioned avei ion was established on powerful pi iniary leinforceis),

To date, substance abuse prevention effoi ts have not pui sued application of the operant psychology principles of conditioned avoidance and stimulus gener alization, ami the theones derived from the work of substance abuse pievention ieseaichers in the held ol social psychology to the medium of computer or console-based video games.

In view of the foregoing, it is the general object of the present inv ention lo provide a computer game method and apparatus that uses conditioned avoidance and stimulus gener alization for the purpose of pieventing players of the game fi om abusing di ugs.

It is another object of the piesent invention to provide a game that allow s play er s to experience the pi obable outcomes of substance abuse in a v u tual game environment.

It is α luither object of the pi esent inv ention lo pi ovide play er s ol the computer game ol the invention with knowledge about the danger oi substance abuse to teach other player s about such danger s a vu tual same environment. It is yet another object of the piesent invention to provide a game such that all game player s must cooperation to obtain the game's objectives.

It is also an object of the invention to paii an avei sive stimulus with cα tain kinds of choices made by a same player in the virtual game env ironment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention applies to the medium of computer and console-based video games the operant psychology principles of differential reinforcement, conditioned avoidance and stimulus geneialization, as well as several pi oven theoi ies dei ived from the vvoi k of substance abuse prevention researcheis in the held of social psychology. Generally, embodiments of the invention may be launched on computer or console-game platforms, in game foi mats including: action/adventure, sports, various games of skill ("shooter" games, driving or flight simulatoi s, etc.), and role-playing games. The prefened embodiment oϊ the inv ention is an Inter net based, multi-user role-playing game. The pi incipal advantage of the inv ention is that it exposes usei s to a research based, theory driven substance abuse intervention in a highly accepted and engi ossmg media, video games.

The arrival of the Internet has made possible a new, highly social geni e ol computer -video games, the "competitive/cooperative, virtual community lole-playmg game." In this type ol game thousands to hteially unlimited numbers of players can internet in a common "v ^'uiual" environment. In l ole-playing games (RPG's), player s assume the per sonas ot fictitious chai acters that live and act within the envii onment created by the game's designer These personas are ter med playei-ehai actei s (oi P-Cs), and ai e distinguished f iom non-play er- chai acter s ( NP-Cs) that aie generated by the computer and are elements ol the game itsel l

Human player s put themselves in their diameter's place, and leact to the other chai acter s, whether they aie human oi computer conti olled, and the "world" aiound them. Each playa- chai aeter has a set of ehai acter isties or "statistics" or "stats" which ai e usual ly number s ( but could be any descriptiv e term) which are used by the progi am to define the diameter ^'s abil ity to do just about anything within the game. For example, a "Stiength" suit might deter mine α diameter^'s ability to lift a heav y object, or an " lnlellmence" slat nnuht deter mine the tune it would take a diameter to leai n a foiαgn language. Player-character s usually also hav e a list ot "skills" e.g., the ability to program a computer, 01 to speak a foreign language. In a l ole-playing video game, a player controls the actions of his "avatar", a 2-D or 3-D representation oϊ the player's character within the game, visible to all the other players. When a playei has his character attempt to do something in the game an algorithm uses the chai acter s stats and/or skills list to determine if the character is successful in the attempt. Alternatively, some of a P-C^'s abilities to do things within the game may depend upon the player's skill utilizing the keyboard, mouse, joystick, or other devices to interact with the video display.

Typically, groups of 3-8 players (and therefore P-Cs) will play together at once, and their group of P-Cs, will set out on missions and quests that can only be fulfilled by the cooperative efforts of the group as a whole. It is. however, contemplated that the present invention may also be played by one human player-character and other non-player-characters controlled by tfie computer. A number of groups may band together as a "community", and work independently towards common communal goals (e.g., over throw of a hostile government, etc.). Thi ough game play, players develop their character's (group's, community's, etc.) skills, amass fortunes, and accumulate power. Similarly, mistakes (such as di ug use) can have long lasting el fee is that the player's character (group, etc. ) will have to contend with. A character that has not been killed during the session is saved at the end oϊ each gaming session, and thus can survive and gio over months or years of game play. Normally, a character that dies within the game is pei manently lost, and that player must start developing a new character from scr atch. T hus, players of such games often become quite protective of their "well developed" characters, and actively avoid situations that could have long-term negative consequences for them.

The piesent invention uses computer simulated crn u onments incorpoi almg situations w here through a player's player-chai acter. a player can experience and pui tiαpαtc in. dii lei entiul reinforcement, conditioned avoidance, conditioned leinfoicement, and gener alization lesponses. ln other w oi ds. the advent of this new genre of video game allows the oppoi iunity to mcoi poi αte into such games a wide range ol effective components of drug abuse prev ention el ioi ts. ^'I he video game ot the piefeπed embodiment oϊ the invention includes the following example- "Mike's diameter Astroman is meeting his fi iends to invite them on a danger ous but profitable quest. He joins them in a tavern and consumes large quantities of beer as he spins his yarn. After planning their stiategy, they all leave togethei in Asti Oman's hovercraft. Amusingly (at tiist), Mike finds that as Astroman is di unk, his (Mike/Astioman's) dnvϊng skills are impaired. Driving out of control, the hovercraft crashes and Astroman and his companions do not survive. Mike is crestfallen, having developed the character oϊ Astroman over a period of months. Worse yet, Mike will soon hear from his gaming companions Jim and Michelle, who may have had even more time invested m their characteis, and did not notice how much Mike had Astroman drink while in the tavern..."

Years aftei Mike has forgotten the drug education lessons he learned in school, he may yet be influenced by Astroman's experience as he consideis an inebnated diive home on New Year's Eve. By aeeuiately modeling the established effects of drugs within oui game ( without "educational exaggeration"), we expect to leach individuals who ieadily dismiss other diug abuse resistance campaigns that all too often may appear hysterical and inaccuiate (e.g.. the movie "Reefer Madness"), uninformative (and thus, inaccurately perceived as baseless e.g., "Just Say No"), or just too diy and detached fiom exper ience to impiess the population at nsk (didactic classroom lectures). Thiough the "total immersion" experience of the viitual community role- playing game, players will learn not only by the consequences of their own actions, but also through discussions and peer piessure generated by experienced players, who want their plant (city, colony, etc.) to profit and grow, uither than endure the costs of absenteeism and decreased worker pi ductivity.

The v ideo game that is the piesent invention realistically poitrays diug use either diieetly ( ii the player-chamcter chooses to use drugs within the game) or indiiectly (thiough another plαyei- eharactcr , whether human oi computer contiolled, using diugs and the player w itnessing the outcome). Each playei can use knowledge about diug effects to accomplish game objectives (e.g., save the life ol the ambassadors daughter when she overdoses). Vehicles loi obtaining this ϊnfoi mation aie readily av ailable withm the game. For instance, the piesent invention includes α display available loi depicting a diameter's v ital signs, and authoiity figuies ( physicians, police officers, univ ersity piofessois, etc.) fiom w hich aecuiate mfoimation and good adv ice c always be obtained Thus the player leains about the elteels of diug use thiough sell -initiated lnquiiy and "vutual experience" with diugs, theieby permitting the use of conditioned avoidance to influence the player's attitudes and futuie behavioi

Out invention employs the behavioi al pi maple ol conditioned avoidance by attaching negative consequences to the abuse of diugs and alcohol simulated within the game The game optimizes the effectiveness of the conditioned avoidance pioceduie by basing the avoidance ot diugs on a highly motivating pnmaiy leinloicei (pioteetion of one's P C) and maximizes oppoitumties to experience the contingencies embedded in the game by eneoui aging extended game play Note that in contmst to classioom mstiuction, oi even classioom theatiical lole- playing exercises, playas will expenence negative consequences ot (simulated) diug abuse I he accumtely poitmyed, negative consequences ot diug abuse will αdveisely affect then game ehamctei's ability to thiive and meet his oi her lite objectives, just as they do m leal life I he game ot the piesent invention also accumtely poitmvs the negative consequences that diug abuse by one plαyei-ehαiαcter has on othei playei-ehaiaeteis' own life objectives even if the othei playei-chaiacteis' aie not abusing chugs By accumtely poitmying the effects of diugs and alcohol, without exaggeration, the stimuli ol the diug (e "cocaine") as modeled in the game will moie closely lesemble the stimuli ol the diug (cocaine) in the leal vvoild Aeeuiate modeling of diug etfeets will also enhance the likelihood of stimulus geneiahzation (tiom game "cocaine" to ieal cocaine) and the conditioned avoidance of cocaine in the leal vvoild In simpler terms, if players can see that what they aheadv know to be tiue oi diugs is aceuiately poitmved in the game they will be moie likely to believe the lessons they leain de

withm the game and apply them to ieal lite Since the negative consequences of substance abuse aie often not experienced with each and every episode ol diug use these negative consequences will be piesented in a scientifically aeeuiate piobabhstic fashion This will have the effect ot pieseni g the aversive stimulus pauing with vutual diug use on a VR oi VI schedule Λeeoid g (o operant theoiy this should lnaease the lesistance ol the conditioned avoidance to extinction (piolong the longitudinal eiiectiveness of the intervention)

The computer game oi the invention will also ineoipomte the following lntavcntion sti atones 1 ) The same invention will deliver developmentαlly αppropnαte infoi mαtion about di ugs Children and adolescents are more interested in concrete information on the here and now experience than they are in information about possible effects in the distant lutuie. The game is designed to allow them to immediately experience in the virtual environment ot the game invention the probable outcomes of substance abuse.

2) The game invention develops players' social resistance skills. The game invention incorporates scenarios in which player characteis have the opportunity to resist social piessuies to use drugs. Rewards are progranimed into the game for those who resist, or help other player s resist the temptation to experiment with drugs (differential reinforcement). Avei sive consequences are programmed into the game for those who do not resist, or help other players to resist, the temptation to experiment with drugs (conditioned avoidance). Also, the anonymity offered by the fact that the game is played over the Internet facilitates the ability to resist peer pressure to experiment with drugs within the game, giving players the oppoi tunity to practice resistance skills. 3 ) The game invention promotes discussions between the players about the consequences of substance abuse. Player-characters can take advantage of interactive ^'teaching opportunities through the use of player-characters clearly identified as having authoritative knowledge on the effects of drugs and how characters may be affected by them. These player-chamcter authorities may be controlled by aitificial intelligence oi by trained, online "mentors." 4) The game invention provides adequate coverage and sufficient follow up. The effectiveness of interventions in pieventing subsequent substance abuse increases w ith increased exposure to the key components of the intervention, and decays over time since the last exposuie to intervention. Many drug abuse prevention programs offer 10 sessions the fii st year, followed up by 5 sessions the iollovving year. The present invention uniquely places intervention e loits in an exciting and engrossing computer game. The game invention results in player s spending more houi s interacting with substance abuse inter v entions of the game inv ention 1 -2 w eeks than they would spend in an entire traditional di ug abuse prevention curriculum I he piesent invention achiev es long term follow up by maintaining player interest the game w ith periodic updates, as well as by disseminating the drug effect hbraiy to other dev eloper s w ishing to use it in the design of their games.

5 ) The present invention prov ides α means loi continually evaluating the ef fectiv eness of us inter vention stiαtegies by identif ying the key components ol the invention's inter v ention stmtegies that make it ef fective and exploiting these components m lutuie icv isions ol the same invention T he bi-dneetional communication mteitace to be used in the pieleπed embodiment ot the game will be used to collect statistical data on the ef fectiveness ot the diug abuse lesistance ti dining embedded in the game

6) The game invention eneoumges toimation of peer gioups that icgulai ly jilay the game togethei by setting objectives that can only be accomplished by a team ol players Fuithei moie the game invention eneoumges playei s with knowledge about the dangeis ol substance abuse to teach those pla eis in then peei gioup who have not vet learned, as avoidance ol chug abuse by all membeis ol the peei gioup will enhance eveiy peei gioup member's chances ot obtaining the game objectives

7) The game invention also identifies coiielates of substance abuse thai aie likely to play causative loles in either facilitating oi pi eventing substance abuse The game emphasizes the incompatibility oi substance abuse w ith the achievement of life plans and the negative psychological and social consequences ol chug use within the game

DE TAILFD DESCRIP TION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIM1 N l

OF THE INVENTION The piesent invention piovides a game that saves as a v ehicle tot implementation of theoiy based substance abuse pievention stmtegies These stmtegies include conditioned av oidance stimulus generalization, conditioned leinfoicement dif ieiential lemloicement the use ol vauable leinfoicement schedules, social lesistance skills tunning deliver y ol developmentally appiopnate lnloimation interactive teaching peer gioup involvement teaching miluenang attitudes associated w ith diug-abstinenee and a faahtv loi ev aluation and lev ision ol the game once it is launched to enhance its ef fectiveness as an lntei vention

The piefeued embodiment of this invention is a multi-user lole-plav mg game design toi use over the Internet oi other nel oi ked gαmcplαy In another embodiment the game w ould be designed loi single users and would use 'aitihaally intelligent" computer eontiolled ehαmctαs to leplαee tlie lole ol the human players in the multi-usei v ei sion GAMF SETTING

In the pielened embodiment, the game invention is set m a ament day science fiction enviionment in which a eonspiiacv of vvoild governments and mega eoipoiations have been seaetly explonng and colonizing space evei since the technology to do so was hist obtained horn space-aliens in the eaily half of the 20th-eentuιy A playei staits the game bv assuming the lole of a playei-chaiaetei in the vutual enviionment ot the invention as an individual who has been seaetly ieciuited to become pait ol the space colonization piogiam A wide vauety ot caieei paths (mihtaiy meichant, political, pnate etc ) aie open to the playei-chaiacteis and mav be chosen by each playei Play begins with tunning in the basic skills needed to suivive in space Each playei must make choices about how to develop then playei-chaiaetei s abilities to ensuie both then own success as well specializing to msuie the success of any gioup the player chaiaetei might belong to (such chanietei gioups lesult as a function of the pea clusteis that foim to play the game togetha) Playei-chaiteis must select then own blend of schoolwoik oiganizational affiliations oigani/ed social activities and independent activities etc based on the knowledge contacts, social skills specialized knowledge etc they want and select to acquiie I he skill sets they aequue will determine then likelihood ol success at the vauous endcavois they subsequently choose to undertake (fiom joining a high lech clandestine oigamzation to paying the giocery bill) Fiom the beginning this appioach eneoumges the plava to eonsidei choices that will affect them both the shoit teim and the long term Players become iesponsible loi the natuie and quality of life then playa-chaiacteis will experience thioughout the game and these choices piovided by the game invention ielate diieetly to the kinds of choices plaveis eneountei in eveiyday life

GAME IN I ERrACE I h player s game inter lace consists oi toui elements a Viewscieen a ommunications

Seieen and a Status Saeen displayed on a monitoi I he Player will have some customization abilitv available Foi example the abihtv to deactivate the Status while enlaigmg the Viewscieen

Viewscieen The Viewscieen is the lai gest poi tion oϊ the scieen: this is the "vv oi ld^" the playei- chaiactαs exist in. In the pielened embodiment, the viewscieen depicts the world horn the hi s! peison perspective. In this perspective, the viewscreen displays the "vvoi ld" as it would be viewed from a player-character ^'s eyes. The guiphic depiction of the playα-ehai acter, oi αvatai , is not displayed on the player's own screen, although it is visible to the other player s when they aie looking in its direction. A player of the game invention utilizes the keyboaul, mouse, or any other of a plurality of input devices to diiect his avatar's movement thiough the virtual enviionment. The keyboard or any other of a plurality of input devices can also be used to look or glance up, down, left, or right, without moving the player's character within the virtual environment. The display allows optical distoi tion effects, including zooms, rotations, folds, compression, stretching, and lens effects. Lens effects are where a poition of the display is distorted as if a transparent, optical lens was between the viewer and some poition ol the display. The lens effects allow for these virtual lens to be colored and dynamic. When ( aeeoid g to the player's skills and actions) the game deteimines that the player-chamcter notices something out of place or otherwise has his attention drawn to a cαtain item, the interface will highlight that item or aiea as appropriate to call attention to it. Most of a playα-chaia^'cter ^'s inter actions with the envii onment will be controlled by two steps: 1 ) A general-purpose cui soi (depicted by an anow) is positioned over the object to be interacted with and a response (such as a mouse click ) is performed to activate selection ol the object; and 2) An action is then selected from a menu oϊ actions the diameter may attempt to perform on the object. Alternatively, the player may u st select an action to be perfoi med fiom a menu of available actions (such as "hie weapon" ), then select the objects the player-character will attempt to perfoim the action upon ( in this example, the objects to be f ired upon). The graphic for the pointer reflects the action that will be pa foi med it an object is acted upon. When both of steps hav e been perloi ed, success or failuie of the attempt will be deter mined by the program using an algorithm based on the plαyer- eharactα s' skills and attnbutes ( as discussed in detail below ). Examples ol actions that may be per foi med include.

Movement: Clicking on α spot αuto-moves the diameter to that point Mov ement ol the cui sor ov er items hmhl hts them.

I X Take/put: The avatar will pick up and hold items selected by clicking on them, w hile clicking again puts it down. If an item is too far away, the avatai automatically moves to an appropriate location.

Operate: Clicking on selected item functions to activate single function or toggles dual function items (on/off). Clicking on a multifunctional item opens a pop-up menu of available functions.

Fire Weapon: Movement of the cursor over objects that can be targeted highlights them, and a number representing the probability that a shot fired at the object would hit the object is displayed over the object. Clicking fires the currently held weapon at the selected target (if no weapons are currently held, throws a punch).

Command line (dialogue box); May be used for a single command thai does not appear in the available actions menu. Used wheie the game design calls for player- chaiacters to exert effort to identify and select actions to perform that may be appropriate to their present situation. For example, if a player found his character locked in a windowless room containing only a table, a chair, and large empty desk, the player might be required to type "move desk" in the command line in older to reveal a trap door through which his character can escape. The alter native of placing the command "move" in a drop-down menu that appears when the cuisor is placed over the desk would remove the puzzle aspect of this game scenario,

In another embodiment of the invention, the view of the player-character is a tactical one, where their avatar Figuie is shown in their immediate environment. This screen shows the av atar from a 4 view and in high-resolution. What the player sees is limited to the player-chaiaeter^'s line oϊ sight. Animate objects such as other player-characters are not presented on the players screen when they aie out of the player-characters view. Animate objects and areas the plαyer- character has previously viewed are displayed to the player, but with a gray hltei overlay lo indicate that the player-chamcter can not eunently see in that area. The player may zoom the display in and out.

Communications Screen: The communications scieen will consist oϊ three sections as descnbed immediately below:

The Communication Input Line is the text-editor line for all player-character communication. The player can type no more at a time than will lit in the box that appeai s on the Viewscieen. To send a message, the player must select the "send-in- character" or "send-out-of-character" button. When a message is sent "in character," the Viewscreen graphical display indicates the player-character that speaks the line. In addition, the system allows for a player-character to "whisper" to another player- character privately (location restrictions apply) where only the player-character whispered to receives the message, or to shout to all player-charactα s within hearing range. All "audible" player-character communication is echoed to and stoied in the Messages Center as discussed below so thexse Players who want to can "scroll back^" to read previous communication.

The Game Communication Line is the display for all "in-ehamςter^" communication audible to the character, as well as any "in game^" communication generated by the game itself.

The Player Communication Line is the display for all "out-o -character" communication. This system allows for Players to exchange non-game messages and ideas without disrupting the flow and the immersion in the actual game invention, such as "Where aie we meeting for dinner after the game?" This Line also acts as a "Special Commands Line" lor Online play, allowing the player to, for example, send a [ SEARCH ] for a certain player or player-character online or to tui n oft cei tain types of Communication.

In addition, the Demeanor Indicator allows a player to select their play ei-e hai acicr ^'s demeanor. The convey ance of emotion is v ery impoi tant to role-playing, and this teatuie allows a play er to control the f ont his other player-chamcter is speaking with, thus clueing other player-characters (and their players) as to the mood of the player -chanie ter that is speaking.

Status Screen:

The character screen displays basic character information and links to other, more detailed character information screens. By default, it will bring up the statistics page of the character, though if the character exits the screen in another view, it will come back to that view when selected again. Buttons along the bottom of the screen allow the player to jump to the different areas of character information. If (for some reason), all of the selected information does not lit into the multi-function display, it will become scrollable (with a scroll bar appearing). The different screens are selected by pressing the appiopriately labeled buttons along the bottom of the character scieen. The character mannequin to the left of the screen should realistically depict the character as it is equipped and clothed, as well as items carried (if visible). The various screens and areas of character infoi mation available are: 1. A statistics screen displays the character's attributes in the multi-function display area as discussed in more detail below.

2. A skills screen displays the skills the character has acquii ed and her/his degiee ol mastery in each skill.

3. An inventory screen displays items in the player-character's per sonal lnventoi y , as well as allowing (when the player-character is in the appropriate location) the player- character to trade items with another player-chamcter or to move items between the player-character and some holding area (such as the player-character^'s ship, loi tress, deposit box, etc.). The inventory screen also allows the player-chamcter to open/close/use items in her oi his inventory, which contain other items ( such as a briefcase or satchel), and move items into and out oϊ the opened/selected item. 1 he inventory screen also allows the player to equip with items and/or clothing and can y items i particular locations on the character mannequin to the lelt. ^"1 lie mannequin graphic updates as the player-character mov es or adds/remov es items h om the mannequin. 4 A personal log both allows the player to make notes ( automatically adding a dale and time stamp to the notation) and automatically makes notes of significant ev ents ( suc h as getting a mission, completing a mission, etc ). It displays items m l eva se order

(i.e, most lecent tii st, oldest last), and per mits text seaich. The player can delete items from this log, but it does not otherwise delete iccords. 5. A nn.ssitdis screen displays cunent mission information. If the player-chamcter has moie than one mission cuirently, a list oϊ cunent missions is displayed, and upon selection, information about a select mission is displayed. 6 A holdings feature calls up a list the player-character's cunent properties. As each item is selected, a graphic of the item is displayed, along with the item's location, and current status (as far as the player is aware). Status lellects both condition (good, bad, damaged, etc.) as well as any f inancial considerations (such as 'Rent due in 2 days^' , 'Mortgage: 25.000CR^'). 7. A back/exit feature takes the player back to the previous screen.

GAME OBJECTIVES: The game invention's objectives fall into one of three general categories. The f u st categoi y is for a player-character or group of player-characters to have positive ihipact on the (game) univer se in aceoi dαnee with a player-character's design and intent. The design of the game environment of the invention is the type and referred to as a "persistent world," oi one in which charaetei s actions change the enviionment permanently-or at least until another character changes the enviionment again. A wide range oϊ possibilities exist, with examples ranging iioni building a monument to oneself in the tow n square, to building a new colony on a lecently discovered planet, to helping to overthrow a hostile government in a neighboi mg sector. Objectives may be short, medium, or long-term, and may requue anywhere h orn a single playei (build a monument ) to the entire community of game players (as in the case ot waging a wai ) to accomplish.

The second general categoi y oϊ game objectiv es is the completion oϊ spec ific missions. All

P-Cs will go on missions at one time oi another. Some missions w ill be compute -generated, and the playei s themselv es will generate some missions. In either case, ithin the game reality, all missions will appear to be generated by the piay er-chai αctα s in pui suit ol then ow n goals. A mission may consist of one or more objectives, and the player-characte s w ill be pi omised some form of reward for satisfying those objectives (some may even give partial pay for partial completion of the mission). The players must design and implement their own plans to complete a mission. While the types of missions generated by the players will not be limited, the types of missions to be generated by the game will include the following: 1. Retrieve an item: the mission specifications call for a particular, specific item to be found and brought to a certain location or individual.

2. Escort an item: the mission requires the player-character to escort and protect a particular, specific item from one location to another. The player-character does not necessarily lake possession of the item (though they may do so in case of emergency). 3. Transport an item: the mission requires the player-character to take possession of a particular, specific item from a location or individual and transport it to another location or individual.

4. Retrieve information: the mission requires the player-character locate specific information (usually on a computer), copy that information, and bring it can to a certain location or individual.

5. Destroy information: the mission requires the player-character to locale specific information, and destroy or delete that information.

6. Plant information: the mission requires the player-cha acter to go to a specific location or computer, and place the given information there without leaving traces. 7. Capture an individiud: the mission requires the player-character to find a specific- person, capture that person, and bring them to a certain location or individual.

8. Transport cargo: is similar to transport an item described below, only numerous items are entailed.

9. Destroy an item: the mission requires the player-character to locate a specific and particular item, and destroy that item.

10. Destroy cargo: is similar to destroy mi item described above, only numerous items are entailed.

1 1. Go to location: the mission requires the player-character to go to a specific location, and usually await further orders. 12. Go to individual: the mission lequires the player-chai acter to find a spec i fic play er- character, and go talk to them. Usually, the mission also i equires the character to take whatever mission at individual gives them.

13. Protect individual: the mission icquiies the player-character to protect a specif ic individual from harm for a set period of time, or until is certain event.

14. Escort individual: the mission requires the player-character to travel with (and usually present escape or harm) in individual from one location to another.

15. Kill individual: the mission requires the player-character assassin make a specific- individual, usually within a set amount of time. 16. Prevent mission: the mission requires the player-character prevent another player- character from completing one of the above missions. In many cases, the player-character will not know the other player-characters identity.

The third general category of game objectives is to improve one^'s player-ehaiaetα 's standing and influence within the game, typically through the player-character's improving their attributes and skills, accumulating wealth and resources, acquiring status through good works, and earning rank through achievement.

Character Definition and Task Resolution: A key component of the game invention is the realistic representation ot the effects of substance abuse. Drugs of abuse act diiectly to cause highly specific alterations to the normal functioning of the brain and other body organ systems. The invention relies upon a game design platform that defines and assigns α level oϊ functionality to a variety of character attributes that model the functionality of the brain and body systems of real human beings. The intervention utilizes the game platform to model the effects of drug use on perlormαnce m the game by identify ing the attributes on which the diugs are known to have duect ef fects, and modif y mg them aceoidingly.

In the pref erred embodiment ol the invention, the character definition i iiles ai e deriv ed I rom the Fuzion ^{1 M} System, dev eloped by the Fuzion Gι oup ^I . The choice to use Fuzιon ^{I M} is snmlai to choosing Wιndows9H ^{1 M} as our operating plat form. ^"I he pi esent invention could use any number of dϊffeient game platforms that use a similar nile set based on similar principles. Primary Characteristics:

Characteristics (or Attributes or Stats) are numbers that describe a character's abilities as compαied to everything else m the universe. Attributes are generally rated fiom 1 to 10. with higher numbers correlated with a greater probability of success completing tasks i ying on exercise of these attributes. The descriptions of these characteristics are grouped as follows:

Physical Group

Strength [STRJ STR refers to muscle mass and how effective it is for exerting force. The higher the number- assigned to a player-chaiaeter's stiength, the more the player-character can lift, drag, etc., and the more forceful blows from the fist or other body parts are. Constitution [CON1 CON refers to a player-character's relative healthiness and lesilience in the face oϊ poison and disease, and also refers to resistance to being dazed in combat situations. Body ( BODY)

Body refers to a player-character's resistance to dying or being knocked unconscious. Secondly, it also refers to a measure of a payer-character's size and weight, though this can be highly modified or even ignored. A relatively small person can, for example, have a decent to high BODY score, in which case their toughness and "will to live" is part of the measure.

Mental Group

Intelligence [INT]

INT is a measure of a character's perceptiveness, knowledge, problem-sol ing skills, and deductive reasoning, and aptitude.

Confidence jCONP]

CONF is a measuie

player-character^'s internal perceptions of their ability, w hich influences their courage and wilhn ness to take risks and their abihtv to icsist fear other emotion- alter ing situations. Low scores (temporary or per manent) can alter almost any Action, w hile high scores (again, temporary or pei manent) can affect Actions as well. Charisma [CHA ]

CHA is a measure of a player-character's ability to positively influence other s around them. CHA influences primarily interactions with NP-Cs. When CONE is altered unnaturally (i.e., through the use of drugs) the player-character will perceive changes this attnbute that are not necessanly real. In particular, a drug may cause a dramatic increase in CON, which will in fact lower CHA but will cause the player-character to see an increase in CHA.

Combat Group

Reflexes [REF]

REF refers to the "To Hit" attribute of the game, which is used in determining whether a player- character successfully hits a target aimed at. REF is also used to determine the outcome of attempts to use "skills" dealing with hand-eye coordination, response time, and accuracy. Dexterity [DEX]

DEX refers to whether a character successfully defends against an attack. DEX also influences skills dealing with balance, agility, and athleticism.

Technique [TECH ]

TECH refers to the "Good With Hands" attribute, similar to "f ine motor skills^", used in skills dealing with manual dexterity and the use ol^" looks.

The MOVEMENT group featured in most FUZION ^{I M} games is lemoved fi om the game invention tor simplicity's sake; the Derived Characteristics it feeds into are based upon Physical and Combat attributes instead. This means that a Character' s abilities to Run, Sprint. Leap, and Swim aie deriv ed from their PHYS ICAL and COM BAT attributes.

With iegaid to Pi imaiy Attributes, w henever α game ef fect is listed as adding to oi subtracting Irom a Group, the modifier is applied equally to each Stat the group. For example, a ~2 PHY would mean that a penalty ol -2 is applied to Sliength, Constitution, and Body. fins. in turn, will duectlv affect all Deriv ed Characteristics that are associated with these Stats. Derived Characteristics;

Derived characteristics have game functions similar to those oϊ the primary characteristics. As a class, they differ from the primary characteristics in only one way. The numerical value of the derived characteristic is a function of the values assigned to the primary characteristics. The derived characteristics functions and the algorithms used to assign their numerical values based on the Primary Characteristics are described as follows:

Hit points: Hit points are a measure of what it takes to kill a Character. When a Character reaches a HIT POINTS value equal to ~(BODY*2), they are irrevocably dead. A player-character begins with a HIT POINTS value of [BODY*5],

Stun points: Stun points refer to a measure of what it takes to knock a character unconscious. When a player- character reaches a Stun Points value of 0, they are unconscious. Negative values mean longer recovery times. A player-character begins with a [STUN POINTS] value of [BODY*5 ]. Threshold [THRESH]: THRESH is a measure of what it takes for a player-character to he incapacitated by a lethal attack in one blow. If ever a Killing Damage attack does more H IT POINTS oϊ damage ( in one shot) to a player-character than their THRESH value, that player-character is immediately brought to 0 STUN POINTS and is Dazed (explained below under Task/Combat Resolution). A player-character begins with a THRESH value of [CON + BODY + CONF].

Recovery [REC ]: REC refers to a measure of how quickly a player-character recovers from damage and other- adverse conditions. Player-characters regain their ENDURANCE and STUN POINTS ( whenever they take a Recovery Action or at the end of a turn, the latter happening automatically ) at a rate of their RECOVERY value. The RECOVERY characteristic also influences regaining 1 11 1 POINTS, though this takes much longer and depends on the environment and medial attent ion required. Λ player-character begins with a REC value oϊ jSTR + CON ], Stun Defense [SD]: SD is a measure oϊ how "thick-skinned" a player character is, i.e.. how well they can take damage done to them from non-lethal sources. If ever a stunninu dama e attack stnkes a plaver- character , then SD is subtracted beioi e anything is deducted h om H IT POIN^'I S or S I UN

POINTS. A player-character begins with a SD value ol [CON^'1 2]. Run:

Run is a measuie of the distance (in meter s) that a player-chamcter can cover in α lound of action and still maintain their normal levels of perfoimance. A player-character can cover half this distance (round up) and still take an Action. A player-chamcter begins with a RUN value of

[{ (STR + REF + DEX)/3 } *2J. Sprint:

Sprint refers to a measure of the distance (in meteis) a player-character can cover in a lound if moving at a "full boie, all out" pace. A player-chamcter moving at this rate can take no other action and is at -5 to their defense values and any skill checks they may need to make. A player- character begins with a SPRINT value of [RUN* 1 .5]. Leap:

Leap is a measuie of the distance (in meters) a player-character can leap horizontally, assuming a running start of at least 2 meteis prior to the jump. A player-chamcter may jump upwards up to

1/2 half this value (round down) with the same running start. A player-chai acter begins with a

LEAP value of ] (STR + DEXV2 ], Endurance [END]:

END iefers to how much "energy" a player-character has to expend without feeling pi lound and damaging fatigue. A player-character expends END at the rate of 1 for every 1 point ol STR they utilize in a given Round. They expend 1 END for every 3 meters they RUN. or ever y 1 meter they SPRINT, calculated per Round. For every HIT POINT that a pla er-ehamctei is missing, they aie down 1 END until that HIT POINT is recovered. When a player-character nins out of Endurance, lie or she uses up l d6 of STUN POINTS tor every 1 END they ti y to spend. For ever y Hit point a Character suffer s fiom this process, they suffer a -2 to their RUN.

SPRINT, SW IM, LEAP, and S R playei-chaiacteπsiics until they have healed that damage A player-chai acter begins with an END value of [CON*5 ]

Skills: Like characteristics. Skills hav e number s (Ratings) that desei ibe a charac ter^'s ability to perloi m as compared to ever ything else in the univer se. Skills dil lcr from attributes m that they may be acquii ed and/or mipi oved upon thi ough training that the character can obtain withm the game, in contrast to attributes which are more of a description of the f undamental capacities ol the individual character. The proficiency with which a character can exercise a skill is a function of the character's training in that skill (icpresented by their Skill Rating), and an associated attribute (or combination of attributes) that the skill relies upon. For example, a character^'s ability to successfully traverse a tight rope would rely on the character's skill rating in athletics as well as the character's current dexterity. The following is a description of the skills. The attributes they rely upon are noted in braces j } . Whenever an attribute group is listed rather than a single attribute, the average of all associate Stats is used (round up from 0.5) For example, if a situation or Derived Characteristic calls for the use of the PHY (Physical Gioup) Value rather than, say, just STR (Strength), the av erage value of all three Stats in the PHY is used. Thus, if a Character has a STR oϊ 5, a CON of 4, and a BODY of 6, their PHY = 5. If a Character has an INT of 7, a CONE (Confidence) of 4, and a CHA (Charisma) of 2, their MEN (Mental Group) = 4.333-, or 4. Whenever more than one attribute is listed rather than a single attribute, any of the listed attributes or an average of any combination of the listed attributes may be selected by the facilitator for use in combination with this skill rating in determining the outcome of task resolution. Foi further discussion, see the discussion in "athletics" and "Task Resolution" below.

The athletics skill group { PHY, DEX, CON, END ) represents the overall athletic inclinations (or lack thereof) of any character. Having a good score in this represents that the character has some natural gift or general experience with physical pursuits. These include ( but aie by no means iestricted to) - Climbing, Throwing (non-combat), Running, Swimming, Jumping, Low- Crawling, and Gymnastics.

The Blocking j DEX, END } skill is the "other side" oi Hand to Hand combat training: this skill lepresents someone's ability to avoid blows in unai med and melee combat ( w hether it is thi ough formal martial arts training or simply learning how to duck). Everyone is considered to have at least a 0 in this (there are no lack ol pioliαcncy penalties).

X⁾ Biibeis {CHA CONF) lepiesents α chαiαcler who has the skill to bnbe someone including how to appioach anothei ehaiactei, and how much to of lei I his skill is only useful against Non- Player Characters

{INT TECH) lepiesents a character's ability to piopeily implant and operate listening visual 01 othei sensing devices ("bugs ') One-halt the rating fiom this skill (uuind down) may be added to any concealment check wheie "bugs" aie bang seaiehed loi

Chemist/ \ {INT FECH } lepiesents a character's theoietical and practical knowledge in the held ol Chemistiy Cieative uses might include analyzing alien substances oi ligui g out the composition of a strange atmosphae

Comput i s {INT} lepiesent a ehaiactei s ability to operate and piogiam computers including cracking passwoids, seaiching data netwoiks loi mloimation and piognunmmg specialized systems

Com lalment {INT) iepiesents a skill used in hiding things horn sight oi in seaiching foi tilings that have been concealed by othei s

{INI} is a knowledge of how to le>ok loi clues dust loi lingeipiints examine evidence, peifoim ballistic tests examine iecoids seaich thiough tiles and so on I his skill also entails basic Forensics (although Medicine is also helpful)

M⁾ Cryptography { INT ) lepiesents the ability to solve cipher s and to encr ypt 01 decode messages. This skill is also useful for analyzing completely alien scr ipt to discern the use oϊ some machine or otherwise determine what a sign might say (such as "Don't set -oϊϊ this Ultimate Bomb of Doom!").

Deduction { INT ) is the art of taking several facts and drawing a non-obvious conclusion.

Demolitions { TECH } is the ability to pioperly use, handle, set, and defuse explosives. Ver y helpful if you are dealing with an Ultimate Bomb of Doom (see Cryptography).

Dodging { DEX } is a skill that represents a character's overall training and experience in avoiding missiles shot or hurled at them. All chamcteis have a minimum stat of at least a 0 in this skill (no non-proficiency penalties).

Engineering | iNT,TECH } is the "Techie" skill ol choice, dealing with ship systems, ectionies. power plants, and pretty much anything else you would expect a top-notch engineer a Sci-Fi setting to be able to operate or (more importantly) f ix.

First Aid { TECH } is the basic skill of preventing a character from bleeding to death oi other wise suffering further fiom wounds.

Hand to Hand { REF } is the skill used to fight open (baie) handed m combat This can be anything fiom a formal martial art (such as jiu-jitsu or karate ) to dirty stieet brawling.

Heavy Weapt .s { DEX } is the skill used when dealing with weapons lai ger than an assault rifle. Such weapons include name-throwers, locket launcher s, heavy machine guns, ehicle-mount laser s, and any thing else that takes both hands and is better fired h om a tripod oi the shoulder.

Leadership { CONE^", CHA } repiesents α character's ability to influence people, especially m α stiessful situation oi w here management is needed over per suasion. Il is only usef ul m situations where NP-Cs αie inv olv ed (as using it "against" P-Cs would be cotmtei pi oductive to I OIC- playing). Linguistics { INT } l epiesents an additional language known by the character . Moi e importantly , it icpresents the ability to make some sense out of communication with other wise unknown languages, such as alien tongues or ancient dialects.

Lockpicking {TECH } lepresents the classic ability to open that which someone wanted you to leave closed.

Mechanics { TECH } is the skill with mechanical devices and the knowledge of how to lepair, replace, and build them. This is a good complimentai y Skill for Engineering, as it deals more with the hard, woi king parts of machines.

Medicine { INT } is a combination of both practical and theoietical knowledge in the held of Medicine. L'seful for tieating injuries and diseases, as well as undαstanding the biology and anatomy of people.

Melee { REF} lepiesents formalized training or simple experience with whacking people with items of destiuction, such as swords, clubs, etc.

Navigation { INT } repiesents a character's ability to lead charts and deter mine both where they are and where they aie going. Essential foi not getting lost in the vastness of space.

Perception { INT } is an important skill of the present invention and lepiesents a character's overall awareness, as well as theii memory, A perception check is made whenev er a character has a chance to see, heαi , sense, or lemember something. A positive outcome indicates that the character saw, heard, sensed, or remembered the event in question.

Perlormance { MEN TAL CiROUP } cov er s the practices of acting, disguise, mimicr y , singing, and anything else thai is involved in pietending or piesenting a per lormance ol some kind

Persuasion { MEN TAL GROUP } is a character's ability to convince, per suade, or inf luence individuals. This is another skill that is only useful w ith non-playei characters and icquii es a facilitator to adjudicate. P ysH v {INT} lepresents a combination of theoietieal and practical knowledge in the held ol Physics. Creative uses might include understanding an alien power system or determining the properties of a spatial anomaly.

Piloting {TECH} is required to effectively make a staiship go where you want it to without crashing into things and making a terrible mess out of the day.

Security Systems {TECH} is the ability to recognize and evade various types of alaims and traps. The character also knows how to set up alarms and traps, given the proper time and equipment.

Shadowing {REF, INT} is the ability to subtly follow someone. Also the ability to spot and lose a tail.

Ship Weapons {REF} is the ability to get behind the contiols of leally, ieally huge guns and shoot things.

Small Anns {REF} is the skill that covαs the use of everything from pistols to shotguns to assault rules. Both ballistic and energy weapons fall under this category.

Stealth {REF, DEX, INT} entails a characters ability to move quietly and unseen. ^'Typically, it is a contest against another character's Peiception + INT to be successful.

Street Talk {CHA, CONF} lepiesents skills that paiticulai characters have m talking lo people that vvoik and live on the "undαside^" of things. Connecting to the black maiket and finding the "woid on the street" aie uses of this Skill,

Swiping {TECH} is the skill of kleptomaniacs everywhere, and entails the ability to pick pockets and filch small items from wheie they were caielessly left by someone else.

Throwing {REF} is the skill that deals with throwing anything hom baseballs to knives to Ultimate Bombs of Doom that aie about to »o off.

Η Trading { MENTAL GROUP } represents the ability to strike a good bargain w ith a merchant or customer. This is another skill only useful on non-player characters' (except in some rare circumstances).

Weaponsmitli { TECH } is the technical skill that deals with the care, maintenance, and repair of most weapons. It can also be used to design and build weapons with the right gear around.

Xeno.science { INT } represents less a stand-alone skill than the ultimate skill enhancement, xeno.science allows a character to more effectively deal with aliens and such things as are associated with them. Dealing with alien elements usually means a much higher Target Number for success, but the xenoscientist may add their rating to the appropriate skill for a better chance at success. For example, someone with Medicine and xenoscience may add the ratings for both together when trying to do an autopsy on a dead alien, while someone with engineering and xeno.science would combine them when dealing with an alien starship.

Special Skills are talents and gifts that some characters may possess that set them apart from their peers. They di ffer from skills in that they are inherent abilities of the characters, and can not be acquired or improved upon through training. Special Skills have specific game effects that are unrelated to task resolution, or are modifiers to the standard task resolution formula:

Attribute + Skill = Action Value, becomes Attribute + Skill + Modifier = Action Value

Absolute Time Sense represents an innate knowledge of the passing of time (Some drugs, e.g. marijuana, will have direct effects diminishing or eliminating "absolute time sense").

Acute Hearing represents hearing in a wider range and more effectively than others; +2 on all related Perception rolls

Acute Smell represents the ability to smell a wider range of odors more dist inctly than most and can identify things and creatures based on such information; +2 on all related perception rolls Ac ute Vision lepiesents the ability to see moie cleai ly over a longer range than most and possesses excellent nighttime vision (though not as good as ieal Night Vision): +2 on all related Perception tolls and +2 vs any Range Combat penalties

Ambidexterity is the ability of a character to use both hands equally well

Beautiful/Handsome represents + 1 on all CHA-related skills where looks would count.

Beautiful Voice lepiesents a character with an amazing singing and speaking voice; +1 related skills/tests

Blind Fighting is an Perceplion+INT ioll for no penalties in Hand to Hand while blinded; roll per round

Combat Sense represents a natural gitl for combat situations; +1 Initiative

Double Jointed represents +3 to escape bonds, + 1 i elated Athletics tasks

Eidetic Memory means a character never forgets anything seen, heard, oi read; +3 on any memoiy-related skill use. Some drugs (marijuana, diazepam (Valium), alcohol. GHB ) - will negatively impact or lemove this ability.

Einpathic lepresents α character that is naturally attuned to the way people le ; + 1 all CHA Skills

Fast Draw is the ability to draw one-handed weapons in no time (0-time Action)

Head For Numbers is the ability to do lightning calculations in one's head

Light Sleeper repiesents no roll to awaken if noise is made, instantly awake with no ill effects

Night Vision represents a character that sees as well in the day as at night, although not in true pitch black

Perfect Pitch means a character with a totally accurate ear for tones and musical notes; +3 all related skills

Physically Gijted means a character with a natural gift with physical puisuits; + 1 all Athletic and related skills.

Rapid Healing lepiesents +3 Hit points healed over each healing period.

Scholastically Gifted means a character that is well-read and naturally gifted with learning; + 1 all related skills, including Physics, Chemistry, and Xenoscience.

Speed Reader means a character that can read at about l Ox normal rate

Strong Immune System means +3 to resist Poisons and Diseases

RULES GOVERNING GΛMEPLAY

Role-playing Games are inherently "turn-based^" endeavois, ev en when they αic ultimately modified into "leal-time" applications. As some of the game mechanics to be described below operate as a function ol time passage withm the game, we now briefly desc ibe the lime stnictuie of the present invention. Game play is often conducted in "non-combat time" ter ms, meaning there is no inherent need to track the passage of time in specific detail. However, whenever the time it takes to accomplish a task is pertinent to the immediate situation, "combat time" is often 'applied. When this occurs.

Character actions are tracked in teims of "Rounds" and "Tunis," with niles gover ning how long something takes put into those terms.

A Round," as defined in our prefeired embodiment, is 3 seconds (this is actually vauable according to the individual user of the game, owing to the flexibility of the system). A "rum" is defined as 4 Rounds, or 12 seconds.

Character Definition And Task/Combat Resolution;

The outcome of a character's attempt to perfoim an action within the game is a function of the eharactei abilities and difficulty of the action being attempted. A characters abilities are classified as either attributes or skills. In the present invention, character attributes model the level of functionality of a variety of the brain and body systems of real human beings, translating them into useful game constiucts such as stiength, dexterity, intelligence, conf idence, and charisma, etc. All characters have a rating in each of the attubutes on a scale hom 1- 10. In contrast to attiibutes, which are a description of the fundamental capacities ot the individual chaiacter, characters may also acquire a large variety of skills. Skills differ fiom attiibutes in that they may be acquired and/or improved upon thiough training that the character can obtain within the game, and their utility is generally iestπcted to specif ic situations. Skills aie also rated on a scale from 1-10.

The outcome of any action attempted within the game relies upon a combination oϊ the application of die appiopπate character skill, the i lated character attnbute. Λm\ a random opportunity for success, as determined by one of two algorithms. The first algonthm is applied to icsolve actions taken against anothα living thing or person.

Attubute j f Skill j + RND| l - 10] j vs. Attribute^ + Skilb + RND] 1- 10)2

OR Action Value (AV)j +RND[l-10]j vs. Action Value (AV)₂ + RND] 1-10)2

OR Action Total (AT) j vs. Action Total (ATb

Wheie "Action Value" (AV) refers to the sum of the Attribute and Skill numbers of the character attempting (subscnpt 1) or resisting/defending against (subscript 2) the action, RND [1-10] refers to a randomly generated number between 1 and 10, and "Action Total" (AT) lefers to the sum of AV and RND [1-10]. If an action value is obtained that is equal to oi gieater than the difficulty value obtained, the character attempting the action is deemed to have been successful.

Foi example, if Bill the Bully (REF 5, Hand to Hand 6) wants to hit Hairy the Bouncer

(DEX 4, Dodging 5), Bill would generate an AT of (5 + 6 + [1-10]) vs a Hany's AT oϊ (4 +5 +

[1-10]) (Bill's REF + Hand to Hand + [1-10] vs. Hany's DEX + Dodging + [1-10]). If both Bill and Harry rolled a 5, then Bill's action total would be 16, and Harry's would be 14. Bill would have succeeded in hitting Hany.

The second algorithm is used to resolve actions taken against a situation, such as picking a lock or driving a car.

Attribute + Skill + RND[ 1-10] vs Target Number

Where "taiget number" is a difficulty value of the action, as pie-assigned by the game designers. For example, if Jack the Thief (TECH 5, Lockpick 6) wants to bypass a military grade eleetionic lock (target number 18), lack would generate an action total oϊ (5 + 6 + | 1-10]) vs a target number of 18. Jack would thus need the randomly generated number 11-10] to be 7 oi higher to successfully bypass the lock.

In many cases, modifiers may be applied to the attnbute or skill ratings ol a ehaiactei based on game context. Foi example, if Bill the Bully had been dunking heavily beioie he attempted to hit Hai ry the Bouncer, he might leceive a -4 penalty to his l el lexes [ REF^"] attnbute, thus:

Bill the Bully (REF 5|-4], Hand to Hand 6) wants to hit Han y the Bouncer ( DEX 4, Dodging 5), Bill would generate an AT of ([5-4] + 6 + ] 1 - 10]) vs Han y^'s AT oϊ

4 +5 + [ 1 - 10]) (Bill's REF [- penalty] + Hand to Hand + [ 1 - 10] vs. Hairy's DEX + Dodging + [ 1 - 10]). If both Bill and Harry rolled a 5, then Bill's action total would be 12, and Harry's would be 14. Bill would have now have missed Han y.

In the second example, if Jack the thief were using a set oϊ f inely craf ted loekpicks

(instead of a bobby pin) it might add + 2 to his lock-pick skill, permitting him to succeed in bypassing the lock with a randomly generated number [ 1 - 10] of only 5 or greater .

The consequence of a successful combat attack is Damage. The piesent invention simulates damage by the loss oi^" stun points and hit points.

Hit Point damage is ser ious lnjui y thai can mame oi kill. Each character begins play with a pool of hit points representing the total amount of hit point damage the character can sustain bef ore becoming killed or othαwise incapacitated. Anytime a character is hit by a weapon they will receive hit point damage. Hit point damage is always subtracted hom a character's pool ot hit points. When this pool is ledueed to zero, the character is dying. All pπmαi y attributes receive a penalty of -6, and the ehai actei will continue to lose one additional hit point per lound until either dead oi healed to above zero hit points. When a character loses 2X then body character istic below zero, they are dead.

Example; Ciom can lake 20 hit points ( where Hit points = Body (4 ) X 5 ). He is damaged by a weapon and loses 15 hit points. Gorn can take only live more hit points be foi e he is incapacitated. If he takes 8 moie hit points bey ond that(-body (4) X 2 ) he will be dead

Whenev er a character's hit points have been icduced enough, they become impaiied

When a character is at ^J4 of their total hit points, all ol theii pπmai y atti ibutes aie icduced by 1 .

36 at 1/2 of total, they aie icduced by 2 points; and at ' oϊ total, they are icduced by 4 points. An attribute can not, however, be reduced to less than 1 .

Stun Point damage is damage that creates pain and shock, but not lasting injury. All character s have stun points as well as hit points; a measure of how much damage they can take before they pass out from pain and shock. Stun Point damage is generated as α collateral effect of iecαving hit damage, with one point of stun damage delivered for every point ot hit damage taken. Stun damage can also be delivered directly by certain stunning weapons or bear handed attacks. Because stunning blows are often serious enough to cause collateral "killing" damage, one point of hit damage is taken for every f ive points of stun damage received in a stunning attack. Stun damage is always subtracted from a character's pool of stun points. When a character receives more than 1/2 of their total available stun points pool in one attack they are stunned. A stunned character can not act in the next phase and is at a -5 penalty to all primary characteristics. He can not move, and he may not take any other actions. He will remain stunned for one phase, becoming "un-stunned" next phase. When a character's stun points leach zero, the character will pass out. The character will remain incapacitated until sufficient stun points have been l ecovered to restore the total number of points in the character's stun points pool to a number greater than 0.

A Character becomes Dazed whenever they 1 ) take more than ' 2 their total stun points value from any single attack, or 2) the damage they receive from a single killing attack exceeds their threshold value (see derived attributes, l^'iguie 1 ). In either ease, a dazed character is at -5 to all their Action Values and can perform no action din ing the next round. Following that iound they will have recovered from being dazed.

When a Character reaches 0 stun points or lower, they are unconscious They cannot act in any fashion and all Action Values are tieated as being 0.

When an attack is successful against a living tai get, a random amount ol damage is applied accoi ding to a total expiessed by the algorithm "Xd6," where X is the assigned number of "Damage Dice^" tor the ty pe oϊ attack in question and d6 lepresents that α six-sided die ( or random integer between one and 6) is used loi each Damage Die 1 oi example a knife would do ldb oi damage, while a hagmentation gienade might do 6d6 ol damage

This damage will be classified as either stunning oi killing Stunning damage (such as pummehng with the lists) is applied pnmanly to stun points (where the taiget sutlers 1 hit point foi eveiy 5 stun points, or lounded fraction theieof, sulleied), vvheieas killing damage (such as stabbing with a knife) is applied equally to stun points and hit points

Taigets will always have a certain amount ol deiense against stunning attacks (thai stun defense, oi SD chaiacteiistic), and those weaiing some kind ol body aimoi will also have a killing defense (KD) value to apply to killing attacks

11 an attack hits the Damage Dice aie tolled and the applicable defenses aie subtracted hom the lesult The lemaining iesult is subtracted hom the ehaiactei \ lemammg pool ot stun points (if a stunning attack) or the iemaining pools ol hit points and stun points (if a killing attack)

Stun points aie lecovaed at a rate that is a function of the character's lecoveiv attnbute [REC] and the amount ot stun damage the ehaiactei has cuuently sustained

Stun Level Recoveiy Rate

Oto-10 REC /Round

-11 to -20 REC Hum

-21 to -30 REC /Minute

-31 to -40 REC/ 5 Minutes -41 to -50 REC/ 20 Minutes

etc

Hit points lecovcr at the rate ot REC / 3 davs under noimal aicumstanees Rl ( / day it the ehaiactei is in a hospital oi under effective caie and RFC / week il the character is doing little to take caie of themselves and then injuiv For purposes of our preferred embodiment ol the invention, theie aie three mam manifestations of the concept of character advancement. The first deals with a player's sense oϊ theii character's social placement in the community of the game. This can be measuied in terms of their actual rank (as would be the case of a military or paramilitary organization they belonged to), their job title, their political position (if they are a part of a governing body), or any number of less tangible but no less notable measurements. Such placement will be the diiect lesult of their character's actions (or failure to act) during game play, especially as such actions lelate to their missions and goals and the expectations of the story they are a part of.

The second deals with the player's sense of placement in the online community ot other- players that have their own player-characters involved in the game. This can be both quantified and more ephemeral. The game will acknowledge the better players by displaying quantitative evaluations of their performance and acknowledging their obvious commitment to the game environment. It will also reward such players with positions of authority and diiect input into the game, primarily manifesting as assignments as Mentors and similar roles. ^"Less tangible will be matters of reputation among the other players - such a community as develops αiound online role playing games never fails to have its own "rumor mills" and social dynamics, ^'The online "neighborhood" will note with approval or disdain such actions as warrant its notice

The third and most acute measuie of character advancement is the actual impiovement oϊ thai character's attributes and abilities. The player earns experience points thiough continued participation in the game, with bonus awards of such points awarded foi paitϊculai ly effective or entertaining play and deductions for inappropriate or poor play.

These points aie f urther utilized in making impiovements to the character by directly enhancing that character's pnmaiy and secondary characteristics, improving skill v alues, or even adding new skills and abilities. The schedule for awarding and utilizing exper ience points is as follows:

41 Λwαiding hxpei ience Points (XPs):

Expenence points, which are used to puichase improvements for characters, aie awaided on the following schedule:

Action General XP ln a Scenario I ln a multi-part Scenario I per "Part"

Successful Scenario + 1

Very Successful +2

Outstanding Success! +3

Severe Failure - 1

Disastrous Failure _->

Scenario was Difficult + 1

Scenario was Really Difficult +2

Scenario was a Killer! +3

Sjieαl fie XP

Trained in a Skill/Ability ( 1 ) + 1 Trained for a While ( 1 ) +2 Trained a Long While ( 1) +3 A Natural 3 or 18 Rolled XX +5

The following charts are used foi increasing or acquiring abilities as the character progresses. Also, a player must buy a lower level to achieve a higher one. In other words, to go ho a 5 to α 7 in a skill, a playei must spend 1 points (6 for Level 6 and 7 foi Level 7), and to go hom a 4 to a 6 in a characteristic costs 55 points (25 loi Level 5 and 30 for Level 6).

Skill Level XP Cost Characteristic Level XP Cost 1 1 1 5

2 2 2 10 3 3 3 15

4 4 20

5 5 5 25

6 6 6 30

7 7 7 35

8 8 8 40

9 9 9 45

10 10 10 50

DRUG INTERVENTION:

We now describe the preterred embodiments of the components of the diug intervention. Many components of the drug inteivention will apply to a number of different chugs that shaie effects in common. We theiefoie describe the individual components oϊ oui diug inteivention. and list examples of the diugs foi which these intervention components are used. Note that these effects applied to both player characters and non-player characteis. Also note that the degiee ol effect size ol any simulated drug el feet will be a function of a plurality ol under lying laetoi s. including the characters attributes, the drug in question, the character's drug use histoiy, and the time course of the drug effects. Specifically, the invention models the phenomena ol sensitization (increased magnitude of drug effects with repeated exposuies), habituation (decreased magnitude of diug effects with iepeated exposuies), and withdrawal eflects (a shift in physiological or psychological function in the absence oϊ drug presence with the body, as a lesult of pi ioi , usually protracted, drug use).

"Physical Addiction" Withdrawal Effects:

NAUSEA, VOMITING, and DIARRHEA: (opiate withdrawal, also as α diiect ef fect oi di ug poisoning, such s the case of alcohol for nausea and vomiting) Penalties will be applied to the stiength, constitution, body, chaiisma, icTlexes, dexter ity, movement, and technique statistics, as well as all derived characteristics rely on these basic characteristics. Dunng instances of vomiting oi diarihea. movement w ill be i educed to zero. These changes w ill be indicated on the chaiactei 's "Atti ibutes" screen by leplaαng the noi nial stαt w ith the modified stal, piesented m α dil fer ent font or color to indicate thai it has been changed ^'The graphical display may depict the character's difficulties.

"Psychological Addiction" & Withdrawal Effects: CRAVING (all addictive drugs): A dialog box will appear on top of the viewscieen. containing a message to the effect that the character desires to use some of the di ug that he is addicted to. The player will be unable to proceed with any other action in the game until the dialog box is responded to. If the character has access to the drug, the player will be given to alternatives to choose from. The player's choices will be to use the drug now or to keep ( or retrieve) the diug for later use. If the player does not wish use or to carry the di ug on his character's person, the player must subsequently used being "drop" command to get rid oϊ the drug. If the character does not have access to the drug, the player need only click on a button labeled "okay" to close the dialog box and continue playing the game. The frequency with which these dialog boxes are presented will represent the degree to which a character is m addicted to α drug.

COMPULS IVE DRUG USE (all addictive diugs): In the "idle state" (when the play er is not currently direct in his character to move), the addicted character may spontaneously approach, acquire, and use drugs to which the character is addicted when they aie freely available in chai acters vicinity. The player must issue a stop command to halt this sequence if he does not wish to let his character use the drug.

CRAVING AND FLASHBACK TRIGGERS (all addictive di ugs): When the character approaches stimuli associated with drug use (for example, when a character that smokes the approaches a agaiette vending machine, or sees another character smoking), craving is tnggered. In the case oϊ drugs whose use can subsequently lead to "flashbacks^", piesentαtion ol stimuli associated with those diugs, especially under stressf ul ( such as combat ) situations, can lead to a lecuuence of the drug induced ef fects, ev en without the character taking an additional dose ot the dru--. Direct Drug Effects:

PAIN KILLING: (opiates, dissociative anesthetics e.g., PCP) The "Stun Damage" effects of attacks that normally cause "Stun" will be reduced or eliminated. Impairment penalties will be leduced, effectively allowing a character to "die on their feet," when they would otherwise collapse from pain, unable to continue, although still very much alive. However, "bleeding" damage penalties will be applied. That is to say, when a character that is wounded to the point that pain would normally prevent him/her from performing utilizes pain killeis to continue functioning while wounded, the physical actions this character then takes will themselves diiectly damage the character. These changes will be indicated on the character's "Attributes" screen by replacing the normal attribute with the modif ied attribute, presented in a different font or color to indicate that it has been chan 'gtoe*-d.

HALLUCINATIONS (LSD. PCP, other hallucinogens):

VISUAL: Mild hallucinations will be portrayed by "lens effects". Lens effects aie where the graphical display on the view screen appears as if a clear, warped lens were held between the users eyes and the computer screen Stronger hallucinations involve two-dimensional objects taking on three-dimensional appearance, and perhaps some appearance ol motion. Frank, eonfabulatory hallucinations involve replacing the normal artwork for a given game object with some alternative artwoik or animation. For example, a friendly waiter cairy ing a tiay might appear as a blood splattered alien wielding a mighty weapon.

AUDITORY Sound effects normally presented as originating fiom specific game characters or game objects will be presented in the absence oϊ the usually associated game character or object.

INEBRIATION, BALANCE AND COORDINATION, REFLEXES; ( alcohol, depiessαnts) ^"The initiative, reflexes, dexterity, and technique attributes ( and all atti ibutes deriv ed to therefiom) w ill receive penalties. ^'These changes will be indicated on the character ^'s "Attributes" screen by leplacing the noimal attribute with the modified attribute, piesented m α different font or color to indicate that il has been changed. ^'The player's ability to control his character^'s movements with the virtual environment on the v iew screen w ill be modified (decreased) to model the effects of inclination. A delay will be introduced betw een the player s input foi control of movement (via the keyboard, 01 any ties a plurality of input devices ) and the piogram^'s response moving the character through the environment. Phasic pα tui bαtions to the characters position in or movement through space may also be applied (e.g., such that the player must actively icspond thi ough the input device simply to keep his character stationery, 01 headed in the direction in the player intended).

"EMPATHY": (ecstasy, ADAM, EVE, etc. ) The drug-influenced character ^'s charisma stat will be raised, and the character will suffer a penalty when defending against "piesence attacks". Under cer tain ciicumstances, system messages aie sent to the player indicating how the player's character "feels" about the character they are interacting with. Under the influence of these drugs, this statement that would normally be piesented will be ieplaced by a "fnendlier" statement (e.g., the statement "She does not seem to trust you." might be ieplaced with "She seems to trust you."). Similarly, the "mood font" for "in character communication^" may be changed by the program to one representing a moie pleasant mood (e.g., fiom the "hostile" font to be "neutral" font, etc.).

SHORT-TERM MEMORY LOSS (mai ijuana, alcohol, depiessants) ^"The character can recall facts learned in the past, but can not keep track ol what is going on in the piesent. and certainly can not learn anything new. Players well not be able to have their character s impt ove upon existing oi acquire new skills while experiencing these effects. The character may ioiget what he is saying mid-sentence, into may have difficulty following a conversation. Therefoie. messages sent to or fiom the drug-impaued character may appear in part oi not at all on the player s^' screens. The convei sation logs will be incomplete or blank for those times din ing w hich the character was exper iencing this drug effect. The character will also hav e dif ficulty pei lounmg tasks that inv olve concentration, such as di ivmg a vehicle. ^'The character simply f orgets that they were paying attention to per foi mmg a task and their attention wanders. ^"This w ill be modeled by iequiring repeated instructions h om the input dev ices beioi e "the character ^" is "spuned into action^" (that is, be! ore the piogram will icspond appropi lately ). M EMORY CONSOLIDATION OR "LEARNING" BLOCK, (alcohol, PCP, val ium) In the extreme, this would be a blackout. "At the moment", while undα di ug influence, the character does not suffer the short-tαm memoiy loss symptoms described above. However , the next day, the character is unable to remember what happened oϊ the evening befoi e. ^'Thus, a convei sation log may appear intact if the player checks it while his character is exper iencing the diug effects, but will be incomplete the following day. The character may practice, and impiove upon, a skill, but the following day the improvements in that skill have vanished.

"AMOTIVATION SYNDROME" (marijuana, alcohol, etc.): In many ways, simply a description of the outcome of having a hangover. One doesn't feel like doing, and piobably does not do, all the ambitious things otherwise planned on. The game effect is that a character does not engage in the default "off-line" activities selected (e.g., study, work over time at a home business, etc.) but instead chooses to lest. The player may "push through" and foice his character to engage in these activities, however to do so the playei must log into the system daily and re-assert instructions for the character to perform these activities while "off-line."

APPETITE STIMULATION, "THE MUNCHIES" (mai ijuana, diazepam): Similar lo "craving," except that food is sought out.

"SELF-CONFIDENCE ENHANCEMENT" (cocaine, other stimulants); This el feet can range in degree from a "confidence boost" (Okay, I'm going to introduce myself to her! ) to full- hedged, psychotic "delusions of grandeur" (I AM, in fact, the second coming ol Chnst ! ). Gener ally speaking, the user becomes convinced they are bulhant, while the particular manilestation depends upon the user ( " I am a bnlliant !" { Conver sationalist, theologist. strategist, chess player, warrior, womanizer , etc.. although anything the character can do the character will think they can do better ) .

^"I his w ill be translated into game-play by indicating a diug-induced liiipi ov emcnt m the character ^'s attributes and/or skills on the statistics saeen ( so indicated by a display ing the "new statistic" in α different f ont or color). There will also be α di ug induced "lmpi ovement^" in the numbers that appear on an object indicating the piobabihty of success when tin action has been selected and the mouse pointer is placed over the taiget object Howeva no alteration is made in the stat actually used oi the taiget number derived foi determining the outcome of events At the moment when actions ate attempted a "⁽ό chance of success icflcctmg the playas to actual chances ol success will be displayed on the viewscieen, giving the players the opportunity to "hguie out" that although the diugs seem to lmpiove skills and attiibutes they do not

STIMULANTS AND FATIGUE AND ALERTNESS (nicotine, other stimulants) Fatigue and diowsiness penalties are counteied by stimulants

"STEREOTYPV (cocaine, PCP othei stimulants) In bnel, this means that mental and behavioi al patterns aie iepeated

IMPAIRED PROBLEM SOLVING/ TEREOTYPED THINKING It one attempts to use a strategy to solve a piobleni and that strategy la s, on subsequent attempts to do solve the piobleni the onginal strategy is iepeated, iatha than adjusted to meet the piesent conditions (By way oi extieme example if a ehaiactei tned to push a dooi open to exit the loom onlv to discovei it would not budge the ehaiactei could tiy to push his way out ol the loom all dav without evei thinking ol tiying to pull the dooi open)

The game mcoipoiates this phenomenon into play by tending to loicc the plava to continue to select the same action in a given situation Thus on a hist attempt to patoim an action, all noimal enough options aie piesented in the pop-up menu However on subsequent attempts (when the menu is next accessed) there is a 75 percent chance that all options aie grayed out except the option pieviously chosen Once the outcome is randomly determined it is loeked-in loi a pe iod ol one lound (60 seconds ol 'game time")

STEREO! \PED SPEECH PATTERNS People dwell on the same conversational topic lepeating themselves liequenlly, possiblv lepeatmg exactly the same vvouls 1 he game translates this into plav by selecting text hom messages the playe pieviously sent in ehaiactei into ic-sendmg the message without the player s intent to do so STEREOTYPED FIX ED ACTION PA^'I ^'TERNS (behavioi s)- These ai e any patter ns that the character has learned ho to do "without thinking" that they start doing lepeatedly ( field stripping and resembling a weapon, tapping lingers on the desktop,- pacing, personal fidgets). The game illustrates these effects by leplaαng a character's noi mal idle state actions (an occasional graphical display of an action such as shuffling feet) with icpetition is piesentation of stereotyped behaviors such as those listed above (pacing, etc.). The idle slate actions may temporarily take over control of the character; the player may not direct his character to take a new action until the previous (drug-induced) action is completed.

HYPER VIGILANCE: This is "checking behavior", e.g. checking the doors and windows to see if anyone is there. The game treats this as a subset of the stereotyped fixed action patterns described above, with the addition that uncalled-for perception checks are made by the character.

"LOSS OF IMPULSE CONTROL" (PCP): A per son seems to lose all sense of consequences. For example of person might jump out ol window, not to commit suicide, oi because they think they can fly, simply be cut is they wonder what it would feel like on the way down, and they hadn't considered what would come alter that. Basically, people ac t out any thought that comes into their head. A common consequence is that other wise nonviolent people may become quite violent e.g., on the highway, at the Post Olhce, waiting in line anywhere, etc. This is leally bad in combination with the drug effect "aggression". ^'The game illustrates this effect by occasionally selecting an object and an available action at random, and pei loi ming it without the player ^'s intent. Such a randomly selected action may become iepeated as a lesult oϊ they "Impaired Piobleni Solv ing/Stereotyped Thinking" effect

"AGGRESS ION" ( PCP [all characters ], alcohol [ if a character is pie-disposed to it by α

"hidden" genetic piedisposiuon p. ^'The game will simulate drug-induced aggiession by leslucting the selection oi^" mood louts for in-chαiacter messages to the aggressive selections, by lestricting the actions av ailable in pop-up or pull down menus to the aggi essiv e choices ( "brandish w eapon" might lemα av ailable while "shake hands" becomes unavailable). And some situations, the game may automatically select and execute an aggi essive action w ithout the play er^'s intent. Foi example, an unfamiliar character says "Don't move!" and the program causes to player's character to draw his weapon and shoot with no input from the player.

Online Mentors: The preferred embodiment oϊ the game will also piovide a facility f mentor based teaching within the game. Certain characters (Doctors, Policemen, Scientists) within the game will be assigned the role of "official" sources of accurate information about drugs. These characters will have the ability to display identifiers (like a badge) that identify them to all the other players as recognized sources of accurate drug information. These characters will be controlled by individual players who have established their knowledge about the effects of diug abuse, and who have agreed to play the role of mentors within the game as an effective means of disseminating this knowledge to others. As examples, these within-game mentors might be controlled by teachers, police officers trained to work in the field of substance abuse, or any other players who have demonstrated they have the requisite know ledge to serve as mentors.

EXAMPLE:

^'The following example illustrates how an embodiment of one game-seenαi io ol^" the present invention develops and concludes. It is understood that particular game scenanos ol the present invention can be conducted over long periods of times, including weeks, months, and even years. The present game scenario example includes four players, referred to as players A, B, C, and D, and playing the characters Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta, respectively. All other characters described in these examples are non-player characters conti oiled by the computer softwaie. In these illustrations, player A is what the most experienced player, and has spent substantial time and effort building and improving his character "Alpha". Players B and C have intermediate levels of experience playing the game and thus their characters αie moderately developed, while player D and his character "Delia" aie new to the game, ln both examples the players hav e made the following decisions about their character's use ol diugs. Alpha does not use and has never used drugs ot any type. Beta smokes tobacco agaiettes. Gamma dunks alcohol. Player D plans to have "Delta" lead α rich life, exploring as much ol the i αme) univer se as possible, while rapidly advancing his power and status w ithm the game In tins example, Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta aie "seαet agents." ^"The mechanics ol player s logging into α game aie omitted and the example begins with the characters gathered m 'Maiccll's' an upscale iestauiant and bai In these examples, Maiccll's serves the function oi a gathering point loi chanicteis oi playas who have just joined the game Heie the playeis ioim gioups that will play togethei as a team loi the iemainda ol the game session, and it is usually here that the team ot characters will obtain the mission assignments that start an adventuie episode

Scenano Pi logue

The seaet agents meet foi dinner at Maieell's, and lnfoim then command center ol then wheieabouts "just in ease" then services should be lequned A tew minutes later Contiol contacts them via cell phone and sends the gioup on an uigent mission to the embassy oi the Tal'Ru The agency's contact within the embassy has lepoited the mystenous disappearance ol the αmbαssαdoi and his wile dining a sonee they we e hosting loi the parties to the Tal Ru s proposed trade settlement with earth The agents aie told to that it is cntieal that the delicate Tal Ru trade negotiations pioceed without incident I he agency has lnloimation that an "unauthonzed transmission' is scheduled toi 19 ^0 this evening I hen mission is to enter the embassy, debnel the contact, pievent the transmission and defuse and lesolve any situation that might tin eaten the IaTRu delegation oi oui tiade negotiations with them-wiihout dealing a public incident Then contact will be a young woman weaiing a jeweled fla ing svvoid biooeli The agents accept the mission and Delta dnves the gioup to the embassy As the most expeiienced ehaiactei in the gioup (Playei One has plaved the most and the experience has earned Alpha piomotions in rank) Alpha is the highest-ianking agent in the gioup and thaetoie has been assigned as the eommandei ol this mission The examples begin as the gioup i caches the embassy

{Note that loi put poses ot illustration all "randomly determined numbers hom [1-10] will be the number 5, and lesult in the consistent (hxed ratio) application ol the intervention In the actual invention it will be the random determination ol the numbers that will implement the application ol the intervention on a Vauable Ratio schedule descnbed above as a function ot the randomly determined numbers } Viewscieen

The players entei the Embassy and l d themselves a laige balhoom About 160 chaiacteis in foimal attue fill the loom, the gathered in conversation gioups ot hom 4 to 8 chaiacter s Many ol the chaiacteis can be seen to be smoking and/oi dunking Wait stait penodically entei and exit the balhoom thiough doois at the back ol the loom labeled "Kitchen Stall Only" Theie is an open bai, and several tables covered with hois d'oeuv ies aie placed about the edges of the loom To the nght theie is a grand stancase leading up to the second f loot of the Embassy To Embassy guaids aie standing at the top of the stan s

[Thiough "in ehaiactei" conversation, the plαyeis decide to split up and look loi then contact ]

Alpha> "All nght team We'll have to act quickly il we'ie going to stop that inhu mation f iom being transmitted at 19 30 tonight Let's split up and f ind oui contact as quickly as possible Remember she will be the only one here aie weai g a jevveled flaming svvoid biooeh ' Beta > " Yes Sn " Gamma > "Sine thing " Delta > "Ok "

[ The playas move then chaiacteis into the loom in dilterent dueetions, seaiching loi an avatai weanng ajeweled flaming swoid biooeh ( The biooeh would onlv be appaient on the v iewscieen when the Playei 's ehaiactei was standing in close pioximitv to the av atai in question )]

BE TA

[Player B has Beta enter the aowd a agaiette gu l steps toiwaid and addiesses Beta ]

Cigaietle Gii l > 'Hev handsome need a smoke '

[Plaver B moves the ausoi over her character highlighting the gn l He lelt-clieks on ha w hich calls aie up a menu ol possible actions toi Beta to take Plaver B selects

^ 'Dialog" He is then piesented with a menu that contains the selections ^{, Λ}ι eah sine "No thanks ", and a text entiy box labeled "Other " Player B selects the lu st option )

Beta > ' Yeah, Sine " [Playei B examines the graphic of the agaiette gul, but does not obseive a llam g swoid bioach Playei B calls up the menu oi possible actions foi Beta to take and selects "Inventoi y " He f ust selects the agaiettes he has just aequued then selects the lighter ho his pasonal inventoiy The "hghta " cuisoi icon appeais on his v iew scieen He places it ova the agaiette which highlights it and then left clicks lighting it Player B leceiv es a message ho the piogiam that Beta is smoking α agaiette On the v iewscieen Beta' s avatai can be seen smoking a agaiette In a tew minutes the graphical display will show Beta dispose of the agaiette butt Because Plava B has hequently had Beta smoke in the past Beta has been flagged by the piogiam as a smoker I he piogiam will thaefoie periodically lnfoi m Playei B via the "out-ol-ehaiaeta ' communication line that 'Beta could use a agaiette ' If Player B ignoies too many ol the s stem messages

(does not have Beta smoke), a message box will appeal per iodically on Plava B s v iew scieen containing the message "Beta could ically use a agaiette C lick OK to continue " Playei B must click on OK beioie he can take any other action ]

[Player B now has Beta appioach a gioup ol tout female chaiacteis none oi hom aie weaung a f laming swoid bioach and none ol whom aie smoking He selects 'Dialog" highlights and clicks on one ot the chaiacteis, and selects ]

Beta > "Excuse me I am looking loi a Juend ol mine She um kind ol dehes desa iption Let me see she is eaung a vav distinctive jeweled flaming sw oid bioach this evening

[ I he piogi am cheeks foi the female character 's leaction to Beta I he outcome w ill be deter mined bv the loi mula

CHA + Conver sation + [ 1 - 10] vs I aiget Number ( 1 3 )

4 Where the target number oϊ 13 for this situation w as pie-deter mined by the game design Since Beta has a CHA of 7 and a Conversation rating ol 4, the outcome ol the interaction would normally tuin out Beta's favor on a randomly detei mined integer of 2 or gieater. When interacting with smokαs, he gets the response:

Smoker> "I'm sony, I haven't seen anyone meeting youi description here"

However, since Beta is smoking, he suffers a A penalty to Charisma when interacting with non-smokers. Since Charisma is the attribute associated with the use of the conversation skill, the A penalty means that the interaction will turn out in Beta's favor on a randomly determined number of 6 or greater. A randomly determined integer of 5 therefore icsults m a NEGATIVE outcome for Beta. Beta obtains the following dialog from each non-smoking character in the loom]

Non-smoker who doesn't know girl with brooch's whereabouts > "I really don't like cigaiette smoke, would you mind putting that out?"

Or

Non-smoking friend of girl with brooch > "Clarissa doesn't like smokers. Why don^'i you put that out."

[Beta moves hom group to group and gets the same icsponses until either one ol 2 events occuis.

1 ) His agaiette pack inns out of αgaiettes. 2) Player B selects "Do not smoke^" hom his

"Actions" menu. ^'1 hereafter, because the program has f lagged Beta as a smoker MK\ he has not smoked iccently , α message box will appear periodically on Player B's v iewscieen containing the message "Beta could icαlly use a cigaiette " "Click OK to continue.^" Player B must dick on OK be oie he can take any other action. ]

s ^'The message box models craving. The frequency with which the message box appears is a function of how long Beta has been smoking (in this and previous game sessions) and an inverse function of how long it has been since Beta quit smoking (also in this and previous game sessions). Beta will also experience .stimulus induced cravings~wh evei he gets close to the cigaiette girl (or any cigarette dispenser, or someone smoking) the message box will appear much moie frequently. Furthermore, Beta can join a smoking cessation program lo accelerate the disappearance of the messages, This iealistic representation of cigarette craving will facilitate stimulus generalization from the game to the real world. Also, since the message box's appearance interferes with gameplay it is aversive. This contributes to a conditioned aversion to smoking, j

[Player B discusses the situation with Player A in "out-of-character" communication mode.]

Player B (after some time)> "Has anyone found the girl with the brooch? This is getting DULL, maybe we need to try something else."

Player A > "I haven't seen her or found anyone at the party who has. Same for you?"

Player B > "I found one woman who said 'Clarissa doesn't like smokers, why don't you put your cigarette out' but that's all the information I could get out of her."

Player A > "Did you ti y putting out your cigarette? The game models some ol the real-w orld responses to smokers. Put out your cigarette and see if you can get more out ol her.

Plaver B > "Oh, OK I will."

Player A > "By the way. if you tell the Cigarette girl 'no thanks, it makes my bieath st k^' or 'its bad for my health, she^'ll leave you alone after that. A little tuck Alpha learned h om the University Professor." [ By linking attainment of a common goal ( f inding the giri with the bi ooeh ) to substance use avoidance, the game has encouraged Player A to engage in peer-based teaching oϊ Player B.J

[Player B selects the action "Do Not Smoke^" and has Beta enter the crowd. A cigarette girl steps forward and addresses Beta.]

Cigarette Girl > "Hey handsome, need a smoke?"

[Playei B moves the cursor over her character, highlighting the girl. He left-clicks on her, which calls are up a menu of possible actions for Beta to take. Playei B selects "Dialog". He is then presented with a menu that contains the selections "Yeah, sure", "No thanks", and a text entry box labeled "Other". Player B selects the third option. ]

Beta > "No thanks, it makes my breath stink and its bad for my health."

{ Player B is idieai sing social resistance skills }

[The cigaiette girl leaves Beta alone. Since this removes the adverse consequence oϊ the crav ings message box's appearance whenever the cigai ette girl is neat , the pioceduie provides negative reinforcement foi using his social lesistance skills]

[ Player B has Beta ieturn to the woman who knew Clarissa. He makes his inquiry Without the -4 charisma modif ier. Beta gets a positive conversation outcome on a 2 oi higher ^'The randomly deter mined number 5 lesults in a positive outcome ]

Woman > "^"Thanks for putting out that cigarette. {positive i cinjorcenient Tor not smoking }

Woman ^ Clαnssα's standing in the back corner oϊ the l oom. Do y ou see hei '' Ov er there by the stairs." {this is conditioned reinforcement for not smoking-the positive game consequence (infoimation) is linked to not smoking}"

Beta > '"Thank you ve y much!"

[Beta approaches Clanssa, uses a secret password to identity himself as vvoikmg with "the Agency", and surreptitiously informs the othei s to meet on the veranda so they can speak with Clarissa in private.]

GAMMA:

[Player C moves Gamma over towaids the bar, eavesdiopping on gioup after gioup as he makes his way across the room. The piogram determines his successes/failure according to the algorithm:

INT + PER + [ 1-10] vs Taiget number (13), where the target number of 13 for this situation was pre-deter mined by the game design. With an INT of 7 and a PER of 4, Gamma overhears conversations on a randomly determined integer of 2 or gi eater.]

[In prior gameplay, Player C has lepeatedly had Gamma drink alcohol at every opportunity within the game. The game has Hugged Gamma as a compulsive alcohol user. The consequence is that whenever Player C allows Gamma to stand still foi a moment near an available alcoholic beverage. Gamma automatically walks to the beverage, and Player C must choose whether or not to consume it. { THIS MODELS COMPULSIVE ALCOHOL USE}]

] A waiter cairving a tiay of champagne filled glasses can be seen in the ballroom. Playei C now observes as, without mstiuction hom Player C, Gamma automatically walks towaids the waiter.] Waiter > "Would you like a dunk, Sii''"

[A dialogue menu appeais with the choices "Yes thank you" and "No, thank vou ^' available. Because Gamma is a compulsive alcohol usei, il Playei C does not manually iespond by clicking on "No, thank you'^" within 1 second, the piogiam automatically selects "Yes, thank you'" toi him Playei C still iαncies Gamma as a dnnkei, and permits the αuto-selection]

Gamma > "Yes, thank you'"

[The system lnloims Playei C that "Gamma" is drinking champagne On the viewscieen. Gamma's avatai can be seen dunking hom a glass In 4 minutes the piogiam will liiloim Playei C that Gamma has finished his dunk, and the glass will appeal empty While Gamma is holding an alcoholic dunk, he does not automatically appioach available alcohol, but once the dunk is finished, the consumption cycle begins anew ]

[Gamma ai lives at the bai having overheaid only useless mioimαtion. 1 he bartender addiesses Gamma, a sinulai exchange takes place, and Gamma takes anotha eh ink Player C notices that one gioup ol gentlemen aie maintaining then distance hom the iest oi the attendees He moves Beta over to a neaiby painting, selects a member ol the gioup, then nght clicks on him to bung up the interaction menu He selects eavesdiop As pa the example above, he is able to heai the conveisation on a randomly determined integer ol two oi gieata Given a randomly detamined integer ot 5, Gamma suecesslully eavesdiops on the conversation (Given this situation, il Gamma tailed to successfully eavesdiop with a randomly determined integei ol one Playei C would simply attempt eavesdiopping again until successful )]

Stranger A > ' Don't wony about the old man we told him his biat had gotten injuied and was lushed to the Med Center while she was on the phone upstaus He and the misses took oil and

o bv the time thev get αnv straight answers out ol the hospital and get back we will be hnished

Sti anger B > "Good because tonight has got to be it Someone has caught on and we don t

[Beta appioaches Gamma and addiesses him in whispei mode]

Beta (in whisper mode so only Gamma can heai) > 'I lound oui contact, meet us on the veianda "

DELTA

[In a dilleient part ol the loom, Playei D has Delta moving among the guests speaking occasionally but listening and eavesdiopping (as above) a lot Eventually Delta oveiheais a conveisation of mteiest ]

Laige Stranger > " so when you can see you aie about to get into combat vou just take a hit ol this PCP and vou can just keep nght on lighting no matter how much damage vou take like vou weien't even injuied at all Of couise as long as you don't get killed that is "

[Plaver D finds this interesting and decides to have dialog with the Luge stranger using the methods descnbed above Ultimatelv Plava D chooses to have Delta puichase some

PCP hom the Luge stranger The PCP is added to Deltas inventoiy

[Beta appioaches Delta and addiesses him in whisper mode]

Beta (m whisper mode so only Delta can heai ) > ' I lound oui contact meet us on the veranda ALPHA:

I In a different part of the room. Player A has Alpha moving among the guests, speaking occasionally but listening and eavesdiopping (as above) a lot. In this example Alpha obtains no information of interest]

[Beta appioaches Alpha and addresses him in whisper mode]

Beta (in whisper mode, so only Alpha can hear) > "I found our contact, meet us on the veianda."

CLARISSA, ON THE VERANDA WITH ALPHA, BETA, GAMMA, AND DEL TA:

Clarissa > "I'v e been investigating a security leak that was recently discov ered. I ov ei heaid Goodings, one of our staff who I had believed above suspicion, saying that 'the operation was uncovered' and they were 'going to have lo hnish tonight'. He said that they w ould send the data at 19:30 din ing the party and that this would be the last one. I slipped away hom the party while Father was giving a speech and contacted Control about the new time. By the time I got back downstaii s. Mother and Father had disappeaied and not one of our secunty olhcei s to be found, A few minutes later I noticed the thugs you see about filtering in, and I have nev er seen them before. I asked around a bit about my father, but no one knows where he is 1 contacted Control again, and he said you were on your way. He gave me new orders loi you. Fu t, f ind and iescue Father; second, get Mother and me to safety; third, if possible, stop the transmission

Gamma > "Excuse me, Clarissa, but is one ol those men over there Goodings?"

Clarissa > " Yes."

Ga ma > "Then, giv en traffic this time oϊ night, about now the Ambassador is shouting at an emergency loom nurse ova at the hospital to tell him where his daughter is. I listened in on Goodings' conversation eailier and heaid him mention something about sending the old man' and his wile on a wild goose chase He told them you were mjuied '

Alpha > "So the Ambassadoi and his wile aie sale Good vvoik Gamma¹ I wish all ot oui jobs

'Clanssa wheie is the tiansmitta and how do we get to it ^>,!

Clanssa > "The transmitter is located in Mi Jennings' olfiee, on the thud llooi 1 ake the stans up to the 2 llooi men's lest looms The guaids might ask but with this many people here they'll let you thiough Go out the window in the lestioom About 15' to the nght aie the hie- escape stans You will have to use the ledge to get to them Take the stans to the thud Hooi landing The window oil the landing will get you into Mi Jennings office I believe the tiansmitta is in his antique clock on his desk It should have some way to hook to his computei which has access to the Embassy netwoik "

Alpha > ' Beta vou will stay with Clanssa and slowly vvoik youi way out ol the cmbassv Gamma, Delta and I ill attempt to stop the transmission and meet you at the eat Its 1917 it will be tough to disable the tiansmitta and get out beioie 19 ) ' {The playeis lost 5 minutes time eaihei because the non-smokei would have nothing to do with Beta while he was smoking Jeopaidizing the completion ol then mission is an aversive consequence bang attached to tobacco use conditioning avoidan e ol tobacco use }

ALPHA GAMMA AND DFL1 A IN THE SECOND FLOOR MEN'S ROOM

Player D (to plaver to A and C in the ' out-ol-ehanicter communication mode) -> 1 had Delta bv some PCP hom a guv in the balhoom Is it icallv good loi helping voui ehaiactei keep lighting even when thev ic injuied '

Plaver A > "\ es but 1 d stav av av fiom it anvwav Player D > "Since my ehaiactei Delta is a new character and he is still kind ol puny , you think he should take the PCP now, in case we run into resistance?"

Player C > "It couldn't hurt."

Player A > "Yes it could! The drugs in this game are just like diugs in the ieal w orld. With PCP you could loose eontiol ot Delta. He may go off and do things on his own you don't want him to, like get into a light to the death that you can't pull him out of."

Again, the game design has engendered peer based teaching. Player A is educating Player D about drugs to help the group obtain its mission objective.

[FOR PURPOSES OF ILLUSTRATION of PCP's game eflects, oui example Player D^'s curiosity gets the better of him, and he has his character. Delta, take a dose of PCP despite the good advice, Player A clicks on the lestroom window, and selects open hom the pop-up menu. Each player then has their character walk across the ledge outside the restroom window to the hie escape. Since, loi the purposes of this example, each character has the same Dexterity attribute (7) and Athletics skill (4) ratings, their chances of walking across the ledge to the hie escape stairs without falling (Taiget Number of 12) aie:

Athletics + DEX + [ 1 - 10] vs. Taiget Number foi walking the ledge or

4 + 7 + [ I - 10] vs. 12 = a random integer of 1 or greater out ot 1 1- 10] = 100".

Each playei places his cuisor on the ledge outside the window . 'The ledge becomes highlighted and lor players A and D," 100⁽'. " appeais the v iew scieen diiectly above the ledge.

Player C^'s character Gamma, however, has been drinking heav ily , and has a -5 penalty lo his Dexterity. His chances of traversing the ledge aie thus:

4 + (7-5) + 101 i s. 13 = a random integer oϊ 6 or greater out of 1 1- 10] = 50' Player C then clicks on the ledge, Gamma (with a randomly determined number oi 5) Falls oi l the ledge and lands in the bushes below with a loud crash, taking more than half of his available stun and HIT POINT damage.

In another embodiment of the invention, the players control their movement through the use of a joystick, or the direction keys on the computer keyboard, or any of a plurality of input devices. Visual feedback from the view screen indicates that a misstep could lead to a fall, but the ledge is wide enough that the players of unimpaired characters can readily maneuv er their characters over the ledge to the third floor fire escape landing. However for the plaver of the impaired character, the computer response to the movement eonti ol input device is sluggish and variable, making it quite difficult for the player to traverse the ledge without falling.

Alpha > "Gamma, how did you manage to fall off the ledge? It was a mile wide !^" Gamma > "Umph"

Player- C > Gamma can^'t talk yet, he took a lot oi^" H IT POINTS and he's dazed.

Alpha > "Gamma, when you^'ve caught your breath, get to the car and stay out of sight. Take off if you have to, we^' ll get out on our own."

As a lesult of alcohol^'s lowering of Gamma^'s Dexterity attribute, Player C has suffered the adver se consequences ol being unable to participate in the rest of the mission, of loosing the shaie of the Experience Points ( XPs) lor participating in the completion of the mission, and ol placing his character and the rest of the mission in jeopardy. This attachment oi^" leαhstic. adver se consequences to alcohol abuse is designed to lead to avoidance ol alcohol vv iihm the game in the future (avoidance learning) and therefore to conditioned avoidance of alcohol abuse in the ieal world.

[ Alpha and Delta open the window ov er the hie escape landing and enter Mr Jennings ol fiee. A large ol fiee desk dominates the room. ^'1 here's α computer on one corner ol the desk. Mr. Goodings can be seen in the office ri fling thi ough some hies. He appeai s to be tin-armed. ]

Alpha (in whisper mode to Delta, who is closest to Mr, Goodings) > "We want to take him alive. the Agency will really want to question him. Also, we don^'t want to attract the attent ion we would get if we tired our guns. Pummel him into unconscious and we'll take him with us."

[Player D has Delta attempt to pummel Mr. Goodings into unconsciousness, and Mr. Gooding's response is to attempt to do the same to Delta. For purposes of the illustration it is assumed that all attacks are successju!.]

A successful attack by Delta would result in the application of damage to Goodings ( hit points) pool 25, stun pool 25, stun defense 10). Delta's punch does 5d6 (5-30 points) of stun damage. If Delta rolled (2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 = 20), Goodings would lose stun ( 20) - stun defense ( 10) = ( 10 stun points) from his stun pool, and (20 stun points) / 5 = (4 hit points ) from lus hit points pool. Leaving Goodings at 15 stun points and 21 hit points. At this fate, Gooding's will succumb to unconsciousness after being hit 3 times.

A successful attack by Goodings would result in the application of damage to Delta ( hit points pool 20, stun pool 20 stun defense 10 + 5 (PCP stun defense modifier)). Goodings' punch does 5d6 (5-30 points) of stun damage. If Goodings rolled (2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 = 20). Delta would lose stun (20) - stun defense ( 10+5) = (5 stun points) from his stun pool, and ( 20 stun points) / 5 = (4 hit points) from his hit points pool which leaves Delta at 15 stun points, and 16 hit points.

At this ntte. Delta could be hit 4 times before succumbing to unconsciousness, or seven times before he would die h om H IT POINT damage. He will succeed in subduing Goodings. ( In contrast, without the +5 stun defense modifier from PCP, he would icceiv e 10 S TUN POINTS per round, succumb to unconsciousness after 2 successf ul attacks, and w ould lose lus f ight with Goodings.

In 3 l ounds, only nine seconds, Goodings has been subdued bv Delta. Plaver D then ha Delta take a "lecovα y action", which allows Delta to lestoie his depleted STUN POIN TS at his normal iccovery rate ( 10 per round). Having taken only two successful attacks. Delta is now at 20/20 STUN POINTS and 12/20 HIT POINTS-. ]

Player A > "That's too bad! If Gamma hadn't attracted all of that attention down in the yaid, we could have taken Goodings here back to the Agency for questioning. Now we^'ll have to leave him here"

Player A > "Does your character have computer skills? Alpha doesn't."

Player D > "Yes, Delta does."

Player A > "Then see what Delta can do with this computer. I'll have Alpha use his dectionics skills to disable transmitter."

Player D highlights the computer with the "operate" cursor and clicks on it to tuin the computer on. Clicking on the computer again he calls up a menu piesenting options that would normally read;

Log on as Jennings/view private tiles 50*. (alert security 20 A Log on as Goodings/view private files 10⁽r (alert secunty 60^r. ) Upload 24 houi lockdown virus lOO' (alert security (A)

But since Delta is under the influence of PCP the display now reads

Log on as Jennmgs/v lew private files lnι>' , ( alert security '"'' . )

Log on as Goodings/v iew pnvate files ^"". '' , (alert security θι>' , )

Upload 24 houi lockdown virus I n ' , (alert security ' '/ '' « )

The percentage chances displayed have all been improved by 60' . and piesented m an altered lont to icpiesent the effect ol PCP on Gamma's perception oϊ his chances ol success. H Player D checks his Character Statistics screen, he will find that his Technique attribute has risen the corresponding 6 points, and is also presented in the same altered font. Player D does not yet realize that the improved figures are an illusory effect of the stimulant Delta has taken. Considering the potential boon to the mission and possibly even the award of bonus XPs lor his character Delta. Player D chooses the second option and, with a randomly determined number of 5... sets off the alarms.

The characters leave Goodings and descend the fire escape to the second floor ledge outside. As they make their way to the men's room window, one of the imposters sights them and fires a shot that injures Gamma. Alpha and Gamma make it into the men's room, through the embassy and out to the waiting car in a narrow escape. { As a consequence of drug use, the players suffered the adverse consequences of injury to their characters (Gamma, Delta) and a failed mission (loss of XPs for a completed mission), Although he never took any drugs, even Alpha lost the opportunity for the XPs that would have been awarded for a successful mission as a result oi^" his companion's drug use. Thus, drug abstinent players have self-interest in learning about drug effects so they can educate their companions about their adverse consequences and enhance the chances of mission success.

The program will provide opportunities to interact with computer controlled "artificially intelligent" non-player characters with drug use problems, and XPs will be awarded for helping them avoid drug use (an example was not drawn, but consider the above case where Alpha is a live player and Beta, Gamma, and Delta are computer-controlled NP-Cs). Thus, even groups of drug abstinent players will have motivation to learn about drug effects.

Back at the Agency, the wounded characters are tended to by the agency doctor, who is in fact played by an on-line mentor. ^"The doctor's medical check reveals the presence of drugs the character's systems, and the doctor/mentor volunteers information to the characters/players about the game/real effects oϊ the drugs that the characters used in the game.

[ Use of on-line mentors. The player's need to know the game consequences oϊ substance use/abuse for future gameplay engenders an interest in knowledge about the effects of the drugs as well as interaction with trained drug on-line mentors. ] While the invention has been described with leicrence to specif ic embodiments thereof , it will be appieciatcd that numerous variations, modihcations, and embodiments aie possible, and accoidingly, all such variations, modihcations, and embodiments aie to be icgaided within tfie spint and scope of the invention.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The invention is applicable to industry as well as being overall beneficial to society ^'The industrial applicability of the invention derives from the need to develop and distribute computer software for implementation of the invention. In addition, use of the invention computer application promotes the use of, therefore the manufacture and sales of, computer equipment, manifesting this use as increased computer market demand. The societal benefit of the invention coupled to the reduction of drug abuse, ultimately achieves a more responsible, stable, work force, adding to the availability of labor and the generation of profit.

BEST MODE

The best mode for practicing the present invention for promoting abstinence from substance abuse by a human is through use of a role-playing computer game comprising the steps of: a) providing a role-playing computer game whereby one or more players assume the role of fictitious player-characters capable of interacting in a common virtual environment; b) setting a common objective for the player-characters which is best reached when the player-characters cooperate; c) providing a plurality of actions selected by and executed at the discretion of the player-characters that each of the player-characters can attempt; d) providing among the plurality of actions the option of a player-character to so 11- administer drugs within the virtual environment whereby negative consequences attach to the abuse of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs; e) at least one of the player-characters being a mentor, wherein the mentor is a source of accurate information about drugs; f) providing a set of character-attributes and skills for the player-charaetei s, wher ein the character-attributes influence the outcome of attempts to take any of the plurality of actions available to the player-characters; g) providing a plurality of particular drugs for potential use by the playei -chai ctei s, h) defining the effects imposed on each character-attribute by each of the particulai drugs and emphasizing the incompatibility of substance abuse with ieac ing the common objective; i) modifying the character-attributes to impose the effects of drugs used by the player- character, consequently affecting the player-character's probability of success in attempts to take any of the plurality of actions available to the player charactei s; j) monitoring the actions taken by the player-characters to determine when the player- characters increase or decrease their virtual drug use, k) correlating changes in player-character actions corresponding to an increase or decrease of the player-character virtual drug use with exposure to various components of the computer game;

1) changing the components of the computer game for the purpose of decreasing the player-character virtual drug use; m) administering surveys to the player-characters over the Internet; n) providing incentives to the player-characters to complete the surveys by including within-game rewards allotted to the player-characters in return for player-charaeteis completing the surveys; o) granting access to the player-characters who have completed the surveys to game- virtual areas not accessible to player-characters who did not complete the sui vey; and p) advancing the social placement of a player-character within the virtual environment whose actions within the virtual environment assist other player-chaiacters i each the common objective, thereby enhancing the transfer of conditioned avoidance of these substances within the game to avoidance of the real substances by said human in ieal life after having used said role playing game.

Claims

We claim: ) A method of promoting abstinence from substance abuse of a human using a role-playing computer game comprised of the steps of: a) assigning a ioie-playing computer game platform whereby one or moie players assume the iole of fictitious player-charaetei s capable of interacting in a common virtual environment; b) setting an objective for said player-characters; c) providing a plurality of actions that each of said player-characters can attempt, wherein said actions are selected by and executed at the discretion of said player- characters; d) providing among the said plurality of available actions the option of α player having their player-character self-administer ch ugs within said virtual environment; e) providing a set of character-attributes for said player-characters, wherein said character-attributes influence the outcome ol^" attempts to lake any ol the said plurality of actions available to said player characters; f) providing a plurality of particular di ugs for potential use by said player-characters; g) allowing said player-characters to choose to take said particular drugs within said v irtual environment; h) defining the effects imposed on each said character-attribute by each ol said particular drugs: and i ) modifying said character-attributes to impose the el fects on said character-attnbutes oϊ said drugs used by said player-character, consequently at tcct g said player character's probability of success in attempts to take any ol said plurality oϊ actions available to said player characters. ⁾ A method ol promoting abstinence from substance abuse aecouhng to chum 1 . w herein said objective is α common objective, which is best icαehed w hen said player-characiei s cooperate to obtain said common objectiv e. ⁾ A method oi promoting abstinence h om substance abuse aeeoi dmg to c laim 1 , w herein said character attributes describe a plαv er-chai αcter general abilities lo succeed at attempts to execute one 01 moie oi the said plurality oϊ actions available to said plava character.

4 ) A method of promoting abstinence from substance abuse aceoiding to claim 3. when m said character αitnbutes model the functionality oϊ the brain and body systems of said human.

5) A method ol^" promoting abstinence from substance abuse according to chum 1, wherein each of said ch-uacier-altiibutes is defined by a number.

5 ) A method oi promoting abstinence from substance abuse according lo claim 5, wherein modifying said character-attributes to impose the effects on said cimiαeter-ailributes ol said drugs chosen by said player-character include using a modifier, said modifier being a negative number when said chosen drug has an adverse diug effect on a character attribute, or a positive number when said chosen drug has a positive eileet on a character attribute.

7 ) A method ol pio otiπg abstinence >^'rom substance abuse aeeoidmg lo claim 6, including the additional step of adding said modiher lo said attribute number to determine the outcome of an action taken by said player-character.

8 ) A method of promoting abstinence from substance abuse aeeoidmg lo claim 1. . herein said player-characters can be created and manipulated as non-playa-shatacteis by said computer game. 9) A method ol promoting abstinence hom substance abuse according to claim 1. lurthα comprising the step of assigning at least one ol said playe -diameters lo be a inenioi, wherein said mentor w ill be an official souice of accurate information about drugs 1θ⁾ A method of promoting abstinence fi m substance abuse according to claim l, luitinr comprising the steps oϊ a) monitoring the actions taken by said playa-cliaractas to determine when said player - chαrαctαs nieiease or dec ease liiαr virtual drug use; b) eonelatmg changes in player-ehaiai ei actions eoπespondmg lo said inaease oi decieαse l said piαyα'-ehαiαcter virtual diug use with exposuie to vαuous components ol said computer game: and c) changing the components ol said computer game lor the puipose ol deac.ising said playei -character irtual drug use. j -|) A method of piomoling abstinence hom substance abuse aeeoidmg to claim I, luither compnsing the steps of: a) administering surveys to said playα-chaiactcrs over the Internet: and b) pioviding incentives to said playα-charactαs to complete said suiveys by including withm-game icwaids allotted to said player-chaiactαs in lettiin lor character -players completing said surveys.

12) A method of piomoting abstinence from substance abuse according to claim I. wherein said within-game lewards could include granting access to said player-charaeteis whose playeis have completed said surveys to game-virtual aieas not accessible to player- characters who did not complete said survey.

13) A method of piomoting abstinence hom substance abuse according to claim 2. further- including the step of advancing the social placement ol^" a player-character withm said virtual enviionment based on whether said actions taken by said playα-chanictcrs within said virtual environment assist othei player-characters leach said common objective. 14) A method of piomoting abstinence hom substance abuse according to claim l, further including the step of advancing the social placement oi^" a player-character withm said virtual enviionment based on whether said actions taken by said plαyer-ehαraeler assist another player-character or non-player-character lesist choosing to take said diugs.

15) A method of piomoting abstinence hom substance abuse according lo claim l. further including the step ol pioviding a set oi skills describing said player -chaiacteis' ability to perform specific of said actions.

16) A method ol^" promoting abstinence from substance abuse according lo claim l, further including the step ol emphasizing the incompatibility of substance abuse with leaching said objective. 17) A method oϊ piomoting abstinence hom substance abuse aeeoidmg to claim 2. further including the step ol emphasizing the incompatibility of substance abuse with leaching said common objective. 18⁾ A method ol piomoling abstinence hom substance abuse αccoiding to claim I. luilhei including the step of attaching negative consequences to the abuse ol alcohol, tobacco. and other drugs, conditioning avoidance ol these substances based on pioteetion ol a human's player-chaiacter ⁾ A method ol piomoting abstinence hom substance abuse aeeoidmg lo claim l lui lhei including the step ol accurately portraying the ef fects of alcohol, tobacco and other di ugs on said playei-chai aetei causing an enhancement in the likelihood ol stimulus generalization ol the virtual stimuli ol alcohol, tobacco, and othei diugs poitntved withm the game to the ieal stimuli ol actual alcohol tobacco, and other di ugs m the ieal vv oi ld theiebv enhancing the tmnsiei of conditioned avoidance ot these game substances w ithm the game to avoidance of the ieal substances by said human in ieal lite alter hav ing used said lole playing game ^ A method ol piomoting abstinence hom substance abuse aeeoidmg to c laim l lurthei including the step ol accurately portraying the el fects ot sensitization habituation, and withdra al to alcohol, tobacco, and othei di ugs on said playei -character ) A method oi piomoting abstinence fiom substance abuse of a human using a lole-play g computei game compnsing the steps ol a) assigning a lole-play ing computei game platloi m vvhaeby players assume hctitious playa-chai acteis capable of interacting a common virtual env ii onment b) accurately portray ing within said common virtual env uonmenf the el iects ot alcohol tobacco, and other di ugs on said player -chai acters, c) enhancing the likelihood ot stimulus generalization by said human ol the virtual stimuli ol alcohol tobacco, and othei di ugs portrayed within the game to the ieal stimuli ol actual alcohol tobacco, and othei di ugs in the ieal vvoi ld, and d) enhancing the ti ansla ot conditioned av oidance ot these game substances w ithm the game to av oidance oi the ieal substances by said human in i eal life alter hav ing used said lole playing game