SURVIVAL MASTER TREATMENT

BACKSTORY

The National Disaster Relief Agency (NDRA) has created a new program to develop professional ‘Survival Masters’ that had the science, technology, engineering, and math skills to go into disaster situations and best assist the local population to use whatever they have available to them to survive under these conditions. In this new NDRA program, these Survival Master professionals are trained in the domains of shelter, food, and communication for a wide variety of geographic settings, including Arctic, Jungle, Desert, Coastal/Island, and Urban environments.

As the player, you learn that you’ve been one of the few applicants selected (from the many thousands of applicants) to attend the training. The way that this training program is designed, each session begins with 20 hand-picked recruits, and only the best trainee will be selected to join the ranks of Survival Master.

The Survival Master training camps (for each geographical setting) are provide training in important skills that are structured as Knowledge and Skills Builder (KSB) domain training challenges – and each of these has a KSB specialist trainer [a KSBT]. The trainers have expertise in:

Math

Heat

Materials

Engineering

Safety

The KSB trainers rarely assist the trainees … in fact, they often insult and/or haze them.

The NDRA Project has a Training Camp Director at each of the camps. The Arctic Camp director is a femalewho introduces the player to the challenges, answers basic questions about the camp, and performs pre-KSB briefings.

The Government Broadcast System (GBS) has an on-going television show. The GBS news team is present at the training camp to do on-going reporting, conduct interviews with the trainees about their experience, etc..

GAME BEGINS ...

We open with a live news broadcast. Various footage of a competition in snowy terrain flashes with slight TV static. Rock music accompanies the video and ends on a power chord with the Survival Master title screen.

Marina Chen, a female news reporter, addresses the viewers and brings them up to date on the previous Survival Master coverage. Twenty contestants have arrived to compete for a position on the NDRA's elite Survival Master Team, but only the winner will earn him/ herself the job.

A busy base camp surrounds her and her crew. There are several tents as well as a few log huts that line the camp. A large open area in the center of the camp contains the majority of the competitors. Ms. Chen transitions over to the contestants.

Here the player is allowed to create a character, and choose gender, clothes, and various physical attributes. Upon completion, they exit their personal tent. The Arctic Camp Director introduces herself, and instructs the competitors to survey the camp. Once they've calibrated their Superphone, they then survey the area around the base camp. Each of the five Knowledge and Skill Builder (KSB) environments branches out from the center of the camp. These are the Cave of Volume, the Labyrinth of Heat, the Snowshoe Race, the Engineering Obstacle Course, and the First Aid Hut. The player must go to each KSB environment and meet their trainers.

The player walks over to the Cave of Volume entrance and sees a nerdy-looking man huddled up in a parka. The player asks him where the trainer is. The man immediately takes offense and informs the player that he himself is the Math Trainer. The player apologizes and tries to make amends, but to no avail. The player continues on to the Labyrinth of Heat entrance.

Heat Trainer is completely surrounded by contestants and workers. He yells for the crowd to form two lines – one for trainees, and the other to get autographs. The player doesn't even attempt to breech that mess and moves on.

The Snowshoe Race entrance is just as empty as the Cave of Volume, however, this trainer has used his time to do push-ups. Material Trainer conducts the conversation in-between counting reps. He tells the player that he knows every material in the world, and nothing comes close to the strength he has achieved. Material Trainer senses some skepticism and asks the player to stand on his back for the next set. The player politely declines, then quickly scurries off.

Engineering Trainer is busy at work on her helicopter at the entrance to the Obstacle Course. She is simultaneously adjusting bolts and wires while issuing orders to other camp workers. She welcomes the player and gives a terse wish of good luck. It takes the Player a moment to realize she was talking to them. The player thanks her and assumes that this is the extent of their conversation.

No one is at the entrance to the First Aid hut. A older voice comes in over the Superphone. Safety Trainer introduces himself as a retired Survival Master, and talks briefly about the final event. He regrets that he must monitor the events from a nearby communication tower in town, but will arrive in person for last challenge. He then asks the player to head back to their quarters to get some rest, and await their first challenge.

The next morning, the player is awakened by the Superphone. It blinks and indicates the Cave of Volume. The player heads out to meet the challenge. Once inside the cave, the entryway becomes narrower and narrower as it goes. The space then opens up to a large, dimly lit room. The player spots a lever and pulls it. This drops a projector down from the ceiling which displays several slides on the wall. The familiar voice of the safety trainer informs the player about the broad mathematical concepts involved in this challenge. Math Trainer comes in over the speakers and begins giving complex instructions for the player to perform. Math Trainer then condescendingly adjusts the level of the instructions for the player. All throughout the player's challenge, Math Trainer continually goads them into making a mistake or possibly falling into the pit of green goo. The player easily solves the challenges, much to the chagrin of Math Trainer.

Upon exiting the cave, Ms. Chen (the reporter) begins asking questions about the player's experience. We see the conversation take place through the lens of a camera. She nods in general approval, then whisks off to cover more of the other competitors. The Player heads back to base camp to get some rest.

Another alert sounds-off early the next morning on the Superphone. It lets the player know they must now go to the Labyrinth of Heat. The player heads to the entrance of the next objective. Heat Trainer comes in over the loudspeaker. The player taunts Heat Trainer before he has a chance to introduce the challenge. Heat Trainer simply opens the door to Room A and wryly wishes the player good luck. The player walks in and sees a huge pit of lava with several platforms. Another projector displays info on heat conduction for the player. The player swallows all fear and attempts the challenge. Almost falling to a terrible death, the player adjusts the speed of the platforms to successfully reach the other side of the room.

Room B, in contrast to Room A, is ice cold. There are several levels and each one is colder than the next. The player must get a heated object to the other side without freezing them or themselves. The projector displays information about heat loss through surface area. The Player grabs the scalding hot challenge object, and races to the end of the hall. Going numb, the Player almost gives up hope and huddles against the warm object. However, one remark from Heat Trainer gives the Player the spiteful boost needed to complete it.

Room C is rather pleasant. It appears as though Heat Trainer wants the player to enjoy a game of bowling. Then, we see the bowling ball explode. A slide show about k-value begins to play. The player must choose between a series of coverings to ensure the ball doesn't explode prematurely. Each of the balls is set off by the player at just the right location to trigger the door to the next room, Room D. The player cautiously enters.

A large aperture appears to comprise the flooring. The player watches the projector show information about heat conduction through thick materials. All of a sudden, the doors lock and the shutters on the walls reveal three furnaces encircling the room. The temperature rises. The player fiddles with the first locking mechanism, and almost releases it. With a jolt, the player loses balance. We see the aperture-like flooring beginning to open. The player scrambles to his/her feet to open the first lock. Carefully avoiding the pit in the center, the player opens the last two locks and bursts through the door.

Room E is surprisingly quiet. We hear a distant pop. A snowball bursts as it hits the players shoulder. Startled, but pleasantly surprised, the player begins to laugh. Another pop, and the player is immediately knocked to the floor. That one hurt. The pops sound more and more frequent. The player crawls to cover nearby. Peeking out, we see Heat Trainer in some sort of projectile-launching machine. The player pulls out the Superphone and begins typing on it. Then, the player points the Superphone at the machine. It begins to short circuit. Heat Trainer exits the broken machine and retreats further into the room. The player uses this opportunity to advance. More snowballs begin to fly. The player takes cover to look at the new machine. Heat Trainer begins jeering at the player. Immediately, the player enters the data into the Superphone. Heat Trainer hops out of the sparking machine. The player follows this pattern several times, making their way to the other end of the room. The last machine fires so quickly that the player is unable to peek out from behind their cover. The player scoops snow off of the ground. Without looking, the player whips the snowball at Heat Trainer from behind the cover. Heat Trainer ducks and then begins to laugh. Now, Heat Trainer begins firing directly at the cover, breaking it apart. The final shot reduces it to a heaping pile, but the player is nowhere to be found. We see the player standing behind a different set of cover pointing the Superphone directly at the machine. Heat Trainer tries to swing the machine around, but the Player has already won. With no more machines to retreat to, Heat Trainer slumps into the sparking machinery. The player confidently strolls out of the final room of the Labyrinth.

Confronted by Ms. Chen, the player pretends like the event was no problem, despite nearly being killed in every room. The Player heads back to camp for some much needed shut-eye.

The following morning, the player wakes up without even needing the Superphone alarm. The next challenge is the Snowshoe Race. Competitors must race hot water to the First Aid Hut as fast as possible. Two other competitors line up with the player. Material Trainer bursts out of the crowd and starts intimidating the player. He's heard that the player is getting some of the best scores that this competition has ever seen. Every response the player gives only infuriates Material Trainer more. He shoves the nearest competitor knocking them off the starting line. He then grabs his pack and commands the director to start the race countdown. The player’s stance strengthens as the starting pistol fires. Material Trainer appears to have limitless energy. At every checkpoint, the player just barely keeps up with him. They are neck and neck in the last leg. As they cross the finish line, Material Trainer's muscles out-stretch the player. Material Trainer begins shoving his triumph in the player's face. The director announces the winner. The player's arm is raised in the air as the victor. Material Trainer is speechless. Then, we see the contents of their backpacks – the player's is still steaming and the Material Trainer's turned into a block of ice. The other competitors congratulate the player. Ms. Chen attempts to conduct an interview in the midst of the cheering crowd. We half expect the player to say they will be going to Disneyland.

The Obstacle Course now awaits the player on day five. Many of the competitors have dropped out of the competition – only a select few remain for the next challenge. The player finds themselves in front of several obstacle courses as well as a construction area. The competitors queue up for Engineering Trainer before beginning. A helicopter flies overhead and lands at the nearby pad. Engineering Trainer exits the cockpit and saunters towards the competitors. She takes off her helmet and stands before the competitors. Some of the challengers whisper to one another. Engineering Trainer rolls her eyes at the mumblings and meets eyes with the player. She then dismisses the director and begins explaining the obstacle courses herself. Some of the competitors from earlier appear to be confused – Engineering Trainer lines them up first. As the first few contestants are knocked out of the competition during the first obstacle course, Engineering Trainer checks them off her list with no sign of remorse. She manually resets all the electronic devices for each course herself. Now we see the player deftly maneuver through the first obstacle. Following the end of the obstacle courses, the contestants begin building their structures. Several of the structures are clearly unstable. The first sign of any outside force causes a collapse. The player's, on the other hand, seems to withstand all punishment. Engineering Trainer shows a glimmer of approval, but quickly dismisses the design of this rudimentary structure.

Just as the Engineering Trainer finishes her comments and determines the winner, the ground begins to quake. The player's own structure trembles and bows. The crowd around the obstacle course falls into disarray. The player sees this but fails to notice that the structure is collapsing on top of the player. Everything goes black.

The player awakens under a pile of debris. The entire camp is destroyed. We hear the Superphone nearby. The player picks it up. Safety Trainer is trying to get hold of any survivors. The player is told that there are three other finalists nearby, and instructs the player on finding them. Unfortunately, there is a blizzard coming soon and all four need to settle in for the long haul. It has already arrived in town and communications will be disrupted between them as it approaches their base camp. The player acknowledges this and heads out to find the survivors.

The player leaves the debris and easily locates the other finalists. They all have the same information about their situation from Safety Trainer. One finalist questions whether this is a test as well. He begins arguing with the others, then storms off in an attempt to win the competition alone. The remaining finalists agree that teamwork is going to be needed more than ever to see this through.

The first thing that needs to be decided upon is the shelter design. Each finalist draws up a design, including the footprint of the shelter, and presents the design to the other finalists. A vote is called and the cube shape is agreed upon on the basis of its simplicity. Now, the hunt for materials begins. Each finalist has a different specialization in gathering materials – one can spot materials, one can lift heavy materials, and the other can manage their status. After some time searching, they have a good supply of thick, insulated materials. The first night goes by in relative warmth.

The next morning, Safety Trainer informs them that the blizzard is imminent. However, he can't get a response from the lone finalist. Rescue teams cannot risk evacuation until it subsides. So, the finalists will need to reinforce their shelter to withstand the snow load. Unfortunately, some of the materials are too weak to hold up. They begin a new search using the skills they became aware of during the previous day's events. As the first flakes of snow begin to fall, the finalists are still reinforcing the structure. The player makes one last effort to scout out sturdier materials. In the distance, the player spots a small pile of various sturdy materials in a neat pile. As we get closer, we see the huddled body of a person underneath – it's the lone finalist who stormed off the day before. The lone finalist appears to be suffering from hypothermia. The player calls for help from another finalist to drag him back to the shelter. The other finalist urges the player to leave him and focus on saving themselves. The player refuses to leave him. They use the material covering lone finalist to create a makeshift gurney.

Snow is really coming down by the time they drag him back. We see a finalist frantically scooping snow off the top of their little shelter. It doesn't look like the roof will pass muster over night. The player helps remove snow from the top of the shelter, but it's falling too fast. Lone Finalist stirs and rolls himself off the gurney. He tells them to use it to reinforce the roof. The other finalists agree. The gurney is broken down and secured onto the roof before the Finalists huddle up inside. They have no choice but to wait and watch.

They all awaken to the realization they've survived. Lone Finalist apologizes and vows to help out in any way still possible. Safety Trainer calls in on the Superphone to congratulate them on simultaneously saving the lone finalist and themselves last night. Unfortunately, things are only getting worse. High winds threaten to tear through camp before the rescue team arrives tomorrow morning.

They spend most of the day redistributing the materials they have to create bracing. However, every iteration of the cube shelter leaves weaknesses that they can't afford. Lone Finalist suggests that the cube simply won't suffice when subjected to both live and dead loads. They all come to the same conclusion – they need a hemisphere. Not much daylight is left, but they are determined to survive.

Some of the insulating materials will transfer over to the new design, but they need flexible supports to create the unique shape. The player and two finalists head out to scavenge the final materials. Lone Finalist remains behind to keep track of their progress and construct what he can. The player and a finalist return with the last materials they needed to construct the hemisphere. The other finalist is nowhere to be found.

Half an hour goes by, and the sun has almost set, but still no finalist. Winds have picked up and the entire structure is shifting from side to side. Lone Finalist weighs it down from the inside, but the player and finalist need to physically hold onto it to prevent it from blowing away. Safety Trainer suggests the remaining members get inside the shelter to prevent a temperature drop.

As they close the door, the missing finalist bursts in with rope and stakes. They all immediately understand what needs to be done, and follow the finalist's lead. Outside, the two finalists and the player attempt to dig holes through the snow for a secure spot to stake. They take their attention off the shelter for a moment to drive the first stake, and a huge gust of wind picks up. The shelter completely overturns and begins sliding away. Lone Finalist yells from inside. The other finalists chase after it as it approaches a steep slope. The player leaps and stretches out to grab onto the shelter as the other finalists hang on to the player. The finalist on the end grabs a nearby tree trunk to brace the chain of bodies. They grip tightly for a few seconds, then the wind just dies out. Pausing for a split second, they scramble to drag the shelter back to a safe area. They forget the stakes and wrap the rope around their lucky tree trunk for stability. The wind can be heard picking back up in the distance. The player secures the last knot, and all three dive into the shelter to weigh it down. It shifts slightly until the rope goes taut. Laughing uncomfortably, they check to make sure Lone Finalist is alright. No one sleeps a wink this night.

Faint morning light from outside the shelter illuminates the inside. The player notices a shadow growing larger on the semi-transparent wall of the structure. We hear digging around the shelter door. A head pokes in through – it's the safety trainer. He asks if everyone is alright. They nod. He calls to the other rescue workers. Safety Trainer drags Lone Finalist out himself. The workers grab Lone Finalist from him.

Safety Trainer commends the group of finalists. He hopes that this event does not shake their resolve about becoming survival masters. Considering the events, they are clearly the right people that the government needs for the job. Safety Trainer ignores the rules of the competition and all four are offered a position to which they gratefully accept. But first, they need to be rescued themselves.