Virtual Drug Use

It is well established that multimedia games capture the people's attention, as do some others existing leisure alternatives. “Virtual Drug Use” uses this particular interactive media, combined with information regarding the patterns of drug use and addiction, to create for the user a strong and lasting predisposition against drug involvements.

“Virtual Drug Use” harnesses the most powerful interactive media available in order to deliver a compelling and lasting anti-drug message to users. “Virtual Drug Use” provides a simulated experience in which one actually decides whether to use drugs or not and experiences the effects of that decision.

In “Virtual Drug Use”, a simulated intake of cocaine provides an initial enhanced sensation of movement and sound, and apparent enhanced player performance. After a determined time, the cocaine effects wear off, the player has to attend to the preoccupations of taking additional doses. The scenario is repeated, but with each repetition, tolerance to the drug grows, the “highs” are shorter lived, and a growing percentage of the player’s time must be devoted to obtaining and taking cocaine. After a series of repetitions, it becomes clear that rather than enhancing the player’s ability to play the game, the drug taking has become a serious limitation that completely frustrates any concerted effort to play the game competitively.

“Virtual Drug Use” has been implemented in this occasion, in a motorcycle racing game, and it has been adapted for Internet use. This adaptation will be able to increase the possibility of using this excellent precaution tool. The principles and philosophy could be implemented too in a large variety of electronic games. These games size up the user’s skills against the computer, or against other users. Do you have a suggestion ? We are already working on it.

The Race. With Cocaine or Without Drugs?

There are two options in the game: first option, racing under the influence and effects of cocaine abuse, and another option, racing drug free. In each race, you will choose an option.

With Cocaine :

In this option, you will always go at full speed, you will never fall o collide with any obstacles. Periodically, you will have to stop to receive a dose of cocaine, which will be requested. You will need to get the dose in order to continue the race.

Without Drugs:

In this option, the race will develop normally. You will learn to manage your motorcycle, and how to avoid obstacles and falling off your bike. It is easy, try it!.

How to choose the quality of the Graphics:

The game has been developed to accept a wide range of configurations in terms of hardware and software, in order to facilitate the use of the program.

There are 3 versions of this game, and you will choose the one that better adapts to the technical specifications of your computer.

Note: To know the capacity of your graphic card, you will carry out the following steps (only for Windows).

High:

The graphic card of your computer will need 128 Mb or more.

Medium:

The graphic card of your computer will need 64 Mb.

Low:

The graphic card of your computer will need 32 Mb.

Controls: Accelerate, Brake, Left, Right…

During the race, you will use the keyboard of your computer to control the motorbike.

	Accelerate.
	Brake.
	Left.
	Right.
	Sniff cocaine (only in the cocaine option)
	Exit the race

Minimum and Optimal Requirements

Considering this is a three dimensional (3D) game, we have tried to develop a game that can admit the widest range of configurations as possible. The minimum requirements are necessary to be able to play “VIRTUAL DRUG USE” in your computer.

To be able to play “VIRTUAL DRUG USE”, you need to have a Navigator (Internet Explorer, included in Windows) and Internet connection. The game has been developed with Shockwave and your computer will need to have installed the Plug-in Shockwave for its navigator; if your computer doesn’t have the plug-in installed, the own game will install it.

Problems and solutions

1. The bikes go very slow

“VIRTUAL DRUG USE” is a game developed in three dimensions (3D) and you need a graphic card that supports 3D technology.
If your card supports 3D, choose the graphic quality that better adjusts to the capacities of your card: High (128 Mb or but), Medium (64 Mb) or Low (32 Mb).

If the game continues having a low yield, probably the drivers of your graphic card are not well installed or configured. Windows in these cases uses a Software (programs) to work with 3D and this Software spends many resources in your computer, so the yield will be affected if you have too many programs opened as for example, the antivirus, other Internet Explorer…

The best solution is to enter your card’s manufacturer website, download the drivers, and then install them. If you don’t have that choice, try to close the maximum number of programs and choose an inferior graphic quality.

2. While racing in the cocaine option, the motorbike stops requesting me for a “dose” and I can no longer continue

When one chooses to play the option With Cocaine, our motorbiker consumes a dose of cocaine at the beginning of the race. A dose of cocaine doesn’t last forever; the effect of the cocaine lasts just some time, and when the effects of the cocaine finish, our motorbiker, addicted to cocaine, requests us for another dose to be able to continue. We will press the key INTRO / ENTER every time he requests us for a dose, so that our motorbiker can continue the race.

The motorbiker will request us for these “doses” every time with more frequency along the race. If you want to know why, we recommend you to read the section “About Cocaine Addiction” (Information on the addiction to the cocaine).

3. A Macromedia Shockwave error has appeared

Sometimes, by playing many games without stopping can overload the Macromedia Shockwave plug-ins and your system. If that occurs, download again the game. You just have to press the “Reload” button to update your navigator, or press F5 key

4. I don’t find the solution to my problem

Although we have tested the game with many different people and with different computers some problems could appear. In that case, tell us what happened, so we can help you out. We invite you to write us at webmaster@tavad.com.

Contact Info

For any suggestions, comments, or problems related with the game:

Design & Internet TAVAD
e-mail: webmaster@tavad.com
Phone: +34 913 161 377