CDC Invites Plague Inc. Creator to Give Lecture

Timothy Chang

painkillers and whiskey
Jun 5, 2012
704
0
0
CDC Invites Plague Inc. Creator to Give Lecture



Developer James Vaughan will speak on how infecting the planet can help public health awareness.

Plague Inc., the outbreak strategy game where you attempt to infect the globe (especially Greenland) [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/10223-I-Cant-Stop-Playing-Plague-Inc] with your evolving virus, has enjoyed solid success with its formula of kill-all-humans as effectively as possible. The game has even caught the attention of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and now the CDC has invited creator James Vaughan to talk about the mechanics behind Plague Inc.

Vaughan will be presenting a number of private lectures this month at CDC headquarters in Atlanta. The discussions include how diseases spread within his game, and the possibility of using games as a means of promoting public health awareness.

The developer says that the game isn't meant to be a pure simulation of how an infectious disease is transmitted, but he says: "The overall impact of a disease spreading...is pretty realistic. You have the airports and the boats and it spreads from these major flight connection areas to smaller, more rural areas."

"I made Plague Inc. as a hobby", Vaughan adds, explaining that he has no medical background, having studied economics in college. "I tried to make it as scientifically plausible as possible."

The former consultant worked as the sole developer on the game as a side project, with the aid of three freelancers. After its release, it reached Apple [http://www.ndemiccreations.com/home/the-making-of-plague-inc/plagueincs2012reportcard], it was the 15th most downloaded paid iPhone game of 2012 in the US.

If you want to try your hand at wiping out the human race one sneeze at a time, Plague Inc. is available on iOS and Android.


Source: Polygon [http://www.polygon.com/2013/3/8/4080438/plague-inc-cdc-james-vaughn-spread-infectious-disease]
Image: Ndemic Creations [https://sites.google.com/a/ndemiccreations.com/ndemic-creations/]

Permalink
 

marurder

New member
Jul 26, 2009
586
0
0
It seems that all the 'journalists' reporting for Plague Inc. seem phobic of mentioning Pandemic at all. That is, unless they are doing a direct comparison.

http://www.hookshotinc.com/cloning-vs-evolution-pandemic-mutates-into-plague-inc/
 

KeyMaster45

Gone Gonzo
Jun 16, 2008
2,846
0
0
Devoneaux said:
Kwil said:
Must suck to be the guys who originally made the game as Pandemic II and not getting credit for it.
You know I can see how when Walt Disney was alive, this kind of misinformation could get around, but this is the era of internet. How are people missing Pandemic?
Cause if I remember right, Pandemic kind of sucked and wasn't much fun to play. This game, however, is actually quite fun and challenging.
 

Chairman Miaow

CBA to change avatar
Nov 18, 2009
2,093
0
0
I was going to mention Pandemic and Madagascar, but I'm glad to see it at least most people here recognise the blatant copying here.
 

SextusMaximus

Nightingale Assassin
May 20, 2009
3,508
0
0
They just made a shittier version of Pandemic I & II. Glad everyone already knows about this though!
 
Apr 5, 2008
3,736
0
0
I played this on my Android smartphone. Quite fun game, and the only app I've ever downloaded to date upon which I spent real money ($1 to unlock the "full version").
 

Toasty Virus

Somehow I Returned?
Dec 2, 2009
621
0
0
SextusMaximus said:
They just made a shittier version of Pandemic I & II. Glad everyone already knows about this though!
Actually I found the mechanics in Plague to be faaar superior, but hey-ho.

OT: That's pretty cool actually, I've always thought that it was interesting to see how the world reacted and changed to good old BUTTMADS.
 

SextusMaximus

Nightingale Assassin
May 20, 2009
3,508
0
0
Toasty Virus said:
SextusMaximus said:
They just made a shittier version of Pandemic I & II. Glad everyone already knows about this though!
Actually I found the mechanics in Plague to be faaar superior, but hey-ho.

OT: That's pretty cool actually, I've always thought that it was interesting to see how the world reacted and changed to good old BUTTMADS.
Tomato Tomahto I suppose:p
 

Hdawger

New member
Jun 8, 2010
75
0
0
Man I used to love playing Pandemic. I do hope that Plague INC. gets greenlit on Steam though. Also; screw Madagascar.