Advances in technology have revolutionized student recruitment strategies employed by educational institutions. These innovations led to the adoption of virtual campus tours to provide prospective students with an immersive expedition into the school facilities replicated in a digital environment. However, the existing virtual tour technologies pose challenges, including cybersickness in virtual reality and limited interactivity in 360-degree videos. In this study, we fill these research gaps by developing a playable and interactive campus virtual tour where potential enrollees can visit and tour the campuses remotely. In addition to a series of beta tests with enrolled students, we recruited students specializing in game development and their associates to evaluate the application using an extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) framework. In this evaluation, we found that the application was well-received by prospective students and was regarded as useful in delivering an immersive campus visit experience. From the TAM perspective, it was evident that there was a significant difference in how enrolled and potential students assess the application in terms of perceived usefulness and behavioral intention. The positive acceptance of the application led to the recommendation of playable campus virtual tours as a tool for improving student recruitment strategies.

Emergency response is a crucial method for saving lives because the Philippines is one of the nation that is most vulnerable to disasters. Unexpected disasters happen all the time. The survival of those who were immediately impacted by a disaster depends on what happens in the initial hours after the accident. Even a minute difference in emergency response time has the potential to save or cost lives. Through this, the researchers were able to implement Dijkstra’s method to show the shortest paths in an application for emergency response. The ideas are organized in a way that suggests potential paths that first responders could take to locate victims. This article outlines a step-by-step process for choosing the optimum approach. Agile methodology was employed by the researchers when creating the application. The respondents gave the system a 4.52 out of 5 rating on the basis of the ISO 9126 evaluation tool, with a ‘Very Acceptable’ interpretation result. Thus, the system is now prepared for deployment.

In this study, we developed a PC-based video game that aims to promote awareness of Persistent Depressive Disorder (PDD), also known as dysthymia. Anchored to the survival horror subgenre and a hack and slash gameplay, we constructed "Escape from Oblivion" as a single-player platformer game that highlights eerie game world environments and scenarios indicative of mental health conditions. It exhibits different mental states under terrible circumstances, forcing players to see and feel what it is almost like when suffering from a mental health condition like PDD. With the necessary expertise on PDD and mental health, we consulted with an expert to co-design the video game. We also evaluated the game prototype with players in terms of game characteristics. The initial version of our game received acceptable scores during the virtual open house event. Although there are several enhancements to be incorporated, our video game Escape from Oblivion demonstrates potential in being a promotional tool for mental health awareness.

Governments and health agencies around the world have been at the forefront of managing the COVID-19 pandemic. To control the spread of the outbreak, mandatory safety protocols have been put into effect. Despite the continuous development and strict enforcement of these preventive guidelines, non-compliance with these mandatory safety protocols has been reported. Getting the message to the public is one of the key challenges in convincing people to follow mitigation policies. In this study, we employed the media of video games to advocate for COVID-19 safety protocols. We developed a video game called "Corona Larona" that features microgames with action gameplay playable on a mobile platform. Our video game concentrated on several preventive measures such as physical distancing, hand washing, wearing face masks as well as basic knowledge about the virus using in-game multiple choice questions. To our knowledge, this is the first video game dedicated to the COVID-19 outbreak and the mandatory safety protocols. In a time when many people play video games to survive their current situation, the Corona Larona game is a strategic example of using and maximizing this form of media for a more noble purpose.

This research project presents the development of a video game entitled “Chyilax” – an innovative three-dimensional video game about a person’s struggle against mental breakdown while trying to alleviate its symptoms. The game was developed to be a medium that would raise awareness about the risks and conditions of mental health breakdown. The player can choose to take the role of either a college student or a working adult, both experience symptoms due to a tangled situation in their past. The player was tasked to help the protagonist to overcome the symptoms before it leads to a nervous breakdown. In order to help the protagonist, make up with the people who got involved in their past circumstances through puzzle-solving, role-playing, and problem-solving. Chyilax was developed using Unity as its game engine while 3D models were created using Autodesk Maya. The project was tested and evaluated via a virtual open house. The questionnaires were collated online using an online form that assesses the following as criteria for the game: effectiveness, visuals, mechanics, audio, and enjoyment while the website: functionality, usability, reliability, performance, and supportability as criteria. The game received an overall mean of 4.32 while the website received an overall mean of 4.35, both of which have a verbal interpretation of “Strongly Agree”, which interprets that the objectives were achieved and drawn impact to raise awareness on issues focusing on mental breakdown.