JAMES
TRIBE
CORE CONCEPT
Step into the shoes of a coast guard tasked with keeping a summer beach safe. Watch the shoreline, react quickly to rip currents and dangerous conditions, and use your voice to guide beachgoers to safety.
With a mix of keyboard, mouse, and microphone input, the game challenges players to stay alert, think fast, and speak up when it matters most.
VIDEO PRESENTATION
To showcase Coast Guard Simulator's gameplay, I created a video presentation to further explain the project and its features.
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INTRODUCTION
INTERACTION METHODS
INPUT METHODS
GAMEPLAY DEMO
GAMEPLAY
Coast Guard Simulator takes place over a new recruit’s first day on a busy summer beach. The game opens with a simple task: placing safety flags on the sand, introducing players to water safety zones via on-screen prompts. From there, the player is guided to scan the shoreline for hazards, leading into a series of escalating emergencies.
PLACING THE FLAGS
When a group of swimmers gets caught in a rip current, the player races to the dock to begin a lifeboat rescue minigame. Using voice commands to steer the RNLI boat between five lanes and avoiding obstacles, the player must reach the scene within three lives or restart.
BOAT RESCUE MINIGAME
RIPTIDE RESCUE MINIGAME
Once there, swimmers are rescued by mashing keys to haul them onboard. The boat segment then plays in reverse, now with the player dodging rising obstacles on the way back to shore. The next mission, inspired by a true event, involves a young girl on an inflatable swan swept out by strong winds.
INFLATEABLE RESCUE MINIGAME
Players blow into the microphone to propel her raft toward the boat, while using arrow keys to dodge debris and whirlpools. After completing all rescues, the game ends with a water safety quiz and speech, reinforcing the RNLI’s key messages through interactive, voice-led learning.
RNLI WATER SAFETY QUIZ
DEVELOPMENT
Coast Guard Simulator was developed in Unity and built with a combination of traditional input methods and microphone-based interaction. I created a custom voice input system that detects volume thresholds to steer the lifeboat left and right, adding a layer of urgency and physical engagement to the rescue segments. The game also uses keyboard input for actions like placing flags, scanning the beach, and rescuing swimmers through button-mashing mechanics.
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One of the key challenges was balancing the microphone input to be responsive without being overly sensitive, especially in different environments. I implemented adjustable thresholds and fail-safe conditions to ensure the minigame remained accessible while still requiring active participation. Additionally, I scripted each emergency scenario to escalate in complexity, gradually introducing new mechanics like blowing into the mic and directional movement to keep gameplay varied and engaging.
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The project also included a UI-driven quiz system to deliver the RNLI’s water safety messages in an interactive format, rounding off the game with an educational takeaway that reinforces the player's role as a responsible coast guard.
