By: Miriam E. Marks

What would you do if SF had another earthquake? And which superhero would you be if you could pick one?

Yes, these questions are related. This week, get ready for SF Heroes LIVE, a city-wide disaster preparedness game from October 11th-18th. Brought to you by The Go Game and the SF Department of Emergency Management, SF Heroes LIVE is a week-long quest where you can earn points as you complete tasks and compete for prizes, all the while learning what you would do in the event of a natural disaster in San Francisco.
SF Heroes is going on right now, and it’s not too late to join! Sign up today.

So how do you play SF Heroes Live?

First, download the SF Heroes app to your smartphone and choose your superhero identity. Next, register for the live game and invite friends to join your team! And get ready to play.

To get points, you and your team will complete missions, take funny photos and videos and learn how to prepare for an urban emergency. The best part is that you can play any time, anywhere! You’ll just need some teammates and a smartphone to log in to the game.

And if you’re not excited already, there are some great prizes. They include: a 49ers package complete with game tickets, VIP parking, and a signed ball; a Play Station 3 system; custom jewelry from Fiat Lux; and gift cards from Target, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s and others. Click here for a complete list of things you can win!

The game will wrap up on Thursday, October 18 at Jillian’s in the Metreon, where you can claim your prizes and celebrate your disaster preparedness with other players.

Keeping San Francisco Safe with Gamification

SF Heroes Live an example of gamification – the process of using game design and mechanics in non-game contexts. Last year, we wrote about the Zombie Adventure game, another project put together by The Go Game team. And last month, we covered the Tech-Savvy Scavenger Hunt, which had teams explored the city, doing fun missions and helping San Francisco public schools.

The City of San Francisco and the Go Game partnership is a small example of Government 2.0 – by using 21st century tools to boost civic participation and to educate city residents to increase public safety. Sure, it’s a little campy and corny for some, but it’s a lot of fun and teaches city residents critical skills.

SF Heroes from Sony Green on Vimeo.