Immunitarium Challenge - Playful initiation
to immunology
This game allows you to acquire the following notions
Understanding of the immune system and the cells that protect us
Discovery defense techniques against infectious agents
Reasoning
strategy and focus
Resource management and decision making
When immunology becomes child's play...
2. Description of the game and objective
The game has of 3 categories of cards:
Immune defenses composed of innate and adaptive immunity cells as well as regulatory and memory cells;
Infectious agents represented by viruses and bacteria;
Special cards such as energy foods, vaccines and Immune System Escape and Immunosenescence type effects (Fig. 1).
At the start of the game, each player receives a series of cards constituting his initial immune system and its infectious cards as well as a capital of energy points. In 3 or 4 player mode, "Objectives" cards are also dealt (Fig. 2).
1. Concept
Immunitarium Challenge is a card game educational for 2 to 4 players to understand how our immune system works and how it interacts with the infectious agents that surround us.
This game is aimed at young people (from 10 years) as to the older ones.
Figure 1. Overview of card categories
The objective of the game is to develop a strong immune defense combined with an effective infectious strategy to overcome its adversaries. The winner is the player who manages to exhaust his opponent's energy or reach his goal in multiplayer mode.
3. Categories of cards and their effects
3.1. Immune defenses
Our immune system is made up of different types of cells, each playing well-defined roles in order to protect us against viral infections and bacteria. Some cells are able to attack infectious agents in a "non-specific" way (innate immune cells), and others act in a specific way (adaptive immunity cells) (Fig. 3). In addition, our immune cells produce cytotoxic substances and antibodies to fight infectious agents.
The actors of innate immunity
• NK cells non-specifically attack alpha and delta viruses. They secrete cytotoxic substances represented by the symbol (red chips - Fig. 4).
• Macrophages non-specifically attack alpha and delta type bacteria. They secrete cytotoxic substances represented by the symbol (red chips - Fig. 4).
The actors of adaptive immunity
• B cells specifically attack alpha or delta type bacteria. They secrete antibodies represented by the symbol (gray tokens - Fig. 4).
• CD8+ T cells specifically attack alpha or delta type viruses. They secrete cytotoxic substances represented by the symbol (red chips - Fig. 4).
Figure 2. Game setup at the start of the game in mode two players
Figure 3. Example of a player's field of play
• CD4+ T cells help B lymphocytes and CD8+ T lymphocytes to secrete more antibodies and cytotoxic substances and act in a specific way according to the alpha or delta type of the infectious agent. In other words, a card CD4+ T lymphocyte” alone does not generate antibodies or cytotoxic substances. It must be associated with cards " CD8+ B or T cells to exert its effect (doubling of antibodies or cytotoxic substances produced by an immune response directed against an infectious agent).
Memory cells
When a player manages to eliminate an infectious agent by establishing an effective immune response, the player can choose a card " Immune memory » corresponding to one of the lymphocytes used during the established immune response (B or CD8+ T or CD4+ T lymphocytes) and of the same type (alpha or delta) as the infectious agent eliminated.
The cards " Immune memory are then deposited on the player's playing area and constitute immediately usable immune defenses during subsequent exposure to a new infectious agent of the same type.
Regulatory cells
• Regulatory T/B cells eliminate CD8+ T, CD4+ T or B lymphocytes.
• NK Cells Regulators eliminate NK cells.
Figure 4. Example of tokens
3.2. Infectious agents
A player can launch an infectious attack by placing one of these cards in another player's play area. These cards inflict an energy cost at the end of each turn as long as the attacked player fails to clear the infection. Lost energy points are given to the attacking opponent (“ infectious tribes "). Since a player can be subject to several infectious attacks initiated by different opponents in the 3 or 4 player mode, tokens are used to identify adversaries behind infectious attacks. The emblems of these tokens represent disease vectors such as mosquito, dog/wolf, bat and tick (Fig. 5).
Thus, when a player launches an attack, he places a black token on the infectious agent's card in order to identify himself and perceive his " infectious tribes » in the next round(s).
Figure 5. Example of "Vector" tokens
Picture 6. Example of infectious agent
Infectious agents are the target of the following immune cells :
• Bacteria are attacked by macrophages and B lymphocytes.
• Viruses are attacked by NK cells and CD8+ T cells.
The symbol represents power infectious of a virus or bacteria. The power infectious defines the number of red (cytotoxic substances) and/or gray (antibody) tokens to accumulate to eliminate the infectious agent (Fig. 6).
3.3. The special cards
Vaccines make it possible to obtain cards " Immune memory by becoming immunized against infectious agents. The use of a card Vaccine has an energy cost. The player must put the required two energy points on the card when it is activated. The map " Vaccine "can be exchanged into a card" Immune memory after two rounds. The player can choose the type of infectious agent (alpha or delta) as well as the desired lymphocyte category (B or T CD4+ or T CD8+).
Immune system evasion represents the ability of an infectious agent to evade immune defenses by mutating. Using this card removes 3 antibody points and 3 points of cytotoxic substances in another player.
Immunosenescence represents the reduced efficiency of an aging immune system. The use of this card eliminates a card " Immune memory from another player.
Considering the explanations mentioned above, Figure 7 illustrates an example of a player's playing field being played in mode two players.
Picture 7. Example of a player's field of play during a game in mode two players
The Immunitarium Challenge game is at a stage pilot. We would love to hear your comments.
The Immunitarium team is evaluating different options to continue the development of this game. We will keep you informed of the progress of this project.
