In OLab4, we now have the ability to create maps that interact with each other. This means that you can have two players, each working on a different map, but the play on one map will affect the options available to the player on the second map.
We have two cases that you can try now if you want to see how this works:
- Triage Mr Hay: https://demo.olab.ca/player/olab/play/1470#0
- Triage Mr Bee: https://demo.olab.ca/player/olab/play/1468#0
These two maps share a server-level Counter, called SalineUsed. You have 4 units of saline available to use between the two cases. If you run out, this is not a good thing!
Note that the SalineUsed Counter is not reset between plays, on either map. You may need to reset it back to 4 when you start. There is an option to do this on Mr Bee.
Now, this is a very simple example but it shows how you can set up shared resources which must be managed. You could do this with a number of server-level Counters. These maps also make use of a small Script Object which repeatedly polls the value of the SalineUsed Counter. If it rises above 4 then a flag is raised.
The option to have maps interact with each other opens up all sorts of possibilities, many of which are useful for team-based learning. Instead of a resource that must be shared between two cases, you could have several team members all working on the same patient but again they have to collaborate in order to achieve a successful outcome.
Other learning designs might be set up to allow asynchronous play. You don’t all have to be online at the same time. The server-level Counter will still be changed and monitored, even if there is only one map running.