Leadership & Team-building Software

Adult Staff
1

Branching off from another topic to make something more specific, I wanted to share a few software packages that I’m hoping to deep-dive on.

I have my eye on some other great packages that use VR, but they’re not out yet (and I don’t have VR).

Anyone else got anything?

1) Command: Modern Operations (Steam)

This is by Matrix Games and is also available on Steam. I’ve had a brief intro session with an eSports officer and I’m very impressed, but can’t test drive it at home because I run a Mac…

It allows us to go as far as creating our own scenarios and bringing real kit to life so that cadets can actually learn about capabilities in an interesting and memorable way, explore their thinking for a search and rescue scenario etc.

Also cheaper than buying Jane’s.

2) Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes (Steam)

3 cadets with bomb manuals and one with a 3D bomb on a private screen.
Working together on comms while improving classic teamwork skills and problem-solving, perhaps through a radio to add an extra layer of complexity.

3) Escape Simulator 2 (Steam)

Something a little more out there and would require a computer for each (2-4 is the sweet spot). An incredibly good escape room game that will get them working together and solving problems — could be used (as with “Keep Talking”) for interflight competitions.

4) LiftOff (Steam)

Not so much for teambuilding and leadership, but with an eye on drone flying this is really cheap software I’ve used with a real drone controller to learn how to fly drones.
Lots of slalom courses that you could run for interflight competitions once your cadets are trained-up.

5) Space Team (mobile / tablet)

This one is a bit balmy and requires a mobile phone each, but gets cadets communicating to activate and control elements of a space ship in order to stay alive.
Each cadet would have a different console with prompts or dials, switches etc and they can only respond by sharing updates / listening and responding accordingly.

2 Likes
2

Not software but relevant:

you and your teammates control a state-of-the-art submarine and are trying to locate an enemy submarine in order to blow it out of the water before they can do the same to you. Every role is important, and the confrontation is merciless. Be organized and communicate because a captain is nothing without his crew: the Chief Mate, the Radio Operator, and the Engineer.

1 Like
3

Oh I have this one on my shelf.

Can’t believe I’d forgotten. Fantastic recommendation.

I definitely prefer it turn-based rather than real time though. Too stressful :sweat_smile:

4

I’ve got it, but haven’t played yet. Need to find some victims friends.

5

I stumbled on this which is potentially a WiP…

Once you type in a code name, you can type in a room code or start your own game…

2 people doing two different roles can be done for a head-to-head (but then lacks the teamwork).

1 Like
6

Requires a bit more work on staff side to set up and prepare (and won’t help the Space cadet nicknames) but Empty Epsilon ( EmptyEpsilon - Multiplayer Spaceship Bridge Simulator ) available for free download and on Steam for free. The software behind Bridge Command experince some of you might have seen ads for (the fly your starship thing in London, I’ve been quite a few times).

Basically lets you set up cadets in specific roles (including Captain) to deal with certain scenarios and more scenarios are being made by volunteers in the community often. Requires a bit of technical knowhow to get some in from the github but a fun way to play it if you can do it you can do straight shoot the enemies, manager power and munitions stuff or a more rescue this person plan your route stuff. Also can do multiship (the biggest the community has done is 15 ships with 5-6 people per ship on average) so you can also do vs battles either to complete the challenge (such as a race), survive the longest or a good old team vs team battle. Will require a decent PC to run as the server and a tablet or laptop for each user though so can be a big tech investment to get going.

3 Likes
7

This reminded me of Guns of Icarus.

Each team has roles and mans a blimp trying to take each other out. Really does require teamwork.

They’re bringing out a space version.

8

Not as full traditional game as Guns of Icarus. All done using panels so no inset game character to move around. Means the individual stations can be run on some very low end tablets from what I’ve seen people saying for LARP plans and bigger events.

2 Likes
9

Tried playing Sonar Kodloki tonight . . . Can’t work out how to actually start the game, so pivoted to JackBox’s Bomb Corps game.

Very disappointed.

10

I think we need at least 2 people. But it could be that it’s still a WiP (the tutorials don’t seem to work yet).

Happy to team up and give it a go through a teams call if you drop me a line?

I’ll try it on my unit too.

11

I had 4 laptops with pairs of cadets on each laptop.
Tried it later in the evening on 2 phones and had same experience.

Out of interest, where did you find it? I can’t find it mentioned on any of the usual sites (github, reddit etc)

12

Oh I see, you’ve properly tried it.

I basically searched Google for “Captain Sonar Online” (after a quick search on Steam).

It’s a shame there’s no email address to ask if it’s a hobby project now abandoned or a WiP.

13

Air Defender early access now available for £19.99 on Steam.

Windows only.

1 Like
14

I’ve purchased “Two Rooms and a Boom” for the squadron.

Big social deduction game to run for about 20 mins and get people interacting.

More complicated rules introduced for the bigger player counts, but you can also print and play so it would presumably work with loads of “default” characters too.

1 Like
15

If you’re cheap, like me, it’s possible to download and print all the cards instead.

1 Like
16

Have you looked at VBS 3/4 I think the MOD have a contract for it.

Good to use for fieldcraft and First aid scenarios

17

Never heard of it! What’s the full name?

18

Virtual Battle Simulator

developed by Bohemia Interactive, which is part of BAES.

dm me if you want more info

1 Like
19

Ironwolf VR is available for free on steam as a “non-vr” version. If you set it up as multiplayer across a few computers, allocate roles to each person then stand an IC behind it makes a fun little leadership task!

1 Like