The purpose of the game is to:

• introduce science-based, educational concepts
• raise awareness and interest in topics dealing with estuaries, water quality, tides, marine debris, and what YOU can do to help.
• In-depth information on topics is available in the “Field Guide” in the game and in this section.

The game occurs inside the ecosystem of an estuary on the west coast of the United States. Following a young girl named Valerie, players interact with Oscar the sea otter, and the fictional Claminator, a geoduck clam. To succeed, players must learn about the factors that produce healthy estuaries, food webs, and why estuaries are essential to both ocean life and to humans. 

The game introduces keywords and raises topics that tie into multiple learning objectives. A Field Guide accompanies the game. The guide containseducational information that will assist the user with the story/games and will provide links to NOAA/NERRS existing educational resources and in-depth information about all topics.

Acknowledgements:
Special thanks go to The Computer and Simulation Program at Montgomery Community College who have provided young, gaming talent to develop interactivity, virtual environments, and simulations for the game. Their capabilities have been guided by the extremely talented Peg Steffen, Marina Kraus and Bruce Moravich from NOAA's National Ocean Service. Thank you very much for all your work on this project!