  Enhancing evacuee safety is a key factor in reducing the number of injuries
and deaths that result from earthquakes. One way this can be achieved is by
training occupants. Virtual Reality (VR) and Serious Games (SGs), represent
novel techniques that may overcome the limitations of traditional training
approaches. VR and SGs have been examined in the fire emergency context,
however, their application to earthquake preparedness has not yet been
extensively examined. We provide a theoretical discussion of the advantages and
limitations of using VR SGs to investigate how building occupants behave during
earthquake evacuations and to train building occupants to cope with such
emergencies. We explore key design components for developing a VR SG framework:
(a) what features constitute an earthquake event, (b) which building types can
be selected and represented within the VR environment, (c) how damage to the
building can be determined and represented, (d) how non-player characters (NPC)
can be designed, and (e) what level of interaction there can be between NPC and
the human participants. We illustrate the above by presenting the Auckland City
Hospital, New Zealand as a case study, and propose a possible VR SG training
tool to enhance earthquake preparedness in public buildings.
