Who are the Liquidators?
The Chernobyl Liquidators were the group of people from many different walks of life who risked their own personal health and future in order to ensure a safe Europe, in the aftermath of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. While not responsible for the disaster, the Liquidators were looked to as the solution, and only hope in containing a global crisis. Liquidators actively cleaned the site from 1986 to 1989, totaling around 300,000 individuals involved in the cleanup effort.
"Following the dissolution of the USSR in the 1990s, the health of liquidators has proved difficult to monitor. This has been compounded by Russia’s reluctance to provide the true figures for the disaster, or even on make serious estimates. [...] the health toll for the survivors continues to be a matter of debate. One advocacy group, the Chernobyl Union, says 90,000 of the 200,000 surviving liquidators have major long-term health problems." - The Chernobyl Gallery
Liquidators Historical Background
Liquidators puts players in the boots of the 3 real life liquidators directly responsible for saving Europe from centuries of nuclear fallout.
"On 4 May 1986, just a few days after the initial disaster, mechanical engineer Alexei Ananenko, senior engineer Valeri Bespalov and shift supervisor Boris Baranov stepped forward to undertake a mission that many considered to be suicide. They were advised that if they did not survive their families would be taken care of. The outcome of their mission would decide the fate of millions of people; its importance was unparalleled in its magnitude and represents one of history’s greatest sliding doors moments." -History.co.uk
Players are given the task of releasing the 5 water valves located throughout the interconnected basement, avoiding hazardous conditions all along the way. The situation depicted in Liquidators was successfully completed by the 3 heroes named above, with no room for even the slightest error. In recognition of the criticality of this mission, Liquidators has been designed to recreate these same stakes. Every moment is permanent. All is at stake.
While the exact layout of the reactor basement has not been recreated in this experience, it was a continual effort throughout development process to keep the setting of Liquidators authentic. Few images of the reactor basement exist, but these few images were used to inspire the atmosphere of this experience.
What is Liquidators
Liquidators is an interactive experience developed by a team of volunteers; entirely in the effort of bringing attention to the selfless acts of all Liquidators involved in the cleanup after the Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster. We are a small team of multiple national and religious identities, who have worked for free on this project for the past year and a half. Since the conception of the game, it has always been intended to be profitless, which has resulted in Liquidators being a free to own game. In return for the efforts, our team humbly asks that anyone moved by this project consider directing any compensation to Chernobyl related causes.
How can I help?
While our team has searched for charities which directly provide aid to Liquidators, one could not be located. We implore anyone who does know of such a charity to please contact [email protected].
Chernobyl Children International
- Aids the children whose parents were exposed to high levels of radiation because of the Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster.
Addititional sources:
wdcb.ru
ChernobylGallery.com