Ludicium DEMO

Research Artifact: Final Project

Playing as Mrs. Goat, you walk around an empty and dull subway train, meeting four interesting characters to interact with and hold brief and short conversations with before they end up getting off. The point of this game is to express how people with different mental disorders and/or psychological conditions might interact and hold short conversations, and seeks to portray them in a way that's not too exaggerated, while also comparing how an interactive form of media like video games portrays and provides deeper connections with the player when it comes to these representations than how books or films do.

The research validates that video games with storytelling can provide as amazing tools that are able to help video game players develop better empathy and more understanding during their experiences. The research shows that people who actively experience narratives personally will develop better character identification and even build stronger relationships and empathy with those characters than those who either only watch them or read about them.

Ludicium features short interactions that mirror the way people meet strangers during their daily lives. People can experience private emotional distress because they might only share their feelings through these limited social encounters. The game shows each subway train passenger as an independent person instead of their medical condition to fight against stereotypes. (Which are very common in all forms of media)

My game contains two main goals:

- The research studies video games as a way to present mental health experiences through interactive content, which then provides stronger and more personal connections than what most traditional media platforms provide. The project overall means to show how research data can be applied to video games through responsible methods.

Ludicium was created straight from my research question, which asked how interactive narrative games can represent and then reflect mental-health experiences in ways that create more empathy and human connection than traditional media. The subway setting was chosen to be dull and limited in its color palette to create a simple and quiet environment. The short conversations and character also focused structure were intentionally chosen to fit this same idea and allow the focus to stay on the characters and any reactions towards them.

My game project uses the research I gathered earlier in my class semester by translating genuine theories and discoveries into specific design choices. (example: studies on narrative transportation and character identification helped in the decision to make the interactions personal and direct, since the research did show that players who actively partake in a story develop stronger empathy skills and understanding.) Following through with ethical representation as well, the influence of choices avoids exaggerated symptoms and instead portrays more subtle and everyday like behaviors that still communicate each character’s psychological reality. These ideas were all combined to create my pride and joy of a game due to it connecting academic (and some slightly scientific) research into an interactive game.

I believe my project communicates its purpose very clearly by showing how storytelling changes the way people engage with mental health related narratives, and by explaining the design behind it, the research becomes understandable for both academic readers and regular players who find the game online.

When I think back to the process, this project drastically helped me consider how different people experience and express emotional and/or psychological struggles that many might face. It also showed how important it is to represent mental health conditions with accuracy, fairness, and respect. In conclusion, by combining technical research, creative design, and ethical awareness, this game represents a complex topic in a simple narrative way with short conversations.