My game is inspired by a true story that occurred recently in my life and inspired also by a game called Depression quest. Generally, most of the events included are true but will be exaggerated upon to guarantee the best possible experience when playing the game. Below are 5 scenarios I will include followed by the feedback I got on the quality of each scenario.
Scenario 1:
Amanda, your best friend, rides in the car with you everyday. You start to gain feelings and things start to get hard, especially when there is another guy involved. What do you do?
Feedback 1: I cannot see any form of depression because there are no loose ends in the event. Add more detail to the event like what you feel when you are with her, why is it a problem that I would try to have a relationship with her.
Feedback 2: I would understand the situation very well because I was put in the same issue lately. Include what the person would feel when being put in the person’s shoes. Like I felt I was helpless and that she was of an unreachable standard. I started to lose hope in getting her to, not love me, like me. Include an introduction explaining the situation in as much detail as you can and try to include small uplifting emotions so that when the turning point comes the person would actually feel what it is like.
Scenario 2:
You are now at home sitting on the couch with your mother and father who are fighting everyday non-stop. You try to make things better by trying to solve the issue. You start shouting to both of them because they keep talking about getting a divorce in front of your 8 year old brother. Things start to get hectic when your mother takes your brother to the doorstep and tells you to either leave with her, or stay with your father. What do you do?
Feedback 1: I feel like I’m reading a story but without living it. It feels like any family argument you would see in any family except for the part where the mother leaves. Include what actually happens, what’s said, how you feel. Talk about the brother and how he feels. Try to make the story more intense and something you would not see everyday or unusual.
Feedback 2: This a very good case to bring a person close to feeling depression, especially when applying each event to their daily life. I would advise to be more expressive when explaining the situation. Add what you would feel when going through something like this. I would personally feel that I am alone because there is a chance that my parents will be divorced. Usually also depressive minds overthink a lot so choosing not to think about the issue isn’t an option.
Scenario 3:
Your mother takes you to your grandmother’s house. You start having a fight about how your father is treating her and your brother. You keep defending him because he is your father but she wouldn’t listen. At the same time you have a midterm tomorrow and you haven’t studied anything. Amanda calls and tells you she loves the boy she’s interested in and he took her on a date. What do you do?
Feedback 1:
I know someone who went through a situation like this. They felt they were getting chocked from the overwhelming number of problems. Add some emotions someone might feel if they were to be put in the situation and include the call late after actually catching the player’s feelings in the first part where the mother and the player are having a fight, then include the call.
Feedback 2:
Add more detail to the story line, introduce the idea that they are fighting and make the player live the moment then add in the call from Amanda. I would say not to give an indication just yet that she is sure that the other boy is suitable for her. Keep it till the end where everything falls completely apart.
Scenario 4:
You decide to stay with your father. You have an angry father who likes things only in his ways. You start to have a fight to defend your mother in front of him to help solve the issue where he tells you to go to your room in the end. He enters the room raging and telling you that you’re not the son he always wanted. From the way he treated you, you have no more energy to do any work from your midterm. (Tomorrow)
Feedback 1:
This scene is unusual to see but lacks emotions. include the factor of imagination in the story. Help the player imagine he is actually living in the situation. He needs to read the emotions you want them to feel, in order to actually feel them.
Feedback 2:
Try to make the scene more graphic. Include more detail and change the part where the father says you are not the son I always wanted. Make him do something gruesome and harsh.
Scenario 5:
You are at your midterm exam and there are 10 mins left until time is up and you haven’t finished half of the exam. You stay after your classes are finished so that you would take Amanda with you. In the middle of the call between you and Amanda, your grandmother calls you to tell you that you need to go to the hospital right away.
Feedback 1:
This scene is very good. It includes many forms of anxiety. I like the fact that it has a factor of suspense. You still don’t know what happened and I think the next scenario should be the plot twist of the whole story where everything starts to fall apart.
Feedback 2:
I like the idea where many things are occurring at the same time. You have no time to think or take a decision. Include also some emotions. You actually got me in this part because I felt anxious. Adding more detail to it will multiply the feeling.
Digital Literacies 