Playing these 3 games helped me really understand how games can teach us important lessons by basically allowing us to learn from the other person’s viewpoint. Although the games were very different, they all made me think about empathy, communication, and the challenges people face in their daily lives.
Game 1: Empathy Toy (Physical Game)
While conducting the Empathy Toy activity in class, I was the one with the blindfold on who was supposed to construct a toy using wooden pieces as my classmates guided me.
How I felt: At first I felt very confused and frustrated, but when I did something right (like putting the cubes in its right place), my relief and sense of comfort would definitely outweigh my concerns.
What I liked/enjoyed and disliked: I enjoyed the challenge of not seeing others but still communicating, and the challenge of trust. It was sometimes hard to understand exactly what my classmates wanted me to do, however I didn’t like that.
What I learned: I learned that communication is not always as easy as we think. A simple thing to one may be complicated for another. I also learned about the need for patience, trust, and empathy through this activity. I learned about the importance of communication and what it means, not only to give instructions but hear the other person’s point of view as well.
What could be improved: It could be improved if participants got a short practice round before playing the game. This would definitely aid their comprehension of how to communicate well without the blindfold, yet retain the challenge.
Game 2: Darfur Is Dying (Professionally Created Game)
How I felt: I found this game both difficult and frustrating at first. When I attempted to gather water, I was captured by the militia! Then, when I entered the camp, I was really overwhelmed with all that needed to be done, such as food, water, shelter and health. When the militia attacked the camp, stole our resources, and destroyed homes, I felt sad and helpless. It made me wonder how hard it must be for refugees who actually face such realities and who can’t just simply reboot the game.
What I liked and disliked: I loved being able to experience some of the challenges that refugees face rather than just reading about them from the game. But I didn’t like the fact that it was very hard to control everything at once, particularly when attacked by the camp and I was unable to ward it off.
What I learned:You can’t always get away to a safe place when someone is in danger. Many refugees experience great difficulties even within the camps, particularly in terms of food, water, shelter and other essential needs. At the same time, I had the opportunity to learn how quickly things that have been built with hard work can be destroyed due to conflict.
What could be improved: I believe the game should have better instructions before players take the role of camp manager. At first, I did not understand what I was supposed to do until I played the game several times. Therefore, clearer instructions would really facilitate the tasks and at the same time convey the difficulty of refugees’ lives.
Game 3: Street-Sweeper (Student-Created Game)
How I felt: I felt really helpless playing this game, especially when I had to make tough decisions and do my best to support the family. I played as a street sweeper in Cairo who earned only 800 LE per month. Even though I kept working hard, I faced more problems throughout the day. The most difficult decision for me was choosing between buying medication and feeding my family. I decided to buy the medication and beg for money to feed them. I felt helpless because I was doing everything I could, yet it still wasn’t enough. The game ended with me spending the night begging instead of being with my family.
What I liked and disliked: I enjoyed the realistic scenarios set up by the game and the opportunities given to make decisions. I remember once when a woman came to me with a bag, I decided to help in any way I could and she was dropping off clothes that would make my family happy. I enjoyed this example of how a small kindness can make a difference. I didn’t like some situations, though, like having to work longer hours and get no extra pay; having my garbage bin stolen while I was working.
What I learned: I learned that they are capable of working very hard and still can’t afford to pay their rent. Let’s not make judgment about the situation before we understand the challenges the person is dealing with. I also discovered that people often have to decide between two things that are equally important when they are in poverty; such as their health and their family’s needs.
What could be improved: In some cases there should be more options available in the game. For instance, rather than just using medication or food, players might be able to opt for support from the community or financial help. This could help players explore possible solutions while still understanding how difficult poverty can be.
Comparing the Three Games
All three games were unique; although they are different, I did notice that they had one thing in common which is: how they help players to understand the experiences of others and to develop empathy. The Empathy Toy was focused primarily towards communication and trust. I had to rely on the verbal cues of others and so I learned how difficult it can be to communicate with someone who is seeing things differently from you, since I was blindfolded. Unlike the other two games, it involved direct interaction with my classmates rather than making decisions on a screen. Street-Sweeper and Darfur Is Dying had some similarities in this regard: both put me in challenging environments that didn’t give me much control over the events that occurred. In Darfur Is Dying, I was attempting to survive, and to try to save a refugee camp from being attacked. In Street-Sweeper I had to be working and providing for my family even through these unfair circumstances. However, the feelings they created were slightly different. In Darfur Is Dying, I felt sad and helpless when the camp was attacked and everything was taken away. In Street-Sweeper, I felt helpless because even when I kept working and making what I thought were the best decisions, I still couldn’t meet all my family’s needs. One interesting difference was the role of choices. I was really sad and helpless when the camp was attacked and everything was taken away in Darfur Is Dying. I felt both overwhelmed and helpless in Street-Sweeper because no matter how hard I tried and how much I did the best I could, I could not take care of all my family’s needs. One thing of interest that was different is that of choice. I had some options in Street-Sweeper for how to deal with issues, but the choices were not always fair. Even when I did my level best, I could still be attacked by something else in Darfur Is Dying that could ruin my progress. The Empathy Toy was the one that was different, in that I could learn through communication and co-operation with others.
Connection to the Syrian Refugees Game
I also found it interesting to compare Darfur Is Dying with the Syrian Refugees game. In the Syrian Refugees game, I had to make decisions about how and where to escape to safety. However, in Darfur Is Dying, I experienced the difficulties refugees continue to face while living in a camp. This helped me realize that escaping conflict does not mean that someone’s struggles are over (A person doesn’t stop fighting when they avoid fighting). Both games also showed me how difficult it can be to make decisions when your safety and survival are at risk. Overall, these games gave me the lesson that it is more than just being sorry for somebody. It is an attempt to grasp their experiences and difficulties and why they made their choices. At the same time, I recognize that playing a game cannot fully represent what someone experiences in real life.
If I Could Create My Own Narrative Game
If I could make my own game, it would be called “Before You Judge”. This would involve displaying images of different people in various situations, and asking players to make a first impression on what they are doing. They may observe a student who is chronically absent from class or a worker who is not successful with a simple task. Afterwards, the player will have the chance to have a day in that person’s experience and find out what problems they have to deal with. For instance, the student may be late because they need to work to support their family, and the worker may be having difficulties because they are working long hours and are exhausted. Players would make decisions throughout the story, and each decision would lead to different consequences. I would also include a feature that shows how much time, money, and energy the character has left, making the decisions more challenging. At the end, players would be presented with their original assessment again and asked which one they had changed their minds about, since they had been exposed to the character’s situation.
I would want my game to teach people not to judge others too quickly because we never know what someone else might be going through.
So, in a nutshell, these three games helped me understand that everyone faces different challenges, and sometimes people have fewer choices than we realize. My biggest takeaway is that we should try to understand someone’s situation before judging their actions!! I also realized how powerful games can be in making us think about issues that we might otherwise overlook.
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