Game 1 peer destruction
Link: Peer destruction
Likes
-I like how specific the game is, it has a script format which really helps you engage in the conversation.
-The game is clear and easy to navigate and provides 2 contrasting options to choose from which allows the viewer to live the game with whatever scenario they relate to more.
-a lot of the scenarios included are actually really relatable which is reassuring in the sense that it shows us we aren’t alone, and that others also experience what we experience.
-adds information about the effects of body shaming at the end, which educates those who have limited knowledge about the situation. and helps some see how their actions affect others.
Dislikes
-I personally didn’t have a problem with this, but i feel like some slides have a lot of text in them, which could be difficult for some other players. It could be an issue of literary, clarity or it could just leave them un interested or bored.
-I also feel like it would’ve been a lot more engaging and fun if there were brighter colors, fonts, graphics and images to really help us live in the situation and stay engaged.
-some language used could be triggering or hurtful to some. For example, one slide says, “the pit in your stomach falls deeper, you feel bigger, even more like an unwanted bulldozer that will explode from fatness very soon.” If an overweight person reads something like that it reinforces the idea that their weight defines them and that being overweight is a very bad thing. It may create body image issues for a person who didn’t previously have any. So here I think it’s better to leave out the use of insensitive words, phrases or ideas.
-i think the creators got confused between being relatable and being insulting. In some cases they properly described the spotlight effect, the feeling of having everyone stare, the feeling of the pit in your stomach and overall just things an overweight person may experience. but towards the end they got a bit carried away and began using inappropriate language and triggering scenarios which could negatively impact the person playing the game.
-in the game being overweight or underweight is presented as something very bad or not ideal which is harmful to players.
-links the idea of being overweight with suicide, which is very wrong as it could be interpreted in any kind of way by different people. It could make some feel like because they are over/underweight they are less and that they’re life no longer has value.
What I learned
-I didn’t really learn anything new about this topic. A big portion of my life involved losing and gaining weight so I understand how these things go. But the game reminded me just how easily affected people can be by body image issues and dysmorphia.
-However I did find the facts at the end of the game interesting.
What can be improved
-suicide is mentioned in one of the slides. i think it’s necessary to add some kind of trigger warning or even a suicide help or awareness hotline/link as it’s a very delicate and sensitive subject. I think adding a trigger warning at the start of the slide show just to make players aware of what may be said would be really useful.
-brighter colors, creative fonts, images, graphics, aesthetics.
-shorter text to keep audiences engaged and interested.
-change some of the language used to make it more sensitive to viewers.
Game 2 gender equality
Link: Defying gender roles
Likes
-I like how the first slide kind of tells you what you’re going to be learning today or what the objectives of the game is, it makes its purpose/goal clearer.
-includes images to help the player live in the game and visualize the setting.
-the scenarios are detailed and relatable and include images as well.
-choices are clear and questions are short and simple, which makes sure that there is no misunderstanding or boredom.
-I like how they praised the lifestyle of an unmarried working woman, it makes sure that there is no discrimination. They also like positive words like strong, happy, independent etc while respectfully telling you the advantages and disadvantages of living this lifestyle.
Dislikes
-The first paragraph gives you a character overview in a paragraph, this personally made me dread reading and want to pick another game, especially after just playing one with long text.
-The slideshow is a bit bland/boring. The colors are plain and there are no interesting graphics or fonts.
-I personally think that the game was a bit basic. I actually really liked the way it was organized and formatted, I just feel like the topic is a bit too relatable that any option I chose didn’t have a shocking outcome to me. I felt like it was all basic knowledge and just overall something that most women have probably heard about or experienced first hand.
What can be improved
-In the first slide, where your background info is given to you, I think writing it in a continuous paragraph isn’t the best. It can be displayed in bullet points (Name:…, Age:…) then for the more detailed bits keep it in shorter sentences.
-I think adding transitions or effects in the slides would also keep the player engaged. So every time I press a button another sentence is revealed to me. This gives little bits of info at a time but is better than just giving the players a chunky paragraph to read.
-Better design, graphics and aesthetics are missing. I really liked the slide show overall, I just think it’s missing a bit of color and graphics/visuals.
What I learned
-Again not much was really learned due to gender roles being normalized and something common in many cultures. But one thing that got me thinking was the outcome of choosing to defy society. The options that led to an unwed, career driven, 50 year old woman got me thinking about my own choices, but also annoyed me. The double standard of men being able to work whatever job they want but women not, is extremely unfair. The slideshow basically tells us that a woman’s career choices can lead to her being unmarried and without kids. What if I want to get married and have kids? Why would working stop me and why is it one or the other?
Game 3 losing a parent
Link: Losing A Parent
Likes
-Includes a detailed trigger warning that informs the player of the contents of the game and also suggests seeking help if needed. This considers the safety and mental wellbeing of the players.
-Starts by giving an overview of the games with the objectives and background of the situation. This helps keep things clear and provides a detailed explanation of the person you will be playing.
-Provides very detailed, specific and (i think) realistic situations/events. This really helps you get into the game and start empathizing with the character. The way it’s described really makes you feel like you’re that person.
-The language used is very descriptive yet suitable to the situation. No insensitive language is used and the paragraphs are actually really well written.
-I like how both the positives and negatives of any option are given. It’s realistic and balanced, showing that when making a decision there will always be a trade off. It also shows us how difficult these decisions are, because a decision you may think is easy to make, may actually have a lot of drawbacks and negative outcomes.
-Gives advice and reassurance in a very nice message at the end. I think it helps those who have experienced something like this before gain a sense of comfort from it, and those who haven’t been understanding and aware of the situation.
Dislikes
-There isn’t very much i dislike about it but i think using a google form wasn’t the best option. A well designed, interactive google slide would’ve been much nicer. Adding colors, images, graphics, effects etc would’ve taken it to the next level.
-I didn’t really have an issue with this because the way the text was written was very nice and very descriptive, but there is a lot of writing which may bore some of the players.
What can be improved
-For this game i feel like adding a time limit or timer on the question would help show how stressful events like these really are. It’s not necessary but I feel like putting time pressure on a stressful situation will help the players empathize even more.
-Using a different site, like a presentation could’ve been much better for a game like this.
-Colors, graphics, fonts etc to make it more interactive and engaging.
What I learned
-Seeing the scenarios, options and consequences in front of me and having to choose showed me how difficult moments in life like these are. It truly made me empathize with those who have lost parents or family members before.
-It made me realize that I really don’t know how I’d react in a situation like this. There are many options to choose between and almost every time there is an option I know is right/ideal but at the same time there’s an option that is more likely to happen. For example, one question asks whether I’d speak about my father in stories because he’s still an important part of my life, or if I’d leave him out of stories because it upsets me. Right now when I’m deciding I want to speak about my father but knowing me, my personality and how sensitive I am, I think I’d probably find it difficult to speak about him. So there’s kind of a conflict when I’m choosing.
Game 4 sleep deprived mom game
Link: Sleep deprived mom game
Likes
-The game includes instructions at the start of the game to help guide players and also includes the purpose and objectives of the game to help them better understand the content.
-Short specific questions/ options to keep the audience interested and provide detailed consequences with reasoning, it even gives small tips to handle certain situations.
-Background of the google form is a nice shade of blue. I feel like if it had been another dark, bland or boring color I wouldn’t have been as excited to answer the questions as I am.
-I really like how the game is set in a week’s timeframe. It kind of gives the idea that I’m living a week in a mother’s shoes and just makes the game more organized and directed.
-The game gives you a score at the end (I got 10/14). I think having a score or a win/lose in a game makes it funner and more satisfying so i really appreciated that. However in this case when a game is more about raising awareness a score isn’t always necessary and isn’t always applicable.
-Game feedback was given for each answer, they were reassuring comments or comments just explaining why another answer may be more suitable.
Dislikes
-I disliked very little about this game, but I still stand by my claim that a google slide would be much nicer. I think the only thing missing from the game are the graphics, because what is a game without design?
What can be improved
-Addition of graphics or images to help the players live in the moment and visualize the scenario.
What I learned
-When answering the questions, there are so many what if’s to each option. This made it so hard to choose because the option could go in any direction and end up in me either sleeping early or not sleeping at all. This just helped me see how difficult mothers have it.
-It displays the difficulties of motherhood really well with the questions, options and consequences. Showing us that putting your child first and having your priorities in order will result in you missing out on a lot and also may result in you losing an insane amount of sleep.
Physical Game: Step forward Identity Game.
Likes
-It was interactive and kept the students engaged because we had to listen, think, reflect then decide whether we were able to take a step forward.
-taking a step forward makes it so much more meaningful.
-There was a lot of variety in identities. We divided the groups into a lot of different subgroups and were able to get a lot of interesting combinations of individuals which allowed us to put ourselves in the shoes of individuals we’ve never thought of before.
Dislikes
-The questions weren’t really specific so it was hard to decide if it was something we could do or not.
Improvements
-Make questions more specific and maybe give each individual a more specific background/character with multiple traits. It would allow us to answer the questions more accurately.
What I learned
-People’s identities/upbringings can affect the opportunities and privileges they have in society. It also helped me realize that every person has a very different life meaning they experience things very differently.
Comparison:
All the games have the same objective to raise awareness about different challenges experienced by people. They put us in the shoes of others who have lived through events we may have not, and help us see how difficult they may be. Game 3 and 4 were much more detailed in their explanations than the first 2. This was mainly because of the way the questions and options were phrased . Game 2 was close to 3,4 as it included images and a good description of the setting but wasn’t specific enough. Game 1 was way too specific, in a way that bored me. It also got carried away and began adding insensitive language. None of the games really met my expectations in terms of design. Game 4 was the only one that had a pleasant color that made the google form more bearable to fill out.
What I want for my game:
One thing I’d like to focus on for my game is the game design itself. I really think having an appealing design, graphics, colors and fonts takes the game to another level. I also want to make sure that I’m able to write specific questions and options while keeping them short and clear to avoid confusion but also keep the players engaged. I will be sure to use descriptive, emotional language to create feelings in the players and really make them feel like they are actually in their shoes. I also want to make the game short but effective to make sure that no one loses interest. I will also add a trigger warning or disclaimer if any information is sensitive.
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