2talk gls2012

OOPS!
I LEARNED
SOMETHING
Teaching via Game Mechanics
Francisco Souki - Schell Games
Wednesday, March 20, 2013

SCHELL GAMES

Codename BurrowQuest
THE PROJECT

THE PROJECT
•Mobile Game - distilled RPG

THE PROJECT
•Still in development

THE PROJECT
•Still in development
•Provide kids 11-13 with tools to
navigate high-pressure situations

SCHELL
GAMES
BEST
DRUG
STRATEGIES
THE PROJECT

SCHELL
GAMES
BEST
•Free Game
•Great Purpose
•Good Exposure
•No
Microtransactions
•Work with
traditional Studio
•Can keep control
of vision
THE PROJECT

SCHELL
GAMES
BEST
•Free Game
•Great Purpose
•Good Exposure
•No
Microtransactions
•Work with
traditional Studio
•Can keep control
of vision
Win - Win
THE PROJECT

Realistically, Teens will get exposed
to substances eventually
So:
GAME GOALS

So:
• Create a fun game
• Introduce players to
pressure situations
• Introduce internal and
external pressures
• Show that players don’t
need to give in to be cool
GAME GOALS

So:
• Create a fun game
• Introduce players to
pressure situations
• Introduce internal and
external pressures
• Show that players don’t
need to give in to be cool
• No preaching or
speaking down
• Mechanism for positive
peer support
• Emphasize that the
majority don’t use
substances
GAME GOALS

Pretty clear that kids 11-13 don’t
want to play an educational game
about substance use.
HOWEVER...
Solution:

Pretty clear that kids 11-13 don’t
want to play an educational game
about substance use.
HEAD FAKE!
HOWEVER...
Solution:

MEANING...
Ingrain the messaging into the story and
the mechanics

THE STORY
A society of sentient mice is under the threat
of the mysterious Lumini

THE STORY

THE STORY
• Why mice ?

THE STORY
• Why mice ?
•Still real world

THE STORY
• Why mice ?
•Still real world
• Control, not Willpower

THE STORY
• Why mice ?
•Still real world
• Chapters explore loss of control

THE STORY
• Why mice ?
•Still real world
• e.g. Conﬁdence -> Arrogance

THE STORY
• Why mice ?
•Still real world
• e.g. Conﬁdence -> Arrogance
•e.g. Community -> Conformity

MECHANICS: COMBAT

MECHANICS: COMBAT
• Pressure situations feel
like combat

MECHANICS: COMBAT
• Pressure situations feel
like combat
• “Powers” as tools player
can take to the real world

COMBAT

COMBAT
Power 1 Power 2 Power 3

COMBAT
You’ll like it. We all do.

COMBAT
I don’t believe that.
You’ll like it. We all do.

COMBAT
Rogues - Low Tension
Mages - Med Tension
Warrior - High Tension
We’re just looking out for you!

COMBAT
Mages - Med Tension
This isn’t the best time.

COMBAT
Mages - Med Tension
I can look after myself.

COMBAT
Mages - Med Tension
I can look after myself.
Don’t even try coming at me like
that.

COMBAT
Combat dialogue
• Saying ‘no’
• Offering an alternative - Low
• Giving a reason - Med
• Standing up to pressure - High
• Stress management
• Self motivation

RECRUITING NEW MICE
Different background, personalities and reasons to join

CONDITIONS
• Negative
consequence to
failing missions
• Leave mice out of
action for a bit
• Mice need to work
through them
Examples
Angry
Embarrassed
Lonely
Bored
Hyper

MULTIPLAYER
Asynchronous Multiplayer
• Player can take friends’ mice on speciﬁc battles
• Normative education
• Positive peer group
• ‘You’re not alone in this’

CONCLUSION
Traditional studio + non-proﬁt has worked
great
Make a FUN game ﬁrst
Integrate the message into the mechanics,
then worry about making an awesome game

THANK YOU!
fsouki@schellgames.com

TESTING

TESTING
• Not straightforward

TESTING
• Analytics hooks are in place

TESTING
• Exposure to messaging
is inevitable

TESTING
• Exposure to messaging
is inevitable
• Behavioral changes more
difﬁcult to measure

Don’t you like me?
* I like you, but not in that
way
* I prefer taking things
slower
* Not when you’re like this.
We could do so much together.
* Not in the mood right now,
sorry.
* I really should get going.
* I’m not into the stuff you wanna
do.
Trust me, I’m looking out for you.
* That doesn’t make you right.
* Well, I don’t trust you. Back off.
* I’m strong enough.

2talk gls2012

Recomendados

Recomendados

Mais conteúdo relacionado

Último

Último (20)

Destaque

Destaque (20)

2talk gls2012