Author: cmust122

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5 new Simulation Ideas

1. The “Burnout” Triage

  • Core Idea: You’re a moderator of a highly stressful online crisis community.
  • The Challenge: You have to categorize incoming DMs as crises, emotional dumping, or trolling.
  • The Goal: Help others while constantly maintaining your own “Battery Life” to avoid burnout.
  • Main Takeaway: A simulation of the heavy emotional labor involved in digital support work.

2. The “Side Hustle.”

  • Core Idea: You’re running an ethical “slow fashion” business in a “fast fashion” world.
  • The Challenge: You have to source your materials ethically, like using deadstock fabric, and deal with shipping delays.
  • The Goal: Survive social media “cancel culture” from delays and high prices.
  • Main Takeaway: It shows the difficulty of prioritizing ethics over profit in a global economy.

3. The “Guerrilla” Urbanist

  • Core Idea: You’re a secret community activist working on improving your neighborhood without permission.
  • The Challenge: “Illegally” install things like a DIY bike lane, seed bombs, and unauthorized benches.
  • The Goal: Improve the neighborhood by lowering the “neighborhood temperature” while avoiding the authorities.
  • Main Takeaway: A simulation of community-led activism outside of the slow, top-down government bureaucracy.

4. The “Ghosted” Remote Op

  • Core Idea: A two-player commentary on the state of remote work.
    • Player 1 (“New Hire”): Stuck in a broken, surreal VR corporate training experience with weird glitches.
    • Player 2 (“IT Support”): Has to fix the connection using an outdated, 10-year-old manual.
  • The Goal: Player 2 has to guide Player 1 out of the experience before they get “fired” (disconnected).
  • Main Takeaway: A commentary on the isolation and weird lack of human connection in corporate remote communication.

5. The “Rage-Bait” Architect

  • Core Idea: A game about you, the “Engagement Hacker,” making viral videos for a video creator agency.
  • The Mechanic: Cut your videos to be as “Rage-Bait” as possible to exploit the algorithm and go viral.
  • The Goal: Reach 1 Million followers.
  • The Twist: Your success fills the “Global Anxiety” bar, and you start to see the negative effects of your content in the in-game news.
  • Main Takeaway: A simulation of digital complicity and the cost of going viral.

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Revised Rules:

Life Advice: Game Rules & Directions

Type: Party card game
Players: 4-8
Time: 15-20 minutes per session
Goal: Win rounds by submitting the worst possible advice for real mental health struggles

Components

  • Prompt Cards: Describe real mental health situations (e.x, anxiety, burnout, imposter syndrome, loneliness)
  • Advice Cards: Wildly unhelpful, tone-deaf, or cliché advice
  • Reality Check Cards: Highlight what actual helpful support looks like

Setup

  1. Shuffle Prompt Cards and place in a face-down pile.
  2. Shuffle the Advice Cards and deal 3 cards to each player.
  3. Shuffle Reality Check Cards and deal 3 cards to each player.
  4. Decide who will be the first Judge (can be the youngest player, or randomly).

Gameplay

Step 1: Draw a Prompt and Advice

  • The Judge draws the top Prompt Card and reads it aloud to all players.

Step 2: Play Advice

  • Each player (except the Judge) selects one  Advice Card from their hand that they think is the best.
  • Cards are submitted face down to the Judge.

Step 3: Judge Chooses

  • The Judge shuffles the submitted Advice Cards and reads them aloud.
  • The Judge selects the most realistic Advice, awarding the Advice Card to the player who submitted it at the end of the 2nd Judge’s pick. Those will be kept in their own separate “won” pile to be used at the end of the game.

Step 4: Play Reality Check

  • Each player (except the Judge) selects one Reality Check Card from their hand that they think is the most helpful within the chosen situation (Prompt Card + Advice Card).
  • Cards are submitted face down to the Judge.

Step 5: Judge Chooses

  • The Judge shuffles the submitted Reality Check Cards and reads them aloud.
  • The Judge selects the most useful, awarding the Reality Check Card to the player who submitted it. Those will be kept in their own separate “won” pile to be used at the end of the game.

Step 6: Refill Hands

  • All players draw back up to 3 Advice Cards.
  • All players draw back up to 3 Reality Check Cards.

Step 7: Rotate Judge

  • The role of Judge passes clockwise for the next round.

Winning

  • Play 5–10 rounds (or as long as desired).
  • Players add up their points
    • Winning advice cards are worth +3 points each 
    • Winning Reality Check Cards are worth +5 points each
  • Player with the most points at the end wins.
  • Optional: Debrief together to discuss insights about listening, empathy, and mental health at the end of each round
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Serious Game Ideas Week 4

  1. Mind Matters (Monopoly-Style Mental Health Game)
  • Goal: Stay mentally balanced, not rich
  • Win/Lose: Cooperative win if players avoid burnout; group loss if too many burn out
  • Money – Energy Points: Used for all actions
  • Properties – Life Areas: School, Work, Friends, Sleep, Hobbies
  • Railroads – Support Systems: Therapy, Family, Friends
  • Utilities – Coping Skills: Exercise, Mindfulness, Journaling
  • Houses/Hotels – Habits & Routines: Help energy, overbuilding causes burnout
  • Chance/Community Chest – Stressors & Support
  • Jail – Burnout: Pause, rest, or accept help to recover
  • Message: Balance matters, burnout is real, and asking for help is part of the game
  1. Panic Attack! (Exploding Kittens-Style Mental Health Card Game)
  • Type: Fast party card game (2-6 players, 10-15 min)
  • Goal: Avoid panic spirals and survive the deck
  • Panic Cards: Knock you out unless defused
  • Coping Cards: Breathing, Grounding, Text a Friend (cancel Panic)
  • Stress Cards: Force draws, skips, shuffles
  • Avoidance Cards: Skip, See the Future, Shuffle
  • Twist:
    • Coping cards are limited
    • Some Panic cards require help from another player
  • Win: Last player standing or cooperative survival
  • Message: Panic is sudden, coping takes effort, support matters
  1. Unhelpful Advice – (Based on Bad Thearapist but better bc that game is not good)
  • Type: Party card game | 3-8 players | 15-20 minutes
  • Goal: Win rounds by matching the worst advice to serious mental health prompts
  • Prompt Cards: Real struggles (anxiety, burnout, imposter syndrome, loneliness)
  • Advice Cards: Wildly unhelpful, tone-deaf, or cliché responses
  • Judge Role: One player picks the “most realistically awful” advice
  • Scoring: Judge awards a point to the winning advice
  • Twist:
    • Occasional Reality Check Cards pause the game to share what actual helpful support looks like
    • Optional debrief at the end of rounds
  • Tone: Dark humor with boundaries (no slurs, no glamorizing harm)
  • Message: Bad advice is common, listening matters, and mental health isn’t one-size-fits-all
  1. Dear Me – Therapy Edition (Journaling Mental Health Game)
  • Setting: Individual or group therapy, school counseling
  • Players: 1–6 or solo
  • Goal: Guided self-reflection and emotional regulation
  • Levels:
    • Grounding – identify emotions and body sensations
    • Reflection – explore patterns and self-talk
    • Growth – values, strengths, future goals
  • Journaling:
    • Timed writing (2-5 minutes per prompt)
    • Writing required, sharing optional
    • Skipping is allowed without explanation
  • Therapist Cards:
    • Pause (breathing/grounding)
    • Reframe (thought challenges)
    • Strengths (coping skills)
  • Win Condition: None
  • Message: Self-awareness, consent, and healing over performance
  1. Spoon Buffet (Sushi Go – Style Mental Health Game)
  • Type: Drafting/set-building card game | 2-5 players | 15-20 min
  • Goal: Manage your “spoons” (energy) each day and avoid burnout
  • Card Types:
    • Task Cards – Work, School, Chores (cost spoons)
    • Self-Care Cards – Sleep, Exercise, Mindfulness (restore spoons)
    • Support Cards – Friends, Therapy, Family (protect or boost spoons)
    • Stress Cards – Anxiety, Overcommitment, Unexpected Events (drain spoons unless countered)
  • Mechanics:
    • Draft one card per round, pass the rest (like Sushi Go!)
    • Plan to avoid running out of spoons
    • Some Stress cards require help from other players
  • Scoring / Win:
    • Points for ending with the most spoons preserved
    • Penalties for “spoon debt” (overexertion)
    • Optional cooperative mode: group wins by balancing total spoons
  • Message:
    • Mental health is finite; energy management matters
    • Self-care restores energy; support prevents burnout
    • Recognizing limits is key; overextending has consequences
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Read and ?s

  1. What learning games have you played? can you categorize them by learning theory: behaviorism, constructivism, or social nature? if you played more than one which was the most effective?
    • Learning games can be divided along behaviorist, “drill and practice” models such as Math Blaster or Logical Journey of the Zoombinis; constructivism and constructionism, focusing on construction and creativity in games such as The Incredible Machine or LEGO Mindstorms; and the social dimension of learning, as seen in communities such as MOOSE Crossing. The best learning games are those that avoid “chocolate-dipped broccoli,” or “gamification” of uninteresting activities by embedding them in something else fun, and instead make learning itself inherently engaging by using mechanisms such as decision-making and role-playing. “Shallow gamification” has been dismissed as “exploitationware,” but “Serious Games” such as Nightmare: Malaria are effective because they integrate their message as part of gameplay.
  2. Is gamification bullshit? What is Ian Bogost’s argument, and do you agree? Where have you encountered it outside of class, and what was your experience?
    • Ian Bogost has perhaps crystallized this argument most strongly, stating that gamification is essentially marketing nonsense and referring to it as “exploitationware” since essentially what gamification does is reduce the rich complexity of games into simple, repetitive elements and then proceeds to sell a simple guide on how to do business with such simple techniques. This, of course, is also the concern expressed by most researchers of gamification: an “unwholesome” design described as being “chocolate-covered broccoli” – taking an underlying difficult learning experience and adding a little bit of fun to drown out the process. If we look outside the classroom, we see one end of the spectrum focusing on trivial point systems, while the other end is focused on Serious Games, which have a tangible impact, like Nightmare: Malaria, which incorporates actual decision-making processes, or health-related apps like Zombies, Run! and SuperBetter, which integrate a purposeful goal into the actual game. If we look at the business world, we again see this spectrum, ranging from the recruitment game America’s Army, to team building game Everest Manager.
  3. What is a serious game, and why aren’t they chocolate-covered broccoli?
    • A serious game, on the other hand, is a piece of gaming created to deliver a specific, purposeful message. Serious games are commonly created for learning or training, with K-12 learners, health professionals, and corporate employees as their common audience. They are different from edutainment because they make learners deal with complex rules and accept feedback immediately within a specific setting, such as recruitment missions in America’s Army or STEM exploration in The Radix Endeavor. Thus, a serious game is not akin to a “chocolate-covered broccoli” game, a metaphor for edutainment whose core is boring, as opposed to its entertaining surface. Serious games, rather, make the process of learning enjoyable at its core. While initial edutainment like the first version of Math Blaster offers rewards for learning, such as shooting mini-games, serious games incorporate learning into essential mechanics of choice, problem-solving, role-playing, and others. A good example of this is the game Nightmare: Malaria, where the dark, intense gameplay, such as evading mosquitoes inside a girl’s bloodstream, is actually part of the game’s mechanics for delivering the danger of the disease. Unlike edutainment, a serious game does not try to avoid the core idea of learning but, by avoiding this, it attempts to make learners embrace what is being learned, not merely the reward for it.
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Game Reviews

Ames’ Game Last Resort

  1. What made the experience fun or not?
    1. The experience was fun because the game was calm but still required a lot of thinking. It kind of put me in a trance while playing, since I had to focus but didn’t feel stressed.
  2. What is the motivating factor to get or keep players playing?
    1. The main motivating factor is trying to get the civilians on your side. It makes you want to keep playing so you can improve your strategy and win them over.
  3. Is the game persuasive, and what is it trying to get you to do outside of the game?
    1. I’m not really sure if the game is persuasive. It doesn’t clearly try to get you to do anything outside of the game.
  4. What is the game’s metaphor and which of the game’s mechanics standout?
    1. The game’s metaphor seems to be about strategy and opposing sides competing for influence. The mechanic that stood out the most was that each side had specific moves, which made gameplay more interesting and strategic.
  5. How does the gameplay make you feel? Who does the game make you feel empathy for?
    1. The gameplay makes me feel calm, but also competitive at the same time. I feel the most empathy for the civilians because they are affected by the choices made by both sides.
  6. Is the game an activist game? If so what does the game play advocate for?
    1. I don’t think the game is an activist game. It might encourage players to think differently or more strategically.
  7. Describe the game in 3 sentences or in the form of a haiku.
    1. Critical Thinking
    2. Competition slowly builds
    3. Thought shapes how you play

Crossing the Bridge

  1. What made the experience fun or not?
    1. The experience was fun but challenging. It made you think a lot, which kept it engaging.
  2. What is the motivating factor to get or keep players playing?
    1. The motivating factor is trying to cross the bridge while understanding the rules and limitations placed on you.
  3. Is the game persuasive, and what is it trying to get you to do outside of the game?
    1. Yes, because it makes you think about how people face obstacles in real life. Outside of the game, it encourages players to be more aware of challenges others may experience.
  4. What is the game’s metaphor and which of the game’s mechanics stand out?
    1. The bridge acts as a metaphor for obstacles people face. The mechanic that stands out most is how movement is restricted, which forces players to think carefully about their choices.
  5. How does the gameplay make you feel? Who does the game make you feel empathy for?
    1. The gameplay makes me feel frustrated. It makes me feel empathy for people who have limited options.
  6. Is the game an activist game? If so, what does the gameplay advocate for?
    1. I think it can be considered an activist game because it raises awareness about inequality and obstacles. It advocates for understanding and empathy toward others’ experiences.
  7. Describe the game in three sentences or in the form of a haiku.
    1. Steps feel slow and hard
      Limits shape every movement
      Understanding grows

Observance: The Board Game

  1. What made the experience fun or not?
    1. The experience was interesting but not very fun. It was more serious and made you think carefully about your choices.
  2. What is the motivating factor to get or keep players playing?
    1. The motivating factor is wanting to understand the system better and see how your decisions affect the outcome. Players keep going to see if they can improve or change the results.
  3. Is the game persuasive, and what is it trying to get you to do outside of the game?
    1. Yes, the game is persuasive because it makes players think about how rules and authority affect people. Outside of the game, it encourages players to question systems and be more aware of power and control.
  4. What is the game’s metaphor and which of the game’s mechanics stand out?
    1. The game is a metaphor for being constantly watched. The mechanic that stands out most is the limited freedom and strict rules, which shape how the game is played.
  5. How does the gameplay make you feel? Who does the game make you feel empathy for?
    1. The gameplay made me feel tense and uncomfortable at times. It made me feel empathy for people who live under strict control or constant observation.
  6. Is the game an activist game? If so, what does the gameplay advocate for?
    1. Yes, because it raises awareness about surveillance. The game advocates for thinking critically about authority and personal freedom.
  7. Describe the game in three sentences or in the form of a haiku.
    1. Eyes are always there
       Rules decide what you can do
       Freedom feels distant
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Week 3 Reading ?’s

Chapter 1

  1.  How does Mary Flanagan’s definition of a game differ from Chris Crawford’s and from Salen & Zimmerman’s?
    1. Chris Crawford says games are mostly about goals, rules, and winning; they’re kinda like math problems with competition. Salen & Zimmerman are similar, saying games are systems with rules and conflicts that give measurable results. Flanagan is different because she thinks games can do more than that. They can show culture, make statements, or even challenge people. She thinks games can be art or a way to think about society, not just play or winning.
  2.  What is an activist game?
    1.  An activist game is a game made to make you think about real-world issues. It might show unfairness or challenge the way society works. You don’t just read about a problem, you experience it by playing. The goal is to question things, imagine change, or make people see a different perspective.

Chapter 3

  1.  Go and chess are examples of games with “perfect information.” What other games share that feature?
    1. Perfect information games are ones where everyone can see everything that’s happening. Other examples are checkers, tic-tac-toe, Othello (Reversi), Nim, and Nine Men’s Morris. These games are more about strategy than luck.
  2.  Why might chance or gambling games hold spiritual or religious importance to ancient cultures?
    1. Ancient people thought random games like dice could show what the gods wanted or what fate was planning. It wasn’t just luck, they believed the results had meaning and could guide decisions or rituals.
  3.  When was the earliest battle between government/religious groups and games? What modern games have been banned or demonized?
    1. In ancient and medieval times, people banned games like dice or gambling because they thought they were sinful or bad for society. Today, examples are Dungeons & Dragons during the Satanic Panic, violent games like Mortal Kombat or GTA, gambling/loot boxes, and even online games that get restricted for political reasons.
  4.  What is a fox game, and what is a modern example?
    1. A fox game is one where one player has an advantage over everyone else. Modern examples are games like Dead by Daylight or military simulations where one side has way more resources. Flanagan uses them to show how power differences can be built into a game.
  5.  What was the purpose or intent of The Mansion of Happiness?
    1. It was a board game from the 1800s that taught kids Christian morals. You got rewards for being good and penalties for bad behavior. Basically, it was supposed to teach obedience, temperance, and piety, not just be fun.
  6.  Why do artists from the Fluxus and Surrealist movements play games? Why did Surrealists believe games might help everyone?
    1. Surrealists played games to get creative, break normal thinking, and challenge rules. Fluxus artists played games to turn everyday life into art and make people participate. Surrealists thought games could help everyone by shaking up habits and opening minds.
  7. What changes can signal profound changes in games? How were pinball games reskinned during WWII?
    1. When games change in looks, rules, or stories, it can show culture changing too. During WWII, pinball machines got military themes and patriotic symbols to boost morale.
  8.  What statements did Fluxus artists make by reskinning games like Monopoly and ping-pong?
    1. By changing classic games, they critiqued things like capitalism and competition. They also questioned rules and ownership. It showed that games aren’t neutral, they reflect culture and values.
  9. How are artists like Lilian Ball, Marcel Duchamp, Takako Saito, Yoko Ono, Gabriel Orozco, and Ruth Catlow using war games?
    1. They use war games to show how messed up war and power can be. Instead of teaching you how to win battles, the games make you think about violence, responsibility, and systems of power.
  10. Why is it important for players to have agency in a critical or serious game?
    1. Players need to make real choices, otherwise it’s just like reading a story. When you have agency, you experience consequences yourself, which makes the game more meaningful and teaches lessons in a way you feel.
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THE KAELEGO FREQUENCY RULES

An Alternate Reality Game
“Online Friendship / Upside Down”

Game Overview

You are an Archivist, tasked with protecting memories, places, and people from being lost. You do this by exploring hidden clues, recording real moments of friendship, and using old-school media like cassette tapes, letters, and folders.

The game happens in the real world and online:

  • Old or “dead” websites
  • Physical mail
  • Audio recordings
  • Real-world locations
  • Interactions with other players

There is no single main character. You are both watcher and watched, and your success depends on your connection with another player, your Online Friend.

How to Start

  1. Find the “dead” 1990s tech company website.
  2. Inspect the site’s source code.
  3. Locate a hidden PO Box address.
  4. Mail a self-addressed stamped envelope.

Rule: If you don’t send something physical, you are not in the game.

Player Roles

  • Every player is an Archivist.
  • Each Archivist is secretly paired with an Online Friend.
  • You do not know your Online Friend’s real identity.

Core Rules

1. Artifacts Are Never Perfect

  • You will receive a cassette tape or USB with scrambled audio.
  • The audio is intentionally distorted.
  • You may edit it but never make it perfect.

2. Record “Sounds of Friendship”

  • Examples: laughter, shared meals, natural conversations, cooperative work.
  • Not allowed: solo narration, acting, or music created for the game.
  • Upload your recording to the URL included in your artifact.

Rule: The sound must be a real connection with real people.

3. Listen to the Return Signal

  • The website will send back a warped melody.
  • It may contain hidden clues, reversed audio, or GPS coordinates.
  • You must listen to it, no skipping.

4. Visit the Physical Locations

  • Go to the GPS location provided (examples: old libraries, closed malls, abandoned tech spaces).
  • You may find: folders, notes, cassette fragments, or instructions from other Archivists.

Rule: Take one item and leave something behind.

5. Archivist Etiquette

  • Never remove everything from a location.
  • Never vandalize or damage the place.
  • Never tell strangers the ARG exists.

6. Your Online Friend

  • They monitor your uploads and send you fragments to interpret.
  • At some point, you will realize the “entity” observing you is another player.

Rule: Trust is optional; collaboration is inevitable.

7. Mutual Restoration

  • You cannot win alone.
  • You must complete tasks on behalf of your Online Friend (recording, traveling, or preserving).
  • You are restoring memories you never lived.

8. Use Analog Media

  • Allowed: cassette tapes, printed photos, handwritten notes, burned CDs, folders.
  • Discouraged: perfect digital files, AI-generated voices, clean edits.

Rule: Imperfection proves authenticity.

9. The Threat

  • There is no monster.
  • Danger comes from forgotten memories, missing items, and corrupted audio.
  • If something is forgotten, it becomes unsafe.

10. The End

  • The game has no official ending.
  • It concludes when:
    1. Two players acknowledge each other
    2. A final artifact is exchanged
    3. Both choose to stop or continue preserving

Rule: The friendship is the archive.

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Game Ideas

The Kaelego Frequency is an Alternate Reality Game inspired by Archive 81 that reimagines the world around you as a playground for strange rituals and restoration. It all kicks off when you stumble on what looks like a “dead” website from a 1990s tech company. If you dig into the source code, you’ll find an old-school PO Box address. Send in a self-addressed envelope and you’ll get back a warped cassette tape or a glitched-out USB drive packed with encrypted audio files. The main event? It’s called “The Reverse Feed,” where you capture and upload “friendship sounds”, think laughter with your roommates or the chaos of a group dinner, via a hidden URL. But when your audio comes back, it’s transformed into a weird, haunting remix, and it hides GPS coordinates. The clues send you on a scavenger hunt to “Physical Anchors” like sketchy old payphones or forgotten library corners, where you’ll find folders left by other players (known as “Archivists”). The deeper you go, the more you realize you’re being watched by an “Online Friend”, but plot twist: they’re another player, just like you. Together, you’re trying to restore each other’s memories and fend off something supernatural that threatens you both. In the end, it’s about forming a real bond with someone you’ve never met, all built on that Gen Z anxiety of being forgotten. Analog tech, digital mystery, and uncanny friendship, where reality and the internet get totally blurred.

The Archivist’s Echo is a narrative game built around the idea that understanding someone is the ultimate act of care. In this world obsessed with efficiency, you play as a Memory Technician, not here to “fix” old people, but to actually witness them. You enter fading minds to help organize their last thoughts, taking on all the sensory overload, emotional baggage, and weird associations they’ve collected. Instead of a linear story, you get a trippy mind-map to explore, unlocking memories by syncing your mood with the client’s vibes. It’s less about solving problems and more about validating a whole life so someone can leave with dignity. You’ll wander through a surreal, dreamlike 3D landscape, solving puzzles built around emotional resonance: pair the right sound or smell with the right memory, but don’t rush, an empathy meter forces you to slow down and literally breathe with the client, or risk losing memories forever. The visuals are all dissolving impressionist washes, like watercolors in the rain, and the binaural audio both guides you and sets the emotional tempo. If you’re into cozy indie games that hit hard, this one’s for you: low stress, high feels, and designed for anyone who wants meaning and comfort over grind or fixing what’s broken.

Mother’s Good Luck is like Coraline meets a psychological escape room, but way more unsettling. You’re this kid stuck in a perfectly curated, looping childhood made by Mother, who says she just wants to protect you forever, but it feels more like control than love. The wild part is you don’t fight your way out; you have to be empathetic and dig for the cracks in her world, called Missed Opportunities, to understand what’s broken inside her. The “Good Luck” system is genius: play by the rules and things stay warm and easy, but the minute you rebel, the world goes dark and the creepy stuff shows up, pushing you to find hidden paths out. The whole vibe flips between cozy nostalgia, like soft lighting, giant toys, and that childhood dream feel, and this eerie sense that something’s off, especially with rooms that look unfinished or sounds that turn from calming to straight-up bone-chilling. You solve puzzles by literally sewing memories back together, which is both weirdly wholesome and super unnerving. If you’re into games that mess with your feelings and flip comfort into horror, this is peak “creepy-cozy.” It’s the kind of game that makes you rethink what safety and love really mean, and whether always doing what you’re told is really for the best.

The Hive’s Debt is a social horror game with two timelines, inspired by Yellowjackets and the idea that “the past isn’t buried, it’s hungry.” Players move between the harsh winter after a team’s plane crash in the wilderness and their troubled adult lives twenty years later, as the “Wilderness” starts to affect the present. The main gameplay focuses on managing both timelines. Choices in the past, like betrayal or violence, have lasting effects in the future, showing up as paranoia, broken relationships, and blocked-off places in modern suburbia. The game avoids simple ideas of good and evil, pushing players to pick between “Primal” survival and “Civilized” morality. Primal choices help characters survive in the past but bring strange, ritual-like consequences in the present. Players must handle survival tasks like hunger and hunting in the past, while also dealing with hiding evidence and recovering memories in the present, all while trying to keep the truth hidden. The game’s look and sound set gritty wilderness horror against cold, sterile suburbia, with strange echoes connecting the two. A shared delusion system makes it hard to tell what’s real, mixing trauma and possible supernatural events. Made for fans of deep, character-driven horror, The Hive’s Debt is about social tension, moral choices, and the lasting price of survival, where recovery, time, and morality are always linked.

The Last Tea House is a narrative game inspired by The Umbrella Academy about being the “normal” sibling in a deeply dysfunctional super-powered family. Trapped in a magical Tea House during a memory-erasing storm, you’re stuck making tea, managing egos, and trying to keep everyone together while the rain outside slowly deletes who they are. The house is protected by a giant Umbrella powered by family harmony, so every argument weakens it. Your choices, where people sit, what tea you serve, and who has to sacrifice a power or memory, directly affect whether the family survives the night. Cozy on the surface but emotionally heavy underneath, the game builds to one final question: do you follow your father’s cold logic to keep the family intact, or let it fall apart so you can finally be free?

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2.5 Week 3 Games for Change Reviews

  • Detroit Become Human

1. What made the experience fun or not?

  • What made the experience feel fun was the fact that the narrative was able to connect in an emotional way as opposed to normal game play with their mechanics. the branching choices created a compelling story and Drew the user in.  overall I like the plot line and the fact that you can control the narrative while still having an underlying interesting storyline.

2. What is the motivating factor to get or keep players playing?

  • The biggest motorgating factor to keep playing was to see how the choices affected the outcome because there are so many branching paths there are so many endings which keeps the user drawn in because the story stays the same however we never quite know if that was the only ending. Honestly the game was really just investing in the storyline.

3. Is the game persuasive, and what is it trying to get you to do outside of the game?

  • I would say the game is persuasive because it’s trying to get you to keep playing even during times when the game is not even being played it encourages the audience to feel more empathy and autonomy the idea of outside the game it encourages people to look at the way Society treats others even in real world issues like discrimination overall the game creates reflection. 

4. What is the game’s metaphor and which of the game’s mechanics stand out?

  • The metaphor of the game symbolizes an oppressed population being the Androids and they’re Awakening to fight for their freedom challenging ideas of what it means to be truly human. The main mechanic that stands out is the branching Choice system that is best displayed by the flow chart this just completely drives the narrative and brings the user in to keep playing even after the game is finished.

5. How does the gameplay make you feel? Who does the game make you feel empathy for?

  • The game play feels emotionally heavy intense because it invites the user to play a moral story as opposed to a typical action game and there’s a lot of pressure to make good choices to create change and fight oppression the game makes you feel empathy for a Marcus Cara and Connor by playing directly in their shoes.

6. Is the game an activist game? If so, what does the game play advocate for?

  •  yes this is an activist game because it advocates for empathy  equity and equality by stepping you in the shoes of these other characters and their narratives overall this game  advocates for change.

7. Describe the game in 3 sentences or in the form of a haiku

Machines learn to feel
Choices ripple through futures
Freedom seeks its voice

  • Factorio

1. What made the experience fun or not?

  • What made the experience fun for me was the system design an automation because it created out of the spying game loops the idea of solving complex problems is engaging for audiences and it allows them to feel a sense of growth for simple actions overall the game is very rewarding.

2. What is the motivating factor to get or keep players playing?

  •  the motivating factor for this game was the idea of continuous Improvement there’s always a  way to make the game faster and more efficient which allows these user to be easily sucked in to so many hours of gameplay to achieve milestones.

3. Is the game persuasive, and what is it trying to get you to do outside of the game?

  • The game isn’t persuasive but it encourages analytic thinking among the audiences as well as developing logistical problem solving skills.  I didn’t see them pushing any real world agenda outside of the game but it changes the way the user thinks and their daily lives.

4. What is the game’s metaphor and which of the game’s mechanics stand out?

  • The game’s metaphor is a struggle for control over a complexity systems the idea of building and transforming chaos into order with structures to automate the process and amplify productivity. some of the standout mechanics come from the logistical systems like conveyor belts and transportation systems as well as blueprints that create reusable designs in a research Tech Tree to unlock more machines and capabilities.

5. How does the gameplay make you feel? Who does the game make you feel empathy for?

  • The gameplay made me feel strategic and clever because of the balance of expanding Productions however the game did make me feel frustrated because have how out of control the systems can get but I do feel invested in the idea of continuous creation. 

6. Is the game an activist game? If so what does the game play advocate for?

  • I didn’t necessarily see the game as categorizing under an activist game where it’s more focuses on the industry and optimization of systems but outside of the game it advocates for reflection of our industrial growth and environmental impacts. 

7. Describe the game in 3 sentences or in the form of a haiku

Belts hum in rhythm
Machines crafted by thought’s fire
Order from chaos

  • Gris

1. What made the experience fun or not?

  • What made the experience fun was the art and animation and honestly the atmosphere that the game and music provided. if you like it took the user on an emotional Journey and was on a relaxing.

2. What is the motivating factor to get or keep players playing?

  • The motivating factor to keep playing was the emotional engagement in the ability taking more and it allowed me to feel encouraged to see how the journey would unfold and what relevant themes came up.

3. Is the game persuasive, and what is it trying to get you to do outside of the game?

  • This game I would say is persuasive in a reflective and emotional way I don’t think you pushed any specific agenda but it encouraged players to think about grief and healing especially through visuals and narrative outside of the game I think it encourages users to bring introspection and empathy into their life.

4. What is the game’s metaphor and which of the game’s mechanics stand out?

  • The game’s metaphor uses a progression from monochrome to vibrant colors which allows the user to better understand processing grief and emotions.  I think as a mechanic color but a huge role and emotional state as well as the ability to progression from like skills of floating swimming and singing which represented breakthroughs.

5. How does the gameplay make you feel? Who does the game make you feel empathy for?

  • Playing this game I felt calm with the Aesthetics and the sound rather than challenged the game made me feel empathy for Grace and honestly myself and others cuz we all go through some form of Sorrow finger or despair.

6. Is the game an activist game? If so what does the gameplay advocate for?

  • I would not say this is an activist game it more so focuses on emotion exploration and the psychological experience rather than cause the gameplay does advocate for empathetic engagement with big themes like grief and acceptance.

7. Describe the game in 3 sentences or in the form of a haiku
Gray heart learns to breathe
Colors rise from silent pain
Hope walks in sunrise

  • Dumb Ways to Die

1. What made the experience fun or not?

  • I thoroughly enjoyed the game because of its quick reaction times and how short the games are.  especially someone who has ADHD and sometimes can’t stay on one thing for too long I felt like this was really engaging.

2. What is the motivating factor to get or keep players playing?

  • The motivating factor of this game is to keep beating your own high score and a variety of many games because the longer you survive the more characters you unlock and overall it’s just a chain of progression.

3. Is the game persuasive, and what is it trying to get you to do outside of the game?

  • This game is definitely persuasive because of its original intent which was to create Public Safety to avoid dangerous and Reckless Behavior in your trains and other scenarios which I had no idea coming into the game. overall it’s just trying to get people to be a little more cautious and aware of their surroundings in real life. 

4. What is the game’s metaphor and which of the game’s mechanics stand out?

  • The games metaphor and coincidentally is in the name Dumb Ways to Die because of how easy real life accidents can happen when people are not aware or careless.  I think the biggest mechanic within this game is the fast-paced mini games because it demands quick reflexes keeping each user on their toes and wear their surroundings. 

5. How does the gameplay make you feel? Who does the game make you feel empathy for?

  • The gameplay made me feel panicked but also excited because of the Split Second reactions it forces honestly with the humor in this game I don’t really feel empathy for anyone it’s just kind of funny and ridiculous. 

6. Is the game an activist game? If so what does the gameplay advocate for?

  • Going back into an earlier question yes this is an actual activist game that advocates for safe Behavior especially around trains and public safety hazard Lego listed influence real world behavior and great change. 

7. Describe the game in 3 sentences or in the form of a haiku
Beans wobble and fall
Tap fast, avoid silly ends
Learn to stay alive

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Advergames from Bogost, Ian. Persuasive Games: 

The expressive power of video games

Reading Responses

  1. What advergames have you played? Did they influence a purchase outside of the game?
    • I have played Chex Quest, Chipotle’s The Scarecrow, and Chick-fil-A and their app game. The Chick-fil-A game definitely influenced my purchases outside of the game because I was using the game to earn points, and I would even say the Starbucks holiday Scavenger Hunt game, which I would use to collect more points towards my purchases, so it felt like free money. 
  2. Why do the advergames ”tooth protector” and “escape” work? What makes ” Chase the Chuckwagon” and “Shark Bait” fail?
    • These advergames work because they prioritize procedural rhetoric where the Brand’s message is conveyed and seen throughout the rules and mechanics, whether that be visual or verbally advertised to interact with the product or products, behavior which in turn builds brand awareness. “Tooth Protector” is a good example of the demonstrative mechanics with direct metaphors and active engagements for the user, while “Escape” uses performance features within a car for an optimal outcome for winning the game. Opposing those two games, Shark Bait and Chase the ChuckWagon, fail because of very surface-level branding instead of using mechanics to make an argument. These games rely on logos with no clear consumer understanding, which is why these games are a flop.
  3. What does Volvo’s “drive for life” accomplish?
    • Volvo’s advergame Drive for Life is a great example of a game that achieves brand exposure but fails to create a persuasive argument for the product’s core value: safety. Their incentives are misaligned because Volvo is built on safety and caution, while the game is overall a racing simulator, which poses a huge risk of crashing and negative consequences in the game which is overall.
  4. What company used in-advergame advertising?
    • Toyota used IGA to create its standalone “advergame.” Toyota’s primary example of this because they place branding inside their vehicles, such as popular titles like Super Monkey Ball.
  5. What was one of the first home console advergames, and what beverage was it for?
    • One of the first Home console advergames was seen through the Kool-Aid Man game released in the Atari 2600, which was made to promote the powdered drink, and another prominent example was in 1938 of the Pepsi Invaders for the Atari 2600, but was also reused and designed for Coca-Cola sales. 
  6. What makes “the toilet training” game sophisticated, and do you agree?
    • According to Bogost’s analysis and description of procedural rhetoric, it is considered a sophisticated game because it was beyond the demonstration to simulate a complex social process. The psychological and methodological aspects of parenting are what bring this game to life while also addressing parental anxiety.
  7. What do advergames and anti-advergames have in common, and what principles do they share?
    • Advergames and anti-advergames have procedural rhetoric in common. Their goals are very much opposites, but they both use the rules and mechanics of a game to make a persuasive argument. The principles they share involve behavioral arguments, whether that be Systemic Simulation or Active Persuasion. Both types of games require the player to “do” the logic of the brand. They also share the same structural principles of Procedurality, Interactivity, Validation, and Metaphorical Representation, which both systems use to get their message across.
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Persuasive Rewritten Game

Check It Out (Librarian Game)

Game Concept:

  • Never-ending library simulation where you play as a librarian
    • Stamp, scan, and recommend books to visitors

Goals:

  • Teach players the value of literacy and libraries
  • Show the invisible labor of librarians
  • Encourage empathy and thoughtful engagement

Mechanics:

  • Checkouts & Recommendations: Match readers to books
  • Visitor Engagement Meter: Satisfaction impacts outcomes
  • Discovery Points: Reward thoughtful interactions
  • Time vs. Quality Tradeoff: Rushing = less effective service
  • Never-Ending Loop: New visitors, returning books, seasonal events

BTS Workings:

  • Persuasive: shows the impact of literacy and service
  • Empathy–driven: players feel responsibility and influence
  • Dynamic: constant challenge keeps players engaged

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5 Game Ideas on Serious Topics

Parentified

Game Concept:
 Parentified is an interactive narrative game exploring the experience of children forced to grow up too fast in households where adults are emotionally absent or overwhelmed. Players navigate daily crises, manage household responsibilities, and handle the emotional labor of caretaking, experiencing the constant tension between competence and neglect. Based on That Dragon, Cancer (emotionally-driven interactive storytelling).

In Case You Didn’t Know

Game Concept:
 In Case You Didn’t Know is a narrative-driven social simulation that immerses players in the emotional labor of constantly justifying their feelings. Players navigate interactions with friends, family, teachers, and bosses, balancing honesty, self-advocacy, and emotional preservation. The game focuses on empathy, fatigue, and the invisible effort of being believed. Based on Undertale (empathy-driven social interactions, consequences without failure).

The Spoon Tax

Game Concept:
 The Spoon Tax is an interactive simulation that explores the concept of limited mental bandwidth and the everyday cost of emotional and cognitive labor. Players live a day in the life of someone navigating mental health challenges or chronic fatigue, where even basic tasks, such as showering, texting, eating, and leaving the house, require energy that feels disproportionately high. All the while losing spoons until you realize it’s 10 AM and you have no spoons left. Based on the “Spoon Theory” in disability and mental health communities

You Don’t Look Depressed – 20 Questions Edition

Game Concept:
 You Don’t Look Depressed – 20 Questions Edition is an interactive social simulation that explores the invisible struggle of high-functioning mental illness. Players navigate a day in the life of someone whose external life appears perfect: school, work, and social obligations all checked off, while internally every task and interaction drains energy. NPCs “guess” about the player’s well-being through yes/no/neutral questions, mirroring the 20 Questions mechanic, while players balance honesty, energy, and credibility.

Family Group Chat

Game Concept:
 Family Group Chat (based on Heads-Up) is a social simulation that explores the emotional tension, passive aggression, and hidden rules of family digital communication. Players navigate a group chat where every message, emoji, reaction, or read receipt can escalate or de-escalate conflict. Silence itself is a strategic choice, and timing is as important as content.

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Helpful Article To Share

Hey found this article that I found useful for the class about designing games:

Martin, A. (2021, July 10). Designing games for change. Good Thinking. https://medium.com/good-thinking/designing-games-for-change-110fc443ef8e 

Summary in Bullets:

  • Games are more than entertainment; practice for real life
  • “magic circle” lets players experiment and fail without real-world consequences
  • Games are effective for exploring behavior change, systems, and complex decisions
  • Play is real cognitive work
  • Good games build:
    • collaboration
    • critical thinking
    • confidence
  • Fun is essential; if it’s not engaging, it doesn’t work
  • Example: a game made with teens in Zimbabwe to address women’s health
    • Players were involved through co-creation and playtesting, not top-down teaching
  • Overall, games help people explore who they are and who they could become in a safe space
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3 Game Reviews – 1.22 Week 2 Persuasion

The McDonald’s Game

  • Was it fun?
    • Not really. It was more stressful than fun and honestly kind of annoying.
  • What were the player interactions?
    • You’re just clicking around trying to manage the whole McDonald’s system. It felt like Papa’s Freezeria but way more chaotic and way less clear.
  • How long did it take to learn?
    • It took a while to even get a basic idea of what was happening. Even after reading the directions, it still didn’t fully make sense.
  • What was the most frustrating moment or aspect?
    • Not knowing what to buy or when things were gonna happen, like when the cows were getting taken to the barns. The blinking lights and fast pace stressed me out bad.
  • What was your favorite moment or aspect?
    • Honestly, just finally kind of understanding what was going on, and that took way too long.
  • Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t?
    • Yeah, I wanted to actually play with intention instead of just clicking random buttons and hoping for the best.
  • If you had a magic wand to change, add, or remove anything, what would it be?
    • I’d make the corporate objective way clearer, especially for people who don’t already know how these systems work. I’d also simplify the interface and change the aesthetic to appeal more to high schoolers or young adults.
  • Is this a game you would play again?
    • No. Even after the directions, it still didn’t really make sense, and the stress outweighed the fun.
  • Analyze the game using the 3-act structure.
    • Act 1: You load in and are immediately confused by all the moving parts.
    • Act 2: Everything speeds up, the lights start flashing, and you’re just reacting instead of thinking.
    • Act 3: You kinda get the idea, but not enough to feel accomplished — more just relieved it’s over.
  • What are the collaborative and/or competitive aspects of the game?
    • There aren’t really any. You’re just fighting the game itself and the clock.
  • What is the game’s metaphor and which mechanics stand out?
    • The game is basically a metaphor for corporate fast food systems being overwhelming and impersonal. The standout mechanics are multitasking, fast pacing, and constant alerts.
  • Describe the game in 3 sentences or in the form of a haiku.
    • Blinking lights, no clue
      Cows disappear, I panic.
      Capitalism.

Monopoly Game

  • Was it fun?
    • Yeah, it was fun, especially as the white man. But that fun felt weird because it was obvious I was winning off advantages other people didn’t get.
  • What were the player interactions?
    • The interactions made inequality super obvious. Playing against minority and female groups showed how the system mattered way more than effort or skill.
  • How long did it take to learn?
    • It was easy to learn because it’s basically OG Monopoly rules. Since I already knew how to play, I could focus more on what the game was saying instead of how it worked.
  • What was the most frustrating moment or aspect?
    • Watching minority and female players fall behind with no real way to recover. The wealth gaps got big fast, and it felt unfair on purpose but still hard to watch.
  • What was your favorite moment or aspect?
    • Winning. Buying up property and becoming the one percent felt good, even though it also made me aware of how messed up that is.
  • Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t?
    • Yeah. I wanted to actually fix the system or help balance things out, but the game didn’t really let that happen.
  • If you had a magic wand to change, add, or remove anything, what would it be?
    • I’d make the game way more specific to different communities like a Pittsburgh-based board. I’d also add age differences (Boomers vs Gen Z, Gen X, Millennials), tariffs, higher school taxes in certain areas, and more customized chance cards to reflect a real economy.
  • Is this a game you would play again?
    • Yes. Even though it was uncomfortable, it made me think a lot about privilege, inequality, and how systems work.
  • Analyze the game using the 3-act structure.
    • Act 1: Everyone starts with different resources, and the imbalance is clear right away.
    • Act 2: The rich get richer, the gaps grow, and it becomes obvious who’s winning.
    • Act 3: There are clear winners and losers, and it feels like the outcome was decided from the start.
  • What are the collaborative and/or competitive aspects of the game?
    • It’s definitely competitive, but there’s also this shared realization happening. Everyone is watching inequality play out in real time, even while trying to win.
  • What is the game’s metaphor and which mechanics stand out?
    • The game is basically a metaphor for capitalism and systemic inequality. Unequal starting positions, buying property, and collecting rent really show how privilege compounds over time.
  • Describe the game in 3 sentences or in the form of a haiku.
    • All I do is win
      Rules decide who gets ahead.
      Fun, but insightful.

CoolSpot

  • Was it fun?
    • No. This game was definitely not a CoolSpot (pun intended).
  • What were the player interactions?
    • You’re basically just jumping around trying not to die. It felt like a weird mix of Flappy Bird and Mario, but without the fun part of either.
  • How long did it take to learn?
    • It didn’t take long to figure out the controls, but even after that I was still confused. Like, I knew how to play, but not why I was playing.
  • What was the most frustrating moment or aspect?
    • The game moves way too fast and the graphics made me feel sick. Everything felt overwhelming, and half the time I didn’t even know what the objective was for certain rounds.
  • What was your favorite moment or aspect?
    • Honestly… none. No part made me want to keep playing.
  • Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t?
    • Yeah, I wanted to actually understand the goal of the game, but it never really explained that.
  • If you had a magic wand to change, add, or remove anything, what would it be?
    • Realistically, I wouldn’t change anything because this game feels far from saving. But if I had to change something, it would 100% be the graphics.
  • Is this a game you would play again?
    • No. I would rather not play this game ever again. There was zero appeal.
  • Analyze the game using the 3-act structure.
    • Act 1: You start playing and immediately feel confused and overstimulated.
    • Act 2: The game speeds up, everything gets more chaotic, and the frustration builds.
    • Act 3: You stop playing not because you mastered it, but because you’re over it.
  • What are the collaborative and/or competitive aspects of the game?
    • There aren’t any. You’re just competing against the game itself, and even that doesn’t feel rewarding.
  • What is the game’s metaphor and which mechanics stand out?
    • If there is a metaphor, it’s probably sensory overload. The fast pace and intense visuals stand out the most, and not in a good way.
  • Describe the game in 3 sentences or in the form of a haiku.
    • Too fast, too chaotic
      Jumping with no real reason.
      Not cool. At all.