Posted on by becknecc

Breaking the Cycle: Case Study Rebecca Necciai

Breaking the Cycle: Case Study

Core Concept

Breaking the Cycle is a cooperative storytelling card game where players work together as a support network to help a survivor escape domestic violence and rebuild their life. The game creates a safe space to explore complex social issues while providing factual information about available resources and effective intervention strategies.

Message & Purpose

The game aims to increase awareness about domestic violence, develop empathy for survivors, and educate players about warning signs and support options. By placing players in the role of supporters rather than survivors, the game avoids trauma exploitation while still creating powerful emotional investment in positive outcomes.

Core Rules

  • Setup: Select a Survivor Profile card, deal Resource cards and Support Action cards to players, and place the Journey Track
  • Turn Structure: Draw a Challenge card, discuss possible responses, play Support Action and/or Resource cards, track progress on the Journey Track
  • Victory Conditions: Reach the end of the Journey Track with the survivor having achieved at least 3 Empowerment tokens

Key Mechanics

  • Collaborative storytelling driven by card play
  • Resource management and strategic allocation
  • Empowerment tracking system
  • Decision-making with imperfect information
  • Progressive revelation of survivor narrative

Iterative Design

First Prototype: Basic Structure

The initial design featured a linear progression track and straightforward challenges. Early testing revealed this approach felt too simplistic and deterministic for such a complex issue.

Challenge: Creating gameplay that respected the gravity of domestic violence while remaining engaging Solution:Introduced branching paths on the Journey Track and more nuanced Challenge cards

Second Prototype: Addressing Sensitive Content

Players reported discomfort with explicit descriptions of abuse in early versions, which detracted from learning objectives.

Challenge: Finding appropriate ways to represent abuse without graphic descriptions Solution: Shifted focus to warning signs and patterns rather than incidents, used symbolic rather than explicit representations

Third Prototype: Enhancing Education Value

Testing revealed players sometimes prioritized “winning” over learning, occasionally missing educational opportunities.

Challenge: Balancing gameplay with educational content Solution: Integrated “Moment of Reflection” cards and redesigned the scoring system to reward learning and thoughtful discussion

Game Mechanics

Support Network Mechanics

Each player takes on a specific support role (Friend, Family Member, Counselor, Legal Advocate, etc.) with unique abilities:

  • Friend: Provides emotional support tokens more efficiently
  • Family Member: Can safely store the survivor’s resources
  • Counselor: Reveals Challenge cards in advance
  • Legal Advocate: Reduces legal barriers on Challenge cards

The design ensures that success requires cooperation between different types of support, reflecting reality.

Empowerment System

As the game progresses, survivors collect Empowerment tokens through successful resolution of challenges. These tokens can be spent to:

  • Overcome difficult challenges without support
  • Access new opportunities on the Journey Track
  • Prevent backsliding during setbacks
  • Unlock “New Beginning” cards for end-game scoring

This system mechanically represents the growing agency of survivors as they progress through their journey.

Challenge Resolution Mechanics

When facing challenges, players:

  1. Analyze the situation presented on the Challenge card
  2. Discuss possible responses as a group
  3. Play Support Action cards that match the type of support needed
  4. Commit Resource cards to strengthen their response
  5. Roll the Resolution die to determine success level
  6. Move forward or backward on the Journey Track based on outcome

Player Goals

Primary Objective

Guide the survivor through their journey from crisis to safety and ultimately to a new beginning with increased agency and empowerment.

Secondary Objectives

  1. Education: Learn about domestic violence warning signs, patterns, and resources
  2. Resource Management: Efficiently allocate limited support resources
  3. Safety Planning: Develop strategies that prioritize survivor safety
  4. Building Trust: Accumulate Trust tokens through consistent support
  5. Empowerment: Help the survivor build independent coping mechanisms

Victory Path: Successfully navigate the Journey Track by overcoming challenges through appropriate support, while collecting at least 3 Empowerment tokens that represent the survivor’s growing independence and agency.

Gameplay Sequence

Setup Phase

Players select a Survivor Profile card that outlines a specific situation. They then receive their role cards, initial resources, and establish the Journey Track according to the profile’s specifications.

Crisis Phase

The early game represents the immediate crisis period where safety is the primary concern:

  • Higher frequency of Safety Challenge cards
  • Limited information about the full situation
  • Focus on immediate resources (shelter, emergency funds)
  • Building trust with the survivor through consistent support

Transition Phase

As play progresses, challenges shift toward rebuilding stability:

  • Housing and employment challenges emerge
  • Legal complications may arise
  • Children’s needs become more prominent (if applicable)
  • Emotional recovery challenges appear

New Beginning Phase

The final stage focuses on long-term independence and healing:

  • Education and career development opportunities
  • Building healthy relationships
  • Processing trauma
  • Establishing permanent housing
  • Financial independence

Game Components

Challenge Cards

Color-coded by type (Safety, Housing, Legal, Emotional, etc.) with clear iconography. Cards include:

  • Challenge description
  • Required support type(s)
  • Consequence of failure
  • Educational fact related to the challenge

Support Action Cards

Represent different ways players can intervene, with:

  • Action name and description
  • Support type icons
  • Effectiveness rating
  • Real-world example of this support type

Resource Cards

Tangible resources that strengthen support actions:

  • Financial support
  • Transportation
  • Childcare
  • Legal documents
  • Safe housing options

Journey Track

A board showing the survivor’s path from crisis to new beginning, with:

  • Branching paths representing different recovery trajectories
  • Checkpoints for group reflection
  • Spaces for Empowerment tokens
  • Crisis points where challenges intensify

Rulebook & Playtesting

Rulebook Sample

PROVIDING SUPPORT

When facing a Challenge card, players must work together to provide appropriate support. Follow these steps:

  1. Analyze the Need: Identify which support types are required (emotional, practical, legal, etc.)
  2. Discuss Options: As a group, talk through possible approaches, keeping in mind:
    • Survivor’s current needs and preferences
    • Safety considerations
    • Available resources
    • Long-term impact
  3. Play Support Action Cards: Each player may contribute one Support Action card that matches a required support type.
  4. Add Resources: Players may strengthen their support by adding Resource cards.
  5. Determine Success: Calculate your Support Value:
    • 1 point per matching Support Action card
    • 1 point per relevant Resource card
    • 1 point per applicable Role bonus
    • -1 point per Safety Risk factor
  6. Compare your Support Value to the Challenge Difficulty:
    • Value > Difficulty = Full Success (advance 2 spaces)
    • Value = Difficulty = Partial Success (advance 1 space)
    • Value < Difficulty = Setback (remain in place or retreat 1 space)
  7. Empowerment Check: If your action led to Full Success, the survivor may gain an Empowerment token if they actively participated in their own support.

EXAMPLE: HOUSING CHALLENGE

The survivor needs to find safe housing away from their abuser, but has limited income and a pet they won’t leave behind.

Challenge Difficulty: 4 Support Types Needed: Practical, Financial

Possible Support Actions:

  • Help search for pet-friendly housing (Practical)
  • Provide temporary housing in your guest room (Practical)
  • Connect with emergency housing fund (Financial)
  • Assist with housing application (Practical)

Potential Resources:

  • Transportation to view apartments
  • Pet supplies
  • Application fee money
  • Reference letter

Success Result: Players played 2 matching Support Actions and 2 Resources for a Support Value of 4, resulting in a Partial Success. The survivor advances 1 space on the Journey Track.

Playtesting Notes

Playtest Session #2 – March 15, 2025

Participants: 4 players Duration: 67 minutes

Observations:

  • Players appreciated the realistic challenges but noted some scenarios felt oversimplified
  • The game created powerful discussions about intervention strategies
  • Early game felt too difficult, creating frustration
  • Some cards unintentionally reinforced problematic assumptions about survivors
  • Educational content was well-received, especially the fact cards

Key Feedback: “The mechanics effectively show how different types of support must work together.” – Participant A “Some Challenge cards need more nuance about why survivors might return to abusers.” – Participant B “The Empowerment system feels meaningful but needs more clarity.” – Participant C

Adjustments Made:

  • Rebalanced early game challenges to create more winnable scenarios
  • Added “Context Cards” to provide more background for complex decisions
  • Revised language on several cards to avoid victim-blaming implications
  • Enhanced the Empowerment mechanics with clearer instructions
  • Added debrief questions for post-game discussion

Playtest Session #4 – April 2, 2025

Participants: 5 players (university students with some knowledge of domestic violence) Duration: 75 minutes

Observations:

  • Players showed significant increase in understanding of domestic violence patterns
  • Group discussions were thoughtful and nuanced
  • Some players felt emotionally impacted but in a constructive way
  • Journey Track created a clear visual of progress and setbacks
  • Game length was longer than target 60 minutes

Key Feedback: “I never understood why someone would stay before, but now I see how complicated these situations are.” – Participant D “The cooperative nature really drives home how important community support is.” – Participant E “The factual information on the cards was eye-opening.” – Participant F

Adjustments Made:

  • Added optional “Quick Play” rules to reduce game length
  • Created reference guide for facilitators with discussion prompts
  • Enhanced visual design to make mechanics more intuitive
  • Developed additional Survivor Profiles with varying complexity levels

Game Reflections

What Worked Well

  1. Role-Based Support System: Players connected with their support roles and understood the importance of a comprehensive support network
  2. Educational Integration: Information felt natural within gameplay rather than forced
  3. Empowerment Mechanics: Successfully represented survivor agency increasing over time
  4. Emotional Impact: Created empathy without exploiting trauma
  5. Conversation Catalyst: Generated meaningful discussions about domestic violence

What Could Be Improved

  1. Game Length: Sessions consistently ran longer than the target 60 minutes
  2. Complexity Balance: Some mechanics were too complex for new players
  3. Emotional Weight: Needed clearer guidance for processing difficult content
  4. Replay Value: Initial version had limited replayability once players knew all challenges
  5. Accessibility: Text-heavy design created barriers for some players

Lessons Learned

  1. Sensitivity Readers: Involving experts early prevented potentially harmful content
  2. Mechanics as Metaphor: Game mechanics can powerfully represent complex social dynamics
  3. Balance is Critical: Games addressing sensitive topics must balance education, engagement, and emotional impact
  4. Aftercare Matters: Providing debrief questions and resources for players was essential
  5. Respect Lived Experience: Design choices should honor the real experiences of survivors

Future Development

If developing this game further, I would:

  1. Create a digital companion app with additional resources and guided discussions
  2. Develop an expanded version with more diverse survivor profiles and situations
  3. Create a training version specifically for professionals who work with survivors
  4. Design a simplified version for educational settings with younger players
  5. Develop facilitator guides for using the game in therapeutic contexts

“Breaking the Cycle” successfully achieves its goals of creating awareness, developing empathy, and providing education about domestic violence through engaging cooperative gameplay. By putting players in the position of supporters rather than survivors, the game creates emotional investment while avoiding exploitation of trauma. The iterative design process, guided by expert input, resulted in a game that handles sensitive material respectfully while still creating meaningful play experiences.