Download - Elude by Doris C. Rusch - Games for Health Europe 2011

Elude - playing the opposite of play

Doris C. Rusch; G4H Europe, 2011

Thursday, November 3, 2011

game design researcher meets therapist at:

Doris C. Rusch, Dr.MIT GAMBIT Game [email protected]

T. Atilla Ceranoglu, M.D.Mass. General Hospital

[email protected]


mailto:[email protected]




research: games tackling the human condition

+

purposeful game design


our concept of choice:


Facts on Depression• 2.2 million depressed adolescents in

2004

• More than twice likely to use drugs

• 7% may commit suicide

• Less than half (40%) received treatment

...Under-response!


Step 1:

defining the purpose of the game


NOT to cure depression but:

• informing friends and relatives of depressed

• increase understanding of how depression manifests

• generally, raise awareness for this dangerous mental health issue


step 2:

defining the design approach to inform and raise awareness


embracing


modeling “what it feels like”


not preachy!Thursday, November 3, 2011

depression is about loss:

loss of meaningloss of goals

loss of control loss of agency

loss of playfulnessloss of sense of self

loss of focus loss of energyloss of voice


games are about playThursday, November 3, 2011

expansiveness, freedom, joy!

play is a state of mind


depression is the opposite of play


In order to make “loss” tangible, the game will also model that which is lost.

It aims to show the contrast between playfulness / agency and depression / loss of agency

and the transition between the two in an experiential way.


Step 3:

translating high level ideas into concretegame structure


game world = emotional landscape


objective: tap happiness potential


conflict: mood struggle

you want to get “up”, but antagonistic force tries to bring you “down”


structure:

n

h

n

d

normal = nhappy = h

transition = tdepression = d

n

t

d

t

h

n

t

d


the importance of passion


step 4: putting the flesh on the skeleton:

creative freedom, metaphors and nuances of meaning


struggling against “down” force, take I:


struggling against

a “down” force, take II


struggling against “down” force, take III


thanks! [email protected]




Download - Elude by Doris C. Rusch - Games for Health Europe 2011

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