7. Codename BurrowQuest
THE PROJECT
•Mobile Game - distilled RPG
•Still in development
•Provide kids 11-13 with tools to
navigate high-pressure situations
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
12. SCHELL
GAMES
BEST
•Free Game
•Great Purpose
•Good Exposure
•No
Microtransactions
•Work with
traditional Studio
•Can keep control
of vision
Codename BurrowQuest
THE PROJECT
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
13. SCHELL
GAMES
BEST
•Free Game
•Great Purpose
•Good Exposure
•No
Microtransactions
•Work with
traditional Studio
•Can keep control
of vision
Win - Win
Codename BurrowQuest
THE PROJECT
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
14. Realistically, Teens will get exposed
to substances eventually
So:
GAME GOALS
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
15. Realistically, Teens will get exposed
to substances eventually
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
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
16. Realistically, Teens will get exposed
to substances eventually
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
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
17. Pretty clear that kids 11-13 don’t
want to play an educational game
about substance use.
HOWEVER...
Solution:
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
18. Pretty clear that kids 11-13 don’t
want to play an educational game
about substance use.
HEAD FAKE!
HOWEVER...
Solution:
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
23. THE STORY
• Why mice ?
•Still real world
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
24. THE STORY
• Why mice ?
•Still real world
• Control, not Willpower
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
25. THE STORY
• Why mice ?
•Still real world
• Control, not Willpower
• Chapters explore loss of control
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
26. THE STORY
• Why mice ?
•Still real world
• Control, not Willpower
• Chapters explore loss of control
• e.g. Confidence -> Arrogance
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
27. THE STORY
• Why mice ?
•Still real world
• Control, not Willpower
• Chapters explore loss of control
• e.g. Confidence -> Arrogance
•e.g. Community -> Conformity
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
37. COMBAT
I don’t believe that.
You’ll like it. We all do.
Power 1 Power 2 Power 3
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
38. COMBAT
Rogues - Low Tension
Mages - Med Tension
Warrior - High Tension
We’re just looking out for you!
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
39. COMBAT
Rogues - Low Tension
Mages - Med Tension
Warrior - High Tension
We’re just looking out for you!
This isn’t the best time.
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
40. COMBAT
Rogues - Low Tension
Mages - Med Tension
Warrior - High Tension
We’re just looking out for you!
This isn’t the best time.
I can look after myself.
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
41. COMBAT
Rogues - Low Tension
Mages - Med Tension
Warrior - High Tension
We’re just looking out for you!
This isn’t the best time.
I can look after myself.
Don’t even try coming at me like
that.
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
42. COMBAT
Combat dialogue
• Saying ‘no’
• Offering an alternative - Low
• Giving a reason - Med
• Standing up to pressure - High
• Stress management
• Self motivation
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
45. 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
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
46. MULTIPLAYER
Asynchronous Multiplayer
• Player can take friends’ mice on specific battles
• Normative education
• Positive peer group
• ‘You’re not alone in this’
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
47. 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
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
54. TESTING
• Not straightforward
• Analytics hooks are in place
• Exposure to messaging
is inevitable
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
55. TESTING
• Not straightforward
• Analytics hooks are in place
• Exposure to messaging
is inevitable
• Behavioral changes more
difficult to measure
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
56. 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.
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
