This is a smaller project (40,000 words, without really any player-facing stats) that I’m building on request from an English-speaking school in South Korea. It’s mostly finished, just needs a few more polish passes, but I could really use some extra eyes looking at it at this point, especially for such a good cause.
The game is part of an anti-bullying campaign within the school, so any feedback goes towards helping bolster a good cause. The player is an android tasked with learning the nuances of human behavior from actual students, and needless to say, the android has serious thoughts about the ways people treat each other, along with helpful advice. (I’m also trying to use British English for this game.)
I’d especially like for the dialogue to sound authentic (read: not corny) and for the situations to feel real. I’d love feedback about that, along with any other bugs, mistakes, writing issues, etc. Go ahead and comment here, or send notes to lynnea.glasser@gmail.com.
Thanks! Yeah, while it is firmly set in Korea, I’m hopeful it can be a useful tool for many students in different places.
And that reminds me, for anyone who would like a little more background about Korea’s bullying problem, here’s some good, quick resources explaining what it’s like: News Report Teachers Giving a TL;DR
Basically, high pressure schools, 7am-11pm classes, sometimes unsupervised, and not enough resources to help (although that is changing) leading to high bullying and suicide rates. It’s all pretty brutal.
This is a great game. We need more games that shine a light on real life issues like this. I love how you treated the subject matter such care.
Bullying is a problem everywhere. It leads to many different issues from body image issues and drug addiction to suicide and gun violence. So, thank you for designing a game that brings this very tragic issue to the forefront.
Also, I love how we get a chance to observe the bullying in three different forms (the bystander, the bully, and the vicitim). Even though, we’re just the bystander. It adds a certain kind of realness to it that other anti-bullying media doesn’t deliver. And it just makes you think about how much we project our own thoughts and opinions on other people that aren’t always true.
So again, thank you and I wish your project well.
Yeah, I know it’s so tempting to want to interfere! But I had to restrict those actions, otherwise the game would be… artificially easy? I mean, easier than it is in real life. Getting that reaction though, of really wanting to jump in and interfere, I really hope it translates into action!
Pretty good work. I loved the interactions and restrictions, made me work around to my choice. The choices were very well constructed. The ending was sad and satisfying. It was short and sweet. Kudos.
I enjoyed my first playthrough, but I have to wonder… is there no way at all to circumvent the three rules? It would be interesting to see that be a new-game-plus type bonus.
I like that idea for new game plus, but I’m worried it’d send the message that breaking the rules (at least the violent rules) is a treat. Maybe if it was for something else I’d implement it.
I liked it! The game was fun and interesting, not to mention the characters were as complex as actual people and had real feelings. I also like how the bullies show feelings of guilt as well. I just wish there was a way to stop the three rules barrier.
Fair enough. I was thinking it would make for an interesting test for the players’ moral processes, similar to Undertale’s multiple routes. Having had to play through the game in a pacifist manner, would you go back specifically to hurt the people you befriended in the first playthrough - especially if the game makes you genuinely care about the supporting characters, and calls you out for doing so in a way that makes you think “What am I doing? Why am I doing this?”
Also, it’s not like breaking the three rules involves causing harm in every case.
It would be tricky to pull off and is probably outside the scope of what you intend for this game, but it was just an idea I had - food for thought, if you will.
Still in the middle of playing it, but I found a small mistake.