Immerge
Immerge 7/2/2019
"Simulation Group" - From the big paper:
Contents
Premise
Global Warming scenario (specifically flooding)
Perspective still unknown (3rd/1st Person probably)
Mechanic, and eventual win condition based on survival and building
Symbols, informative objects, and environmental storytelling are also possible narrative devices.
Mechanics/Winning
The survival and building mechanics occur along a 'realistic' time line. There are definite goals/constraints based on time (finding food/water sources, getting a first shelter/HQ built). Furthermore, many changes that make the environment that much more complex, dangerous, accessible etc. are based on normal rhythms of day/night, tides, (perhaps even seasonal?), and 'random' events of weather, or future/chained catastrophes.
Survival and building are broad mechanics, and additional mentions include collaborative puzzle/problem solving, operating with stealth, racing, etc. Building involves objects materials and resources, tools, and 'outcome' objects (a boat, filtration system, etc.).
Collaboration is a major theme - as there will be a cast of controllable characters, and non-player characters. Characters have generic and unique skills (strength, crafting ability, dexterity, etc.) which may overlap either of survival or building goals. Skill 'trees' were mentioned to also provide some sense of character development/progression.
Exploration is another major factor. A 'do-nothing' policy is rarely good for driving narrative, and/or character motivations. This is especially relevant in the resource-scarce environment of the flood.
Interwoven Character Team
This will be a narrative, and control/simulation mechanic. We are envisioning a 'party' system (say 3-5 characters) that may be controlled on an individual basis by the player, and also through their character interactions (requesting assistance from, directing, ignoring other characters, etc). Another interesting possibility was raised regarding motivations of party members.
The narrative aspect of this, is that the characters each have different perspectives and information. This is historical and ongoing. During play they are not in constant contact and one or more may leave the immediate party to explore, leave because they are upset with another party member, are on a mission, etc. If the character(s) return, they will usually also bring information which continues to drive the story. This could be relatively 'important' information that drives the story, or goals; or more peripheral information that may aid with narrative character development, or historical understanding of events.
Procedural Rhetoric
Global warming has become an abstract discussion about future consequences of our present actions, which largely takes place in the theatre of the mind and therefore remote from our experience. Even erratic weather patterns and extreme temperatures are attributed to incremental rise in the earths average temperature, our relative distance from the more extreme experiences allows us space from the immediacy of the experience. To this end, there is deliberately nothing fantastical about the setting nor the tasks in the game. It situates the player in what most experts agree will the consequences of global warming (massive flooding) and having to solve the problems of basic survival that are predictable in a post-ecological apocalypse scenario, including scarcity of resources, and the interpersonal dynamics that come when survival is not a given. While skills trees are one possibility for character development, gameplay may be more intriguing (or more realistic) if the player does not actually gain artificially-increased abilities, and must instead face each task with what can be scrounged, negotiated (through collaboration, or through coercion - each having its own consequences).
While the player is in direct control of one character, this can alternate. The game's AI would influence what a character does when not under direct control by the player, which would be based on what the player was asked to do - and how successful they were at doing it, while under the player's control. The goal here would be to use the players to emulate plausible reactions to the situation, so that even if the player themselves sees it as "just a game", the other characters may sensitize the player to "their" experience - perhaps even to the point where the player could not control them to do certain things, if it was not "in character".
On your first point - I can point you to some good climate change/mitigation research that has coined the phrase 'Defensible Drama'. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/255570495_Can_Visualisation_Save_the_World_-_Lessons_for_Landscape_Architects_from_Visualizing_Local_Climate_Change There's a whole host of learning around aesthetics, and imaginaries that may also be useful. I think we will look at one example later in the course readings (the arma3 renewable energy backdrop future)
Things that are learnt in this game
Given the nature of the game's setting - a post-apocalyptic scenario from the detriments of global warming; it provides a parallel to contemporary challenges that humanity is constantly faced with. In Flanagan's idea of "critical play", she writes: "critical play means to create or occupy play environments and activities that represent one or more questions about aspects of human life" (Flanagan, 2009). In sitting with this concept of critical play, this game has the potential to create a deeper thinking around the issues of global warming. As you play through what it would be like to perhaps be immersed within this type of environment and struggle to maintain living, the player would develop empathy and a greater appreciation of the circumstance that they are afforded to live in.
