The one-man project is focused on helping people learn about Social Media Anxiety through Edutainment: The idea of learning through entertainment. From the beginning, the focus of the project was centered on the feeling that there's a different way to help teach people.
Tell It
Show It
Experience It
What Lead To This? (The Problem)
Social Media increasing in use:
As time marches on, so does the use of social media will only go up. Because of this, it felt important to help people learn about this and why Anxiety related to social media is not healthy in the slightest.
Mental Health:
It's a topic that has been getting more attention but little knowledge of its relation to social media in particular, especially if one spends an unhealthy amount of time on social media. The longer the use, the more anxiety grows within someone.
Some learn differently:
Many people have different ways of remembering and learning. Some make notes, some need it shown to them. Others need a way to learn through interactions and topics like this aren't explored through these interactive games.
The focus of the project (The Solution)
- Have people learn through Edutainment
- Increase awareness of Mental Health related issues with social media
- To have the knowledge passed down to others
Sketches and Concept Art
Software Used:
Aseprite: Pixel-based art program used for sprites
After Effects: Motion Graphics and Animation software
Clip Studio Paint: Art Program used during sketching and concept art
Elements of Gameplay:
The Player:
The simple avatar that is used to play through the area. Jumping and platforming through the area to get the collectibles.
Health Collectibles:
Your health decreases over time, in order to keep it from reaching Zero you must collect these health pickups at anytime you can. Each one represents a different aspect of keeping one's health better:
• Ball: Representing Activities that help keep your body moving.
• Family: Friendly interactions can go a long way from preventing Anxiety from building up
• Tree: Outdoors can be a breath of fresh air for many people
Points Collectibles:
Gotta collect those points in order to keep that dopamine up, one of the things that lead to people getting so attached to Social Media. These represent parts of social media:
• Art: Uploading artwork to gather more followers and admiration from other users
• Star: The golden sticker people still strive for, even when posting.
• Heart: One of the basic symbols for likes and getting admiration from other users.
When you get hit (with low health):
Ad Saucers (Enemy):
Later in development, these saucers are simple enemies that slide fast on the ground, then momentarily freezing to have a holographic ad pop up. It's a simple representation of the ads that often plague social media sites. When you recognize the pattern, the easier it is to deal with them.
How to deal with an Add Slider:
You Lose when you run out of health:
You Win by balancing both health and points when
the clock reaches Zero:
Example of the gameplay:
Like mentioned earlier, this project ended up being a one-man team, and won't lie felt like I bit off more than I could chew. I don't see this as a failure though, I simply see it as one of many learning experiences I've had here at RIT. I am blessed to have come to this school and to learn from some of the most caring and intelligent professors. A chapter may close, but another one is on the horizon.
