DE4403: MA Games Design: Mental Health Platformer Ideas

 For the next game project on my Masters Degree, I will be using GBStudio, a software package I have used in previous projects, to make a 2-Dimensional Platformer. I have started drafting ideas up for how the gameplay loop will function.

The main gameplay loop will be traversing a 2-D platforming level, running and jumping, and defeating different enemies. All the while, the payer will have a bar on their interfece known as the Stress Meter. When each level starts, the meter will be set at a neutral state. When you take damage, the meter rises to the right. If it goes over the limit of the meter, the player loses a life from not being able to manage their stress. When at a higher stress, the running speed and jumping height are lowered. This can be lowered by expending that stress meter in order to do a large jump or large attack forward. When the player is at a lower stress, the player can run faster and jump higher than normal.

The player wouldn't be able to constantly keep taking damage from one enemy to make their stres higher to gain oppurtunities for extra attacks, as enemies will disappear after taking contact with the player.

DE4402: Games Design MA: Research In Context

 For this semester of my Masters, I have to write a research report on a given topic, which I have decided will be about how videogames are able to help deal with mental health, more specifically how to cope with larger problems.

To help gather insight into this type of art in order to help with a project, I looked to artists that specialize in drawing and painting interpretations of mental health's problems and symptoms. One example to commend for their art is an artist who goes by the psuedonym 'Lawlight Maledictus', who is a neurodivergant artist I had interviewed. The interview in question was about what I could learn from his type of art he creates and what I can do to use it in my own projects. The answers given were very helpful for constructing my Research Report.

My questions for each person I've interviewed, and Lawlight's answers are:

What genre of art do you specialise in?
"Answer for question one, for my genre of art i specialise in surrealism, figurative, landscape, narrative, social commentary, symbolism."

What type of themes do you cover in your art?
My themes are mental health psychological horror, body horror, self insertion, religion, tradition.

In what ways are you able to cope with your own problems relating to the themes you cover?
"Now that question deserves a answer, Art for me is a coping strategy a method of means to helps it keep sane, I've struggled with mental health and autism at a very young age and every day I take it as it comes for me to break the cycle I do alot of mental health art and drink alot of green tea, alot. Im just a mentally strong person who try to keep sane thats all."

What was your inspiration for one of your pieces?
"The majority of my work is based on my own or others mental health I say my most complex inspiration was there was this girl who had a rare disorder its called body identity integrity disorder it causes the subject to make them selves disabled they either remove there legs or make them selves blind etc its a interesting subject, I call it the Deterating Barbie."

What can I learn from your craft specifically?
"I say craft wise there's a saying I go by imagination is like a weapon those who lack it are the first to die, what im saying is use what comes to mine dont be afraid of being censored show people your true colours be ruthless be honest, be your self dont be anything like me be better then me."

I also asked an extra question, after being offered to ask any more that came to my head.From one of your pieces you've made, what lesson can be learnt from it that I could implement into a game project for the player to take from it, such as a concept or a method to cope with a problem?
"I'd say there is always room to improve and progress and practice doesn't make perfection practice makes progress, my personal favourite concept/troupe is self insertion finding your self in the image and relating to the concept its like looking at a metaphorical mirror and seeing your self in the image."

The information and advice that he has given is an invaluable asset.

DE4403: MA Games Design: Chesspionage: Dungeons & Dragons Set Digitized

 These are the digitized versions of the Cesspionage Dungeons And Dragons pieces, based on each of the most iconic and powerful monsters in the Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual.
The first monster who represents the King is the Tarrasque, which is known for being one of the most powerful monsters in Dungeons and Dragons, boasting monsterous power, able to destroy cities effortlessly.
The same applies for the Queen piece, represented by Tiamat, the Queen Of Chromatic Dragons, a destructive opponent that a team of players can fight against.
The Bishop is represented by the Beholder, a crafty abberation who shoots many different beams from its eye stalks, floating around the battlefield.
The Knight will be represented by the Troll, who is powerful enough to jump around its opponents. As Trolls are known to lose limbs, it will be designed further to have lost an arm, but will be holding a horse's leg in its intact arm to represent its Knight status.
The Rook will be a Death Knight, an while it will not be a Knight in Chess, it is still a ferocious opponent that will have large range in movement, and its head has been designed to resemble a Rook's tower, which the original Death Knight bears a slight resemblance to.
The final piece is the Pawn, who is represented by a meek Goblin, while they are weak, they excel in strength in numbers just as a Pawn and other Pawns in Chess do.