top of page

OVERVIEW

Synopsis

Change Our Fate is set on earth in the near future. Our world as we know it is succumbing to the effects of climate change. The greediness and carelessness of humanity is resulting in the destruction of the place we call home. It is becoming dark, both in appearance and nature. The air is thick with smog casting the city in an amber glow as if its on fire. The rising global temperature has caused the economy to suffer and extreme weather and drought is tearing away at the living world. As a result, society is holding on by a thread. There is a clear divide between those who were able to prepare for crisis and those who were not, and any sense of community or altruism is crumbling away.

​

The protagonist of this story is Morgan; a jaded and cynical teenager trying their best to navigate a world overwhelmed by corruption. There has recently been a forest fire in their city that has caused mass displacement and their family is struggling with money. Living outside of the city, somewhat hidden from looters and other violent delinquents, their family have been lucky so far. However, it means that when they are low on resources, they have to brave the journey out into the unknown. Morgans sister is very sick and the thickening atmosphere and worsening condition of the environment is taking a toll on their parents. They no longer have the strength and endurance to make the trip, so they will rely on Morgan to gather the essentials. 

​

As the player, you must place yourself into the shoes of Morgan and set out on journey that will uncover how climate change is damaging our world. Your moral judgment and investigative skills will be tested through a series of interactive events. How you choose to play will result in the transformation of the game world and the conclusion of this story will depend on your ability to empathise and think critically about social and environmental problems.

​

Here is a storyboard to summarise the game:

Unique Selling Point

The unique selling point for Change Our Fate is that it provides real insights to the damage that humanity is causing to our planet and educates players on the methods they can carry out to prevent further global warming. This is done in a playful and challenging way that encourages thoughtfulness and critical thinking. 

Genre

Change Our Fate is a puzzle solving adventure game. Due to the focus on environmentalism and climate change it is also categorised as a serious game and resource for education.

The Player Experience

Education - The player will learn about the effects of climate change and see what actions they can take to make positive change. While playing this game, players will feel as though they are learning which inspires motivation and helps people to feel productive. It could have real-life influence; players may come away from the game with new attentiveness to their actions.

​

Empathising with characters - The element of interacting with NPC's will challenge the player to place themselves into the shoes of others which may allow them to develop their empathetic skills. The NPC's will have sensitive and emotional stories or problems that will allow the player to form a connection with them. This may alter the way they choose to play the game. Connecting with an NPC will result in the player wanting the best for them so their decision making will become more considerate.

​

Decision making - The player will be challenged to think critically while making decisions that will influence how the game ends. This challenges the player to work harder to get the outcome they desire. It provides motivation to finish and win the game.

Target Audience & ESRB Rating

Change Our Fate is an educational game that explores how climate change will affect our planet and what we can do as individuals to make a difference. This is an issue that should be appropriately communicated in all age groups but as this game will contain some sensitive themes and challenging problem solving, I think it will be most effectively geared towards age thirteen and above. Furthermore, younger children would struggle keeping up with the dialogue and have less understanding to inform in-game decision making. It could work as an effective classroom tool for teens, and also as an accessible source of casual education for all ages above thirteen.

Screenshot 2021-01-09 at 16.14.51.png

Due to sensitive themes and some violence, this game will be given the ESRB rating of Teen.

Platform

As the purpose of this game is to act as an enjoyable and accessible source of education, it would work best mobile on a smartphone or tablet so should be developed for Android/IOS. This would allow the experience to reach a wider variety of demographics and a much larger audience than if it were to be released for console or PC. As the game experience is taken from narrative and decision making, there is very little action or complex interaction and therefore no need for a controller with extensive mapping. Developing this game for mobile use would also support the ability to play this game on the go, as it would not require an internet connection, and be more encourage-able for the younger generation to play.

​

bottom of page