Game Information
| Title | We've Got Issues (student-created game) |
| Presenter(s) | Michael Budram, William Jeffery, Greg Kozma |
| Session | Conference Reception, Game Exhibition, and Poster Session |
| Time | Thursday, October 16, 7:00p-10:00p |
| Location | Ballroom |
| Format | Game Exhibition |
| Description | We've Got Issues is a Serious Dice / Card game designed and created by 3 Graduate Students in the Serious Games specialization at Michigan State University.
By taking a 'Not-So-Serious' approach, We've Got Issues promotes a light atmosphere filled with laughs, excitement, frustration and conversation about dealing with Psychological Disorders. Why did we make the game? We wanted to dispel two ideas: the first is that mental health is not to be taken as seriously as any other ailment. The second is that a person cannot function or live a normal life while having a psychological disorder. Psychological disorders are very real, and they fundamentally change how people live. There are any number of valid approaches to the problem we have taken on. As game developers, we chose to create an experience to try and make our point. The simple metaphors of randomness and arbitrarily imposed rules is at the core of the We've Got Issues experience. We wanted to drive home the fact that anyone can manifest a psychological disorder at any time, and that they are coped with, not cured. We want to be the reason for google searches and players cheering one another on as they each stare down the odds. People with issues are in dire need of more support from friends and family, and we want them to know that it's not all seriousness all the time. We sincerely hope our game reflects these values in its design. |