Final Project

For my final idea, I decided to create a game optimised for mobile use. The idea for my game was based on ‘Truth or Dare, which is mostly a verbal game that requires two or more players. It is usually played in social environments, typically domestic, and is popular mainly among adolescents and young people. The simple idea is that people are given a choice between answering a question truthfully, or performing a ‘dare’. The ‘truth’ part of this game may be more exciting for people who are getting to know each other or who are already friends as it gives them the opportunity to probe their mates to reveal secrets. However my variation of the game will reject the 'truth' part as my intention is for it to be played with people who are outside of your friends circle, and I do not feel like it would have the same effect.

This is the trailer for a film called 'Nerve'(2016), Directed by: Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost. This film is a huge part of my inspiration for this app.

Here's a 'how to' for anyone who may be unfamiliar with the game.

The Player/Watcher dynamic (in the film) created a large sense of division in the game, largely based on social class, as players who could afford to pay out others had more control over them. My intention is to encourage the opposite effect of this so it is an idea I will not exactly be implementing. I do however intend to keep the concept of a premium option for users that will unlock a certain feature but it will not necessarily give one user more power over another. The one time payment will enable those playing the game to suggest dares. All users of the game then have the option to up-vote and down-vote those suggestions and the top options will be the ones that are used. They would go through an administrative screening process before being made available on the app to ensure safety of the players as well as ethical practice.

There are two skills required for the game; Creativity from players when daring and of course- Tolerance for embarrassment from the other side. Having written about the phenomena of Pokémon Go for my Conditional Design essay, I was inspired to create an application that would encouraged people to engage in the real world, similarly to how Pokémon Go required players to do so. I wanted to take the usual game of 'truth and dare' outside of the comfort zone of a group of friends at a party. This is because carrying it to a larger audience and space, not only increasing the amount of players and interactive possibility but it also boosts the amount of creative input which gives the game its uniqueness and ensures an ever changing gameplay experience.

These are film posters from www.traileraddict.com/
They feature examples of dares that were undertaken by the two main characters in the film. The plot revolves around an online objective truth or dare video game, which allows people to enlist as "players" or "watchers" as the game intensifies. Some of the dares in the game were extreme for dramatic affect, and probably also illegal, so of course my app would encourage objectives that are slightly less risky. In the film, the game requires people to either enlist online as "players" or pay to watch as "watchers". Players accept dares from watchers, receiving money rewards. Actual payment was used as a reward system in the game to show the potential extents that people would go for in pursuit of money. This resulted in a rather fatal way due to people losing their sense of humanity to greed, so money shall not be rewarded in my game!