”Playable Realities: The Design of Lived Experience Games as Authentic Narratives of Ill-Health”
Portfolio
The following content was submitted alongside my thesis—”Playable Realities: The Design of Lived Experience Games as Authentic Narratives of Ill-Health”—and presents a series of interrelated prototypes, each exploring varying facets relating to the creative application of the lived experience of ill-health in the development of games and interactive software. These projects informed the creation of the “Game design framework for auto-biographical experiences of ill-health”, which can be found within the thesis.
Research Aim
“How can game designers create interactive auto/biographical experiences of ill-health that authentically convey the lived experiences and emotional realities of individuals?”
Research Questions
RQ1: What is the current landscape of games about the lived experience of ill-health, and what conclusions can we draw from these games to inform and enhance this design approach?
RQ2: Which tools, theories, and design principles from games and other related disciplines can support the research, design and development process for games that convey the lived experience of ill-health?
RQ3: How might a framework for the design of games based on lived experience of ill-health be developed and validated through practice, and what insights can be gained from the practical process of game creation, dissemination, and evaluation?
With You
Platform: Web
A Twine-based branching path narrative chatbot designed to promote cancer treatment adherence and mental wellbeing.
Not Alone
Platform: PC & Mobile
A modular, fly-on-the-wall point and click game prototype developed to present curated snapshots from multiple cancer patient journeys.
Genetic Lottery
Platform: PC
A third-person autobiographical game prototype exploring my personal diagnosis journey.
The Longest Walk
Platform: PC, Steam Deck & VR
A first-person PC and VR deeply personal biographical walking simulator game about my dad’s experience of living with depression and suicidal ideation.
The Listening Post
Platform: VR
A collection of cancer narratives told through objects and photographs, in collaboration with CanDu Dundee.
Timeline
Acknowledgement: Base HTML code block for interactive timeline generated by Chat GPT, customised by me. Event dates are estimated to the best of my ability to give further context for PhD timeframe.