NORA A Support System Game for Depression
Introduction
Presentation Link:
https://www.ectexpo.info/thesis-archive/spring-2024/xueqing-hu
Description:
Nora is a third-person, narrative-driven puzzle and role-playing game designed to support individuals with depression and their support networks. The game immerses players in the dreams of Nora, a patient with depression, to help her navigate her emotional struggles.
Problem Statement:
As depression rates rise among young adults and teenagers, there is a critical need for tools that help caregivers provide effective support. Nora aims to bridge this gap by offering an engaging, educational experience for both patients and their support networks.
Goals:
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Recognize symptoms of depression and understand its impact.
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Practice effective communication strategies to support individuals with depression.
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Platform & System
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"Nora" is initially crafted for the PC gaming community, with a planned release on the esteemed Steam platform. In anticipation of a successful reception, we are committed to broadening our horizons by adapting the game for mobile devices and the Nintendo Switch console. This strategic expansion aims to cater to diverse gaming preferences and ensure a seamless experience across multiple platforms.
Target Audience
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Supporting network of people who have Depression(Family, friends)
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General public with an interest in mental health
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Gamers
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(15+ Years Old)
Genre
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Role-play Puzzle Game, Narrative focused, Visual Novel
Monetization Model
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Steam/Other platform one-time purchase
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Educational service organization
Objectives and Theme
Learning Goals:
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Understanding Depression: Identify signs and symptoms of depression, understand its impact, and develop empathy.
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Effective Communication: Learn and practice communication strategies to support someone with depression.
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Correcting Misconceptions: Address and rectify common misconceptions and stigma surrounding depression.
Game Objective:
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Create an enticing and interactive experience: Captivates players from the outset, ensuring that they are drawn into the game for its entertainment value first.
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Meaningful game: Weave educational content throughout the gameplay, ensuring that players absorb information organically as they play.(Play to Learn)
Theme:
"Dream Remodeling Therapy" is an role-play adventure game set in the futuristic world of 2150, focusing on the innovative treatment of depression. The player assumes the role of Dr. Edi, a dedicated researcher at a cutting-edge medical institute, tasked with navigating the intricate dreamscapes of a patient named Nora. While the game is grounded in a scientific future, it delves into the supernatural realm of dreams, where emotions, memories, and traumas intertwine.
Setting:
The game is set in a highly advanced medical research institute specializing in "Dream Remodeling Therapy," located in a futuristic version of Earth. The institute serves as the starting point for the player's journey into the open world of Nora's subconscious, which spans various dreamscapes, each representing different aspects of her psyche. The settings blend elements of reality with fantastical dream environments, creating a rich and immersive world for the player to explore.
Narrative Design
Overview Narrative Background
In the year 2150, Dr. Edi, a player-controlled character, joins a pioneering medical research institute to explore a revolutionary therapy for depression known as Dream Remodeling Therapy. One day, while in the dream archives, Edi accidentally breaks a jar filled with colorful candies, setting off an alarm. Unbeknownst to Edi, the jar and its contents symbolize the dreams of a patient named Nora. The shattered jar releases a powerful energy that pulls Edi into Nora's dreamscapes.
Each dreamscape represents a cage filled with trauma and shadows, each with its own unique locks and keys. To navigate and re-materialize these dreams, Edi must find the corresponding lock door and key in each scenario, guiding Nora out of her emotional turmoil and helping her reconstruct her dreams. These locks and keys symbolize various concepts, such as childhood traumas, environmental factors, and personal struggles.
In these dreams, Edi takes on different roles, such as Nora's friend, family member, depending on the scenario. This fluid role allows Edi to intervene and support Nora from different perspectives.
Upon successfully reassembling Nora's dreams and returning to the real world, Edi gains access to the dream archives, where numerous other dream files and lives affected by depression are stored.
Years later, Edi coincidentally encounters Nora on a city street. Although Nora does not recognize Edi, she responds politely and shares a smile. Nora's friend, who is with her, gives her a reassuring pat on the shoulder, and they leave together. Edi, witnessing Nora's return to her normal life, leaves with a profound sense of awe.
Dream Archive Room
A sacred, dreamy place created by future technology.
Therapy: Patients struggling with sleep due to tension have unstable dreams. Scientists, neurologists, and medical researchers have developed a treatment that intervenes in dreams during depression to guide patients, influencing their thoughts and behavior.
The Dream Archive stores dreams of all patients who have undergone dream therapy. It records patients' traumas, and by breaking the cage and healing patients, dreams can be materialized in unique, imaginative forms. Each file is not in a standard written format; some are stacks of books, bunches of balloons, music pieces, boxes of toys, or dresses, representing different patients' dream archives.
Viewing the Archive: Materialized dream archives can be viewed, displaying basic content in a pop-up form. Shattered dreams, or dream energy fragments, cannot be viewed.
* The game will conduct a survey to let real-life patients share their stories and methods of healing. Players will have the chance to explore this space at the end of the game to learn from others' experiences

Locks and Keys
Each dream has different locks and keys, but there will be clear hints in the dream, with corresponding energy light surrounding the key and the lock door.
Here, locks and keys are metaphoric representations, not limited to physical forms; they could symbolize childhood shadows, traumas, environmental factors, or even personal thoughts and flaws.
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Friendship -- Dolls (collecting facial features and limbs)
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Family -- Seedlings of Life (multiple seedlings, requiring trial and error)
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Pets -- Soul Passing (collecting the souls of 7 NPCs passed)
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Doctor -- Discharge Order (taking care of Nora to meet hospital discharge criteria)
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Stranger -- Favorability Collection of Nora(making Nora accept the player's existence, making the player concrete)
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Characters

Game Mechanics and Design
Key Mechanics:
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Narrative Choice-Making: Players make decisions that impact the storyline and Nora's journey.
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Puzzle-Solving: Solve puzzles that represent Nora's emotional and psychological challenges.
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Role-Playing: Players assume different roles in Nora's life to provide support and guidance.
Learning Theories Applied:
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Social Constructivism: Role-playing elements to foster understanding.
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Cognitive Development Theory: Puzzles to stimulate cognitive growth.
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Experiential Learning: Interactive scenarios for practical application

Levels Design

Level Design, Version 1 (3 Chapters)

Level Design, Version 2 (5 Chapters)
Prototype Example
Symptoms of Depression
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Refusal to talk
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Unconfident
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Afraid in social setting
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Sensitive
Companionship & Communication strategies
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Encouraging Expression: Aron helps and encourages Nora to open up and express her feelings and share more deeply.
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Empathetic Responses: Aron reassures her understanding of Nora’s feelings and emotions and tries to enhance the emotional connection with Nora.
Game Mechanics
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Multi-perspective Interaction
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Puzzle Mechanics
Puzzle Description
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Controlling Nora's body, players experience her psychological shadows in social situations where she is compelled to engage in conversations continuously. Through visual and auditory elements, players embody Nora's unease and lack of confidence in social settings, alongside her inability to express her thoughts correctly. With the encouragement of her friend Aron's voiceover, Nora (player) navigates a simple puzzle to assemble a pair of scissors to break the seal over her mouth. This act symbolizes her bravery in voicing her opinions and confronting her shadow.
Learning Content
Storyboard & Animatic

Game User Experience flowchart & Learning content (Example 1 - Puzzle)
