In a world the place display screen time has skyrocketed and psychological well being issues are on the rise, a bunch of passionate CMKL freshmen got down to flip the script. Their mission? To create a cellular sport that doesn’t simply entertain but in addition promotes more healthy existence. This formidable undertaking combines well being, gaming, and social connectivity, pushed by the idea that the addictive nature of video games can be utilized for good. However past the technical frameworks and design sketches lies a narrative of studying, resilience, and insightful reflections — shared candidly throughout a latest interview with the crew and their advisor, Ajan Justin.
The undertaking facilities round a health-focused cellular sport designed with Unreal Engine 5, combining real-life actions with in-game progress. Gamers earn rewards not by grinding ranges on their screens however by means of precise wholesome habits like strolling, partaking socially, and answering trivia questions that preserve the thoughts sharp. Characters within the sport, impressed by endangered species like axolotls and sand cats, develop stronger as gamers enhance their real-world well being, creating a strong metaphor for private progress.
One of the vital important technical challenges the crew confronted was diving headfirst into Unreal Engine 5 with out prior expertise. “We jumped straight into utilizing Unreal Engine with no background in sport growth,” shared one of many college students. The training curve was steep, however the crew noticed this not simply as an impediment however as a possibility to discover countless potentialities.
Apparently, the undertaking can be deeply rooted in psychological theories. The scholars drew closely from B.F. Skinner’s operant conditioning mannequin, specializing in constructive reinforcement to encourage wholesome behaviors. “We give rewards or factors to gamers to extend the probability of repeating health-related behaviors,” one crew member defined. This method transforms mundane duties like strolling or ingesting water into rewarding actions, reinforcing habits by means of rapid in-game gratification.
However with the purpose of selling well being by means of a sport, the elephant within the room was clear: How do you stop the app itself from turning into simply one other supply of display screen dependancy?
The crew tackled this by designing gameplay loops that require gamers to have interaction with the actual world.
“The bottom line is withholding in-game rewards until gamers observe wholesome, non-screen actions,” they famous.
The concept is to create a symbiotic relationship between the sport and the participant’s way of life, the place progress in a single fuels progress within the different.
In the case of monetization, the crew acknowledges the problem of retaining the sport honest for all customers. They’re contemplating a balanced method with choices like locking some story content material behind modest paywalls (e.g., $1 for brand spanking new chapters), limiting character choice with purchasable characters, and providing customization choices by means of a easy storefront for non-game objects to personalize avatars. This mannequin goals to make sure that paying for extras enhances the expertise with out giving unfair benefits in gameplay.
In the end, this undertaking isn’t attempting to ‘repair’ display screen time or faux know-how isn’t a part of our lives, neither is it about creating the lesser of two evils the place display screen dependancy is justified by good intentions. Moderately, it’s about assembly individuals the place they’re through the use of the exact same instruments that always distract us to really assist us develop. The crew acknowledges that know-how, in isolation, can’t drive significant change, however it may be designed to assist the habits and mindset shifts that matter. As one scholar put it, “If it truly works and helps customers, then it has a whole lot of potential.”
Coming from a junior scripting this, I can’t wait to see the undertaking blossom, reworking not simply digital characters however actual lives alongside the way in which. To the reader, keep tuned for what our CMKL freshmen cook dinner up within the subsequent article!
