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[Hambone]

Does anyone think a game based on a character that has OCD would be interesting? Certain points during the game the character would be required to do certain tasks to calm the characters anxiety. Examples would be flipping a light switch, walking a certain path over and over, etc.

Let me know! I might try to prototype something!

If you think this could be interesting follow my newly created twitter account @codeWithHambone

[snowyowl]

Yes, it sounds very interesting. I've seen some good games on similar themes. Depression Quest was really critically acclaimed. Tourette's Quest was honest and completely hilarious (shame it was never finished).

So I'd love to see something like this. You could make it a send-up of "achievements" in games today - arbitrary tasks that you know serve no real purpose but which you're compelled to do anyway. Just don't call the game OCD Quest.

[Hambone]

Thanks for the feedback.  I was thinking just the name "OCD"

Hambone

[wccrawford]

Personally, I could see this making a great Layton/Myst/Puzzle Agent-esque puzzle game, where the character feels compelled to put certain things in order before he/she can move on.  It would allow the puzzles to have nothing to do with the main quest and still make sense to the narrative.  I think a game like this could be brilliant.

[Hambone]

wow, that is a great idea!

[Alec S.]

First off, do you yourself suffer from OCD?  If so, by all means, make a game about your personal experience with it.  If not, make sure to at least do your research, or you may inadvertently end up reinforcing misconceptions about the condition.  The internal aspect of OCD (ie, the obsessive part, having recurring pervasive thoughts) is much more important to communicate than the outward aspect (the compulsions). 

[Hambone]

 


Of course I would pay respect to both the obsession and the compulsions. I am currently in a psychology class now so I have better understanding of the disease or at-least know what to research.

When I was a child I suffered from mild OCD. My compulsions included excessive hand washing, certain walk patterns and other ticks. The obsessions were germ oriented. This is the main inspiration for the game idea.

Thanks for the feedback

Hambone

[Alec S.]

Look forward to seeing what you come up with.   

[Hambone]

Thanks.  Not to spam but if you would like to keep up follow me on twitter. @codeWithHambone

[denzgd]

Personally, I could see this making a great Layton/Myst/Puzzle Agent-esque puzzle game, where the character feels compelled to put certain things in order before he/she can move on.  It would allow the puzzles to have nothing to do with the main quest and still make sense to the narrative.  I think a game like this could be brilliant.

I really, really like this idea. The concept of a game with a protagonist who has OCD was interesting enough, but combine it with this style of gameplay, and you'll have yourself an instant classic.

I look forward to seeing what you do with this concept, regardless.

[Hambone]

Thanks for the feedback!

I came up with a couple of new ideas that could be applied to this type of game, I admit these are very surface level type of ideas. I was thinking about maybe doing an oxygen level instead of standard health and when the anxiety level goes up an unhealthy amount of CO2 will diffuse into the blood due to the character having a panic attack. If the C02 levels reach high enough the player may pass out and this would be the equivalent to dying in other games.

Any feedback on this would be great!

Hambone

[valrus]

Very interesting!  It's a great way to learn about being someone else; make me face the same decisions as a person and I'll start to understand them.

It'd be neat if there were different compulsions, and your character only gets a subset of them (randomly, or by choice).  That would be good replay fuel, and possibly quite a different experience each time.  If a stress bar replaces a health bar (which makes sense), then a non-consumable counter-stress activity (flipping a light switch, etc.) functions as a safe place, a checkpoint of sorts.  You'd get some very interesting possibilities for replay if each playthrough has a different set of locations that are safe vs. dangerous.

[Hambone]

Wow! Great idea! Multiple obsessions would definitely be interesting!

That is exactly what I was thinking in terms of the arousal bar. You would need to control the stress level by completing compulsive tasks such as certain walk patterns, washing hands (somewhere), flipping a light switch, and other common compulsions I find during my research.

Hambone

[DaHog]

The only thing is, most people would find that offensive. I wanted to give my main character a panic disorder, and I told my idea to a group of 7-8 friends. They all hated it. You just have to be careful with that, and maybe be more subtle and more or less imply it instead of "THIS IS MY CHARACTER HE HAS OCD AND A PANIC DISORDER PLAY MY GAME".

[Hambone]

I have no intention of being offensive. However someone somewhere will find it so. That's just how it is. I could fart and someone will be offended.

Hambone

[valrus]

I think the potential for offense is lessened if you have a strong other-thing-to-do in the game, so it becomes the story of someone who does something awesome (and also manages OCD).  Especially if they're in a role of competence and respect, like a doctor or something.

Did you ever read An Anthropologist on Mars?  There's an inspiring chapter on Dr. Morton Duran, a surgeon with Tourette's: http://oliversacks.tripod.com/sur.html. There was also an episode of Chicago Hope based on him, and he's currently a prof at UCalgary.

[Hambone]

Thanks for the information. Great input. I like the idea of a protagonist who can achieve even with great obstacles. This is something I will somehow incorporate. Very heroic.

Hambone

[Hambone]

I wanted to ask you all, when imagining a game like this, what art style do you think fits? I know this is ultimately up to me but wanted to ask anyways

Hambone

[DaHog]

I imagine something with not a lot of colors, maybe B/W.

[The Translocator]

+1 to B+W. Make it look like it's made out of LED lights on an old arcade machine with extra large pixels if you can.