Games for Social Change

In the Games for Social Change Social Impact Studio (VM300), students are introduced to the fundamentals of game design as well as the theory and practice of how game experiences can be used to inform, motivate, build relationships, and inspire action.

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Course Information

DEPARTMENT(S):
Visual & Media Arts

PROFESSOR:
Eric Gordon

PARTNER ORGANIZATION: The Center for Teen Empowerment

LEARNING PARTNERS:
Johnny Pires, Breyanna Catlett, Nate McLean-Nichols, Arianna Constant-Patton, Marley Christopher

The course involves the direct participation of Boston-area teens as co-designers of games. Students work on project teams with partnering teens to create games that can be played by organizations or community groups in Boston to reframe violence in their communities and advocate for peace. Games can be analog or digital, depending on the interests and skills of students and partners.

A number of people playing a role-playing game in a crowded black-box with flags on the wall

A Look Inside the Co-Creation Process

“Through this course, I have learned about the real complexities of the issue of gun violence and how it can affect all parts of society… Together, we are all working to design a game that is meaningful and holds value.”

— Malena Horne, student

CREATING A "SERIOUS" GAME

According to student Malena Horne, one of the goals of the Social Impact Studio was to strike a balance between the seriousness of the subject matter and the creation of an appealing gameplay mechanic that would hold the interest of teens. "How do you create a serious game that deals with topics like gun violence, while making it fun and engaging?"

The result was Peace or Piece, a narrative role-playing game in which players divide into groups, choose a character to embody, and make decisions that will impact the story in real time — a story designed to be both realistic and relatable to the local youth mentored by the Center for Teen Empowerment, whose team intends to make use of the game in their work moving forward.

FIRST PUBLIC PLAYTHROUGH

On December 8, students and learning partners demonstrated the game at a "Peace in Process" community event in Dorchester, alongside participants from the Social Impact Studio in Virtual Reality, partners from Massachusetts General Hospital and the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute, and other members of the community, who participated in the first public playthrough. Audience members also took part in the action by holding up either a thumbs-up or thumbs-down placard, attempting to sway the decision one way or the other.

"It really connected to people in the crowd," said learning partner Breyanna Catlett. "Even having an ex-gang member speak up [about how the game resonated with his experiences], that was really insightful and made an impact. A lot of people in the room were touched, and the intergenerational component really connected everyone."

Since the initial playthrough, the Engagement Lab has continued to work with members of Teen Empowerment to further refine the game, including an adjusted version designed for eighth graders which was playtested in May 2023. The materials required to play the game will be uploaded to the ELab website in the near future.

A STUDENT'S PERSPECTIVE by John Yang, Studio Assistant

I had initially thought creating a game would be an easy task, but in this class, I found out that there are so many complex layers for students and community partners to consider before we even get to the game-designing stage. One example of these complexities is how to create in-game situations without further perpetuating stereotypes or stigmas attached to communities of color. I am grateful to have the opportunity to work with community members to grapple with a harsh societal issue.

The class allowed me to see and define a “working community” that is coming together in unison toward a better society. In class, we are encouraged to share our ideas and challenge each other’s thinking, with space for often-unheard voices to be listened to meaningfully.

While the class has focused on creating a fun game to gain the attention of youths, we hope that it can serve a larger population as well. This class gave us the opportunity to relate to each other as human beings, no longer divided by our social identities.

Fall 2022 - Games for Social Change Studio Projects

Peace or Piece

A narrative role-playing game in which players divide into groups, choose a character to embody, and make decisions that will impact the story in real time.