GeGAME – suggestion for game structure and scenarios
The game context is a SIMS type world, segmented into 5 different aspects of daily life
The home page gives an overview / map of -
School, the City / Public Space, Sport, Entertainment / Social Life and Social Media
When the player clicks on a section, they enter this world at 3-D level
Within each of these worlds a player will encounter a number of scenarios and activities / mini games
All of these must be completed before the player can move into the next section
The player chooses one of 6-10 avatars to begin navigating through the game
Choice of Avatars (for example)
Can we integrate the Buzzfeed privilege walk into this part of the game? E.g. all avatars are lined up and when you click on any of them, they take the respective steps back or forward to indicate their privilege / lack of privilege. This is then explained in info boxes that appear when you hold the mouse over them.
SOCIAL MEDIA / ONLINE WORLD
1. Noah approaches Jasmin asking for her Snapchat. Jasmin says no, but he keeps persisting. What is the problem with this?
What should Jasmin do?
2. Player picks up mobile phone and opens Snapchat. A photo of Alex (non-binary) is shared on player’s Snapchat feed. Derogatory / transphobic comments are shared. What should the player do?
3. Max is dating Kayla. They have been together for 3 months now. Max asks Kayla for a nude. She says no. He threatens to break up with her.
What is the problem with this?
What should Kayla do?
4. Lucas is at home. His phone pings and he picks it up. It’s a text from Max that says - ‘Hey dude, want to see a nude of Kayla?’
What should Lucas do?
5. Jasmin is at home in her bedroom playing a multiplayer game. She starts to receive racist and sexist messages from fellow players, telling her she isn’t a real gamer because she’s a girl and an immigrant [these show up on her PC screen during game play]. What should she do?
If Jasmin is your avatar: you get to play some of the game she is playing and ‘zap’ the offending sexist and racist players
SCHOOL
1. The students are in class discussing future career options with their teacher. Some students make sexist assumptions about abilities based on gender.
- Player answers multiple choice questions, and is faced with activities and fact bubbles to challenge these myths
2. Kayla complains to a teacher that the boys in her class have been making comments about her skirt. The teacher says, ‘Well, a skirt that short can be distracting to boys’.
- Multiple choice questions, links and activities
3. A boy in class touches Erik’s leg under the table during a lesson. Erik moves away but the boy keeps on doing it.
- Multiple choice questions, links and activities
4. Lucas is with a group of friends when they begin to rate girls based on their bodies, and talk about who they would like to get with. Lucas feels uncomfortable with this kind of talk, but is afraid if he says something, he will be called a ‘fag’.
- Multiple choice questions, links and activities
5. The teacher organises a quiz – true or false. Player must answer true or false:
Progress when all questions answered correctly
THE CITY / PUBLIC SPACE
1. Kayla and Noah are walking home from school. Kayla is wearing a short skirt. They walk past the skate park. A group of boys start shouting ‘Nice legs’, ‘Show us more?’, ‘Hey sexy!’
What should Noah do?
2. Activity - Did you know urban design is sexist?
[see https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20210409-how-to-design-safer-cities-for-women]
Player gets to walk around part of the city and a symbol appears when s/he encounters a problem area, e.g.
SPORT
1. There is a football match between two girl’s teams. The player overhears group of boys making mean remarks about one of the player’s weight. As a bystander, you have to make a series of choices that can result in three outcomes, e.g. you ignore the abuse and it becomes worse and carries over online, you ask them to stop and explain why it is damaging, and/or you report the abuse to a teacher.
- Multiple choice questions, links and activities
2. Mia wants to play football with the boys but they say she plays like a girl and refuse to let her join in
- Multiple choice questions, links and activities
ENTERTAINMENT / SOCIAL LIFE
1. Mia is dating a girl her age but the girl starts becoming possessive and jealous. She starts to track Mia using geolocation services on her phone. She texts her and asks what she is doing, where she has been, who she has been with, etc.? Mia goes to the toilet and the girl picks up her phone and starts looking at her texts, etc.
- What is the problem here?
- What should Mia do?
- Multiple choice questions, links and activities about coercive control
2. All of our avatars are at a party with many others. Jasmin is talking to a good-looking guy. Kayla hears some girls talking about Jasmin behind her back. They are saying she is not good looking enough to get with him. What should Kayla do?
3. Alex is talking to a guy. He starts asking questions about their gender, e.g.
What is non-binary? What is trans? How do you like to be called? Why is it important to use the right pronouns? What bathroom do you use? What if you’re a trans man using a women’s bathroom?
Alex factually answers all of these questions [challenging myths and stereotypes]
Some activities and scenarios around CONSENT and alcohol?
SOME QUESTIONS