Awards:
Webby– Public Service, Activism, and Social Impact Game Anthem Award– Human & Civil Rights, Best Strategy Anthem Award– Human & Civil Rights, Special Projects, Awareness Anthem Award– Human & Civil Rights, Partnership or Collaboration, Community Engagement
Funding:
Sappi– Ideas that matter, Canadian Government, Telus Friendly Future Foundation, Public Safety Canada, Emergency Community Support Fund
Case Study: The Waiting Room
Background
Likely Story is a web game for teens, usually played in an educational setting. It gets into subjects like relationships, staying safe online, and consent. It’s mostly fun but can get into tough or awkward subjects.
Tone
I wanted Likely Story’s tone to appeal to young girls and educators alike. It has a lot of personality but it doesn’t try too hard. It’s knowledgeable, but never condescending. It’s sometimes silly, sometimes serious, and always supportive.
The Waiting Room, Before
This was where players lingered until the whole group was ready to start the game. It was a dead zone where players would sometimes lose interest and abandon playing.
Originally, each player was assigned an “avatar” and they were labeled as Player 1…2…3 etc.
The Waiting Room, After a Makeover
To give players something to do during the waiting period, I thought it would be fun if they could personalize their avatars.
Using the aspects of our tone that are silly and not too serious and taking inspiration by the creatures our designer made, I came up with the name “Blobs” for the avatars and made a list of descriptive words that could be expressive of a young girl’s personality.
Results
Now, players are entertained while they wait and can personalize the version of themselves they want to display to their friends or classmates. It also functions as a mini-moment where players can loosen up and have a laugh before the game–which at times dives into serious subjects.
