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CW trauma responses, mental health, violence
Testing out the applications of trauma responses in games as an alternative to saving throws/sanity mechanics
I think it could provide more helpful ways to explore the effects of violence in games
1/
#gamedev
Testing out the applications of trauma responses in games as an alternative to saving throws/sanity mechanics
I think it could provide more helpful ways to explore the effects of violence in games
1/
#gamedev
One application of this is a stress track where upon reaching a certain threshold or experiencing violence, your responses activate
On Fight, you pursue unrelenting violence and leave yourself vulnerable
On Freeze, you disassociate and freeze up, leaving yourself open
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On Fight, you pursue unrelenting violence and leave yourself vulnerable
On Freeze, you disassociate and freeze up, leaving yourself open
2/
On Flight, you run away from your responsibilities or the conflict
Finally, on Fawn, you ask your attacker "what it is you want?" and then you give it to them
That last one should probably be an optional one or player dictated to prevent GM abuse and such
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Finally, on Fawn, you ask your attacker "what it is you want?" and then you give it to them
That last one should probably be an optional one or player dictated to prevent GM abuse and such
3/
My reasoning for these things is always "how can we make violence better?"
Realistically, inflicting violence hurts yourself as well one way or another... There is a cost to even doing something like being angry with someone and shouting at them
In a game where violence is
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Realistically, inflicting violence hurts yourself as well one way or another... There is a cost to even doing something like being angry with someone and shouting at them
In a game where violence is
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front and center, it could be that you might want to get your players to reconsider it in more helpful ways...
And maybe encourage them to seek out other nonviolent, creative avenues of conflict resolution when violence means putting your own mental health at risk
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And maybe encourage them to seek out other nonviolent, creative avenues of conflict resolution when violence means putting your own mental health at risk
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I'm trying to implement this in #MutantMonsterMachineGirls because I wanna do more than just make a game which heavily features Ultraviolence
Sure, it is a power fantasy but here the power should not be in the violence you can inflict on your enemies but on what you are able
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Sure, it is a power fantasy but here the power should not be in the violence you can inflict on your enemies but on what you are able
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to preserve and protect
You inflict violence and pay the cost to free yourselves from tyranny, but the real strength lies in how you survive and overcome adversity and support your loved ones
You only fight because it's necessary, not because you had a choice
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You inflict violence and pay the cost to free yourselves from tyranny, but the real strength lies in how you survive and overcome adversity and support your loved ones
You only fight because it's necessary, not because you had a choice
7/
The trauma responses function as an inevitable cost
Eventually violence will occur and you will have to harness it... But it's going to affect you and you'll always find yourself asking how far will you go to accomplish your goals?
The further you go, the more you get hurt
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Eventually violence will occur and you will have to harness it... But it's going to affect you and you'll always find yourself asking how far will you go to accomplish your goals?
The further you go, the more you get hurt
8/
If we are designing a game of colonial fantasy set in a Forgotten Realms esque world, it could be an interesting angle to have acts of fantasy violence be performed in exchange for a consequence
Eg you are tasked with killing a goblin tribe, doing so will eventually
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Eg you are tasked with killing a goblin tribe, doing so will eventually
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Ask if you want to cross a line or push yourself to defeat a powerful enemy
Once you do, your fight response activates. There's no turning back now. You refuse to stop fighting. You cannot be swayed even against your better judgement.
If you fail, you Freeze. It strikes you
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Once you do, your fight response activates. There's no turning back now. You refuse to stop fighting. You cannot be swayed even against your better judgement.
If you fail, you Freeze. It strikes you
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that you've gone too far... Or maybe you freeze up in fear.
If you fail again, you Flight. You lose your resolve and attempt to flee, abandoning your friends.
Once again, you fail. You pay the price and Fawn. If the enemy wants to hurt you, you let them. If they want info
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If you fail again, you Flight. You lose your resolve and attempt to flee, abandoning your friends.
Once again, you fail. You pay the price and Fawn. If the enemy wants to hurt you, you let them. If they want info
11/
you give it to them. If they want you to betray your friends, you do that.
All because you tried to push yourself to commit more violence.
12/12
All because you tried to push yourself to commit more violence.
12/12
