top of page
In My Mind is a game designed to enable the player to experience the life of someone with bipolar disorder. My goals were to raise awareness, reduce social stigmas, and give friends and relatives an interactive insight into what their loved ones are going through. This was my final project at Shenkar College.
Game Idea
In the game the user is Max, a young man that lives with the disorder. The player will need to navigate Max’s normative day cycle, from home to work and back. Max’s mental state can be altered by different events that occur during that cycle. As in real life, the main goal of the game is to maintain a balanced state as much as possible.
The Problem
Bipolar Disorder, commonly known as manic depression, is a relatively widespread mental disorder affecting tens of millions worldwide. Those suffering from mental disorders are still subject to a wide range of stigmas and prejudices. Movies and other media often portray people with mental disorders as unstable, unfit for society, and sometimes even dangerous for those around them.
My goal in creating this game was to dispel fears and misunderstandings regarding bipolar disorder and show that people with this disorder should not be feared or avoided. They can lead normal lives just like anyone else, so long as they are willing to seek help and take care of themselves with the help of professionals. During the game, the player can engage in actions such as calling his therapist, meditating, or reading, in order to return to a balanced state.
The Background
There are still many stigmas and prejudices associated with mental disorders. Those suffering from it are often depicted in different media, such as movies, as unstable, dangerous, and unreliable.
The purpose
My goal is to illustrate that bipolar disorder is not something to fear from. The people who suffer from it can live a normal life as long as they receive the tools they need, such as therapy, medication, and everyday activities that can help them stay balanced.
A few actions Max can take in the game can help him stay balanced, such as meditation, reading a book, and calling his therapist.
Sketch Planning
Final Assets
Research
Ahead of this project, I studied the use of “serious” games - played for educational purposes and not just for enjoyment - that relate to mental health issues. I also looked into video games that deal with issues such as depression and mental disorders.
Inspiration
I chose to construct this game as a role-playing video games, enabling the player to choose his own path and take responsibility for his actions. In terms of visual language, I chose pixel art, inspired by Gameboy and other video games from the 1980s and 1990s.
A main feature of the game is the use of color to indicate the different mental states. For example, when the player is in a state of depression, the game is portrayed using monochromatic shades of green. This was inspired by the first Gameboy screen, which had only four colors, all shades of green.
Work Process
During the game, the player can switch between three different mental states that characterize bipolar disorder. When the player is in the normal or balanced state, a standard, moderate color palette is used. When the player is in a manic state, bright, highly saturated colors are used, with each of the three environments getting its own dominant color: red, yellow or green. The character design is also affected by its mental state, representing aloofness and a disconnect from reality. When the player is in a depressive state, this is represented by the use of gloomy monochromatic shades of green. The character designed is more detailed, and its body language represents a lack of energy.
For the purposes of constructing the game, I learned how to use the Construct 3 software, used to make two-dimensional games. Despite the challenge of using an unfamiliar software, I was eventually able to build an interface that fits the kind of game I wanted to create, including text-box dialogue and a Sokoban-type crate pushing mini-game.
Development
I used CONSTRUCT 3 software that mainly used to create 2d games without using code. I taught myself how to work with it, and though it was a challenge I managed to use it and to create the game interface I aimed for. A few of my favorite game mechanics I’ve developed were a dialogue system to communicate with other characters, a mini game of pushing and moving boxes and triggers to move between the mental states.
Design solutions
There are 3 different stages that the player can explore through the game that represented by different designs. Each of them addressing different state in the Bipolar Disorder.
Balanced: Color tone is mellow.
Manya: The colors are intense with high saturation and each environment the character visits represented by lead color: red, yellow or blue. Max’s character looks disassembled and broken that represents the mental state of levitation and detachment from reality.
Depression: Monochromatic green gloomy shades. Max’s character is bent a little to demonstrate it’s lack of energy. It's designed with over detailed compared to the other stages.
Character Development
The body structure and proportions for the lead character were inspired by Gameboy role-playing games. I used a square design to fit inside a 32x32 pixel grid, which I also used to construct the game environment.
When thinking up the game design, I knew I wanted to have three distinct states, representing the different mental states. I wanted them to be similar in terms of visual language, but different in terms of coloring, details and amount of pixels. Initially, I designed the manic state with the larger pixel resolution, but then I realized that switching it up and using the higher resolution for the depressive state will enable me to illustrate this state with gloomy, half-closed eyes. Conversely, using a lower resolution for the manic state better illustrates the feeling of mental disassembly.
Gameplay
The protagonist is Max, a young man diagnosed with bipolar disorder. The goal of the game is to keep Max in as stable a situation as possible. A bar on the left-hand side shows Max’s mental state at any given time, moving between mania and depression, and is affected by different actions and situations. If the bar is near the top when Max goes to sleep, he will wake up in a manic state, and if it is low, he will wake up in a depressive state. If the bar reaches the top or bottom, the game comes to an end, representing a breaking point that can lead to a loss of control or hospitalization.
The different states determine both the visual language and gameplay. In a manic state, Max moves more rapidly and is hard to control. He has a tendency to speak to every character he encounters, which is also a symptom of mania. Conversely, in a depressive state, Max’s movements are frustratingly slow. He is hunched and moves with slow, short movements.
The game features Max’s daily life, at home and at work. The game is open-ended, representing Max’s daily, repetitive routine, and his challenge in remaining balanced over time. When he gets to work, he needs to carry out his daily job of arranging crates in the storage room, under a time limit. When in a manic or depressive state, the difference in Max’s movements adds an additional challenge to the mini-game, and failure can induce stress and affect his mental state.
Other daily activities are also affected by Max’s mental state, mostly interaction with other characters, but also simple tasks like getting on a bus. I tried to illustrate the impact of different experiences on changes in the mental state, including activities that can help restore balance, such as meditation, speaking to a therapist, or calming activities such as reading.
See also:
bottom of page