[GUEST POST] ADHD: Puzzle of the Restless Mind
Introduction
My game is about spreading information about ADHD, also known as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, starting from simple and basic information, to following a person suffering from the condition in his day-to-day life, showcasing the problems and challenges faced by people suffering from the condition in the different aspects of their lives.
Target Audience
My target audience is secondary school students who have social contact with people with ADHD. This is because for most people suffering from ADHD, the lack of understanding comes from their peers and this can cause people with ADHD to feel worthless and bullied for something they cannot control.
Reference to 6Ds
I chose this topic because I wished to spread awareness about ADHD as there’s not much understanding about the condition, and is therefore sometimes stigmatised as a “made-up” condition. ADHD is sometimes stigmatised as a “made-up” condition as there is often a lack of understanding about what ADHD is and how it affects individuals. This will lead to people perceiving ADHD as a convenient label for behavioural issues and causes people with ADHD to face judgement or criticism from others who do not fully understand the nature of the disorder, leading to feelings of shame and reluctance to seek help when it is needed.
Therefore, the goal I had in mind when creating this game was to help foster empathy towards people with ADHD and allow people to think in their shoes, and visualise their problems in different aspects of their lives. Therefore, by making this game, I hope that I can spread the necessary message and educate people about ADHD, and normalise seeking help for such conditions, so that these people are able to live their lives without judgement.
Apart from the information given, the main gamification strategy I used was a narrative and the use of rewards and achievements. The achievements are fairly simple, with 1 for every chapter you complete, and 1 for being the first person to complete the game. I also added some team achievements to encourage all members of the team to complete the game and also to race to be the first team to have all members finish the game, providing an element of competition.
For the rewards, they are a free ADHD screening, a fidget spinner and some art supplies. I chose the ADHD screening as one of the goals of my game is about normalising seeking help, and this will provide a clear avenue of support for people who suspect that they have ADHD. For the fidget spinner, I chose it as it has been shown to allow people with shorter attention spans to focus better, including ADHD. Lastly, I chose the art supplies as it can be a source of creative expression and can turn into a hobby, helping people relieve stress in a new way.
Personal Experience and Challenges
Making this game allowed me to dive deeper into the world of ADHD and let me gain a deeper understanding of the disorder, and also allowed me to empathise with people suffering from ADHD. As this was not my first time creating a game on Gametize, I was already used to the game-making process on the app and the entire game-making process was quite smooth.
The most prominent challenge I faced during the project was the lack of ideas. Luckily, this was easily solved with the help of my friends who suggested topics to me and research on my topic to help generate more questions and ideas.
In conclusion, the creation of the game has been a really fun journey for me, as I got to feel like a game developer, and I hope that through this game, I am able to achieve my goals of spreading awareness and fostering empathy towards people suffering from ADHD.
Learn more about ADHD here: https://gametize.com/game/adhd