Joseph Roberts

Research Focus: 

What games have already tackled environmental issues? 

Eco: 

Eco is a multiplayer simulation game where players work together to build up and sustain a civilization whilst preventing environmental collapse. Within the game there is a focus on resource management as players have to balance technological advancements, and manage their resources to avoid an ecological disaster. A unique feature within Eco is it has a persistent world, what this means is that even when players aren’t online the game world continues, every action the players make has an impact on the environment. 

How does Eco relate to Doctor Water? 

  • Eco emphasizes players co-operating in order to address various environmental challenges; this mirrors the goal of Doctor Water as it encourages players to think critically about water resource management. 
  • The difference occurs where Eco focuses on collaborative decision making compared to Doctor Waters emphasis on individual problem solving in order to create a personal connection to the water crisis. 

Beyond Blue: 

Beyond Blue is an underwater exploration game which has taken inspiration from the ocean conservation efforts made by documentaries such as Blue Planet. When players start the game they are given the role of a marine biologist where they are tasked at exploring the deep ocean. Players have to document marine life and in the process uncover challenges in the aquatic ecosystems. Beyond Blue has perfectly balanced the scientific and discovery side of the game with a peaceful, immersive experience. 

How is this relevant to Doctor Water?: 

  • Beyond Blue educates and raises awareness through getting the player to explore, the idea of educating players aligns with Doctor Waters goal 
  • The game takes a opposite take on environmental awareness due to Beyond Blues serene yet impactful nature which contrasts drastically to Doctor Waters urgency-driven gameplay 

Findings  

The majority of environmental themed games aim to educate and create action. Eco and Beyond Blue are no exception except they leverage the use of narrative and gameplay to create emotional connection to real-world issues. These educational games are targeted to those interested in real world environmental issues, the audience ranges from teenagers to adults that are looking to experience a meaningful game. Within this niche games genre developers tend to integrate their themes into the mechanics, ie, resource management exploration and restoration, this is done to help align the players actions to the message of the game. 

How does Doctor Water differ? 

So, what is the unique selling point of Doctor Water? From the beginning ive made the mechanics of this game a major focus point. Unlike other games in the genre that focus on strategy and exploration, Doctor Water integrates these features with an unique mechanic where water is both a recourse to manage whilst also being necessary for progression, just like in real life. The constant visual change in the environment helps to create a more in depth look into the real world, and as the player moves from one area to the next it provides a tangible representation of progress, compared to most games in the genre which tend to be more static. Lastly, one of the main parts of the game features problem-solving and decision-making. This differs from games like Beyond Blue who have a more passive way of educating, with a constant stream of new challenges and puzzles the player should have a more engaging experience and feel immersed throughout.  

Player communities – 

  • Target communities 
  • Gamers interested in puzzle solving platformers (Celeste, Hollow Kings) 
  • Audiences who enjoy playing a socially conscious game (This War of Mine) 
  • Educators looking for an interactive learning tool for environmental issue 
  • Community engagement 
  • One of the biggest tools right now for publicity is TikTok, showcase and build a following throughout the development showing updates and teasers 
  • Engage with the target audience on game forums, one of the most popular places for this Reddit on r/IndieGames and r/EnviromentalGames. Similarly IndieDB would have gamers interested in this genre 

Monetization strategy –  

I do not support the idea of releasing DLCs and content packages, I believe once you’ve paid for the game you should get everything in one. As such i don’t believe this game should be free but it should be affordable for anyone interested in the issue to buy for a one time cost. So, for a one time fee of £15-20 you can buy the game on PC (steam) and the Nintendo Switch. However, for educational institutes they can get a student discount of 50% to encourage students to be exposed to the water crisis.