Designing a Digital Roleplaying Game to Foster Awareness of Hidden Disabilities

Abstract

On Fighting Shadows (OFS) is a two-dimensional roleplaying game that tells the story of Marvin, a young adult that experiences hidden disabilities, focusing on hydrocephalus and its possible mental health implications, such as anxiety and depression. Developed with the goal of being both informational and engaging, OFS aims to increase awareness and foster discussions not only about hidden disabilities as medical conditions, but also as phenomena that are experienced in society. The objective of this design case is to describe the development process, including the design dilemmas, of the prototype of OFS, as well as to discuss future directions of this project. Both in the prototype design phase and in usability testing, the tension between learning and entertainment was observed, aligning with reflections from previous studies (Prestopnik, 2016). Playing OFS was also observed to engage users in experiencing symptoms of hydrocephalus and understanding the character’s feelings. Possible directions to improve the experience for different user profiles involve adaptation of game conditions for players that would like to prioritize educational information over fun, and vice-versa.