ELISE MACKELPRANG
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MVP: Hilltop
Hilltop is a videogame targeted towards the South Korean Market that uses historical storytelling and simple gameplay to assist players in learning coping mechanisms for stress, anxiety, and depression. Through engaging gameplay, deep storytelling, and positive psychology practice, players can learn how to apply mood lifting habits while embracing the strengths of their ancestral origins by experiencing historical storytelling that can be applied to their own lives. Hilltop will be open in a website and mobile application format to provide players with a mixed experience based upon their preferred play style.
Hilltop takes players to the Joseon dynasty right after the Manchu Invasions around 1630.
Players control the actions of a male character, Kim Sang-San (which translates to “Treasure atop the mountain”). This character is a young man who recently inherited the land of his late father, an advisor of King Injo. With new responsibilities placed upon the young man’s shoulders, he will be given duties that are far beyond what a youth can handle alone. As players continue throughout this story they will be given different options of how the story will play out, how the character spends his time and capital along with the effect that it has on his mental health, his family relationships, and his relationships with his community/country.
In order to incorporate the ‘immersion’ factor, or the part of the game that really makes it fun and brings players back, will be the gameplay. The lord of the small land will need to take care of his people, his family, his lands, etc. That means he has a lot of responsibility and requires motivation and drive to complete his many tasks. On one of the main user screens, the player can easily assign their lord to complete tasks, which take a small interval of time. As more tasks are completed, Lord Sang's motivation is lowered.
Usually in these settings, players could usually pay for more energy (like in Farmville or other games with a similar format), but instead of fast charges through payment, players need to charge through the stress relieving activities, just as the character needs. In order to keep playing the game and accessing the story, you need to complete stress relievers. Some completions give you a little motivation, others give you a lot. (Exercising for 30-60 minutes = x amount of motivation points). Revenue will be generated through a freemium subscription model, (with ads for the freeware version to generate revenue). In addition, premium members can see the more clinical side of the product in regards to their mental health progress.
Major features incorporating Positive Psychology:
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Thank you notes that are dated and archived for later reflection that will be brought up by the system as a reminder of what users have been (and are) thankful for. Thus, creating an attitude of gratitude and helping them focus on the better parts of life. Incorporating this into a routine makes it even more engaging for users who are looking for more positive outlooks on life
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Reflection on struggles, or other entries where people can reflect upon their current struggles, provide another form of coping. Letting out the stress and anxiety, pondering what caused the event to occur, and finding ways to cope and manage these stress levels, are all simple ways for users to find better coping methods as well
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An exercise feature will also be included into the game. Depending on the geographical area of the player, specific locations will be marked and set aside for players to reach at some point in order to continue with a certain chapter of the game as a way to introduce exercise components to their repertoire.
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The mobile app will also have a memory feature, where you can take a picture of the scene around you. Once there, the player will be invited to sit somewhere and meditate, listening to the sounds around them, taking in the sights, and simply incorporating basic meditation practices. The photos they take will be automatically archived into a scrapbook that they can visit later to recognize their past experiences with a certain locations
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Character relationships build upon each other. As Lord Sang serves his people, and the more he gets to know them, the more their story will emerge within the gameplay and additional perks and skills will be gained from the effort Lord Sang puts forth into his work. Encouraging relationships between characters will likewise encourage service and engagement with other parties
Often times in life we run into many mountains to climb. Usually when we are depressed, stressed, or anxious, we see a great obstacle that seems impossible to climb. We are burdened with every step up a steep hill that may drive us down. But the greatest feeling I ever experience is when I hit to the top of the hill or mountain, and I look back and see how far I have come. This is an experience that translates in a number of ways (ie. it’s all about the journey and not the destination). The goal of this game is to help users reach the hilltop, look back into the valleys and plains below, and see how far they’ve come, how beautiful life really is at the top of the hill, and how much better life can be when they work and fight for happiness. More than one exercise activity will require players to climb a steep hill, and the trials life throws at us are simply new mountains that can help us to reach new heights.
Hilltops will always maintain their presence in the story as Kim Sang-San visits the shrine of his ancestors, which is coincidentally at the top of the tallest hill in the land. This is where he writes his thank you notes, reflects on his struggles, and speaks to his departed family members. During the darkest moments of the story, the young lord will gaze down at the land he owns and cultivated, basking in his successes as a servant to his people, and a man who has happiness in his life. The message will be reflective of the individual player who will undergo a metaphorically similar journey.
In the end, Hilltop will be a game all about overcoming struggles, dealing with stress to the best of our abilities, and finding success in both game and reality.