Playable in browser, on itch.io
TRIGGER WARNING : Depression and Transphobia
Introduction
No Home in their eyes is a project made for the Global Game Jam 2019, with the subject "What home means to you". It was made using construct 2, in 48 hours, by Hugo Hamelin, Ha-Thanh Gore-Koenig, and myself.
On this project, I was the Game & Narrative designer, while also coordinating the team.
The game only uses the keyboard and the mouse.
Concept and Creation
No Home in their eyes is an idea for a bite sized "visual novel", which was centered on the question of home, and identity. To be more precise, the core subject was everyday's transphobia in society.
As such, the project is a short series of situations, where the player has to chat with different characters. Each of them representing a different aspect of society and being more and more extreme in their phobia. The goal was to underline the fact that these kind of transphobic situations happens pretty much everywhere everyday, be it voluntary (TERFs and open transphobes) or not (Cisnormativity, internalized transphobia, and lack of education).
Due to the limited time, the interactions had to be limited to only three small dialogues and an epilogue.
A "morale gauge" idea was added while close to the end of the project. It was supposed to give two different endings (a sad one and a nice one). However it was not fully tested and is pretty much useless. In the end, the game is skewed toward the good ending, with our intended message and answer to the theme : "Home is where you can be yourself and be accepted for who you are"
Result
The project was overall nicely received, mostly by progressive people and allies.
However, the reception was colder with our trans players. A lot of feedback was about how the job was "too well done", and as such was triggering for them.
Despite it meaning that the main objective, of showing systemic problems, and help the public to understand it, these feedbacks are a problem, since it means the game may feel bad and turn away a part of the public, which is mainly the ones that needs support.
Later Edit : This game was made at a time when I though myself to be cisgender. This means a more external and problematic view of the subject, despite getting external help for the writing.
End note : Every sentence from non player characters are based on things that I heard in my life, or saw said on the internet. These were modified to fit the flow of the game, but the content and message was sadly preserved.
