A Digital Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Game

Oliver Bendorf, ginger coons, Julienne Corboz, Anna Foka, Roopika Risam

Story

There’s a problem at Dragon High:

Ulysses the Unicorn has transferred to Dragon High. Being a unicorn with a broken horn, Ulysses is having a hard time fitting in.

In this game, children will experience a day at Dragon High, occupying multiple roles as bully, bullied, and bystander.

Playable Characters

Ulysses the Unicorn: New to Dragon High, Ulysses is a target for bullies.

Playable Characters

Deborah the Dragon: Student body president and a noted bully, Deborah does not like anyone who is different.

Playable Characters

Gary the Griffin: The other non-dragon at Dragon High, Gary is content to remain a bystander, even when Ulysses is bullied.

Goal

Playing the game as either Ulysses the bullied unicorn, Deborah the dragon bully, or Gary the bystanding griffin, players must make it through a day at Dragon High without getting suspended.

Suspensions result from: getting locked in a locker and missing class, being a bully, or letting bullying happen.

Players will develop empathy, decision-making, social justice, and socialization skills.

Game Format

Dragon High is a digital Choose-Your-Own-Adventure style game. The digital medium allows students to assume the identity of the bully, bullied, or bystander and to navigate the halls of Dragon High, one perspective at a time.

A later version could provide an online multi-player experience.

Game Play

Point A: The school day starts

Point B: The bell rings and everyone goes home

Players navigate 10 different levels based on scenarios that could happen during a typical school day, such as: stolen lunch money, getting ready for PE class, gossip behind people’s backs, insults and namecalling, and cheating.

Game Play

Each level takes place during one class period of the day. A story or context is presented to the player via animation. The player is then given a set of options to choose how to respond to the scenario. Each choice leads to a consequence, as well as a new choice. The level ends with detention or moving on to the next class. In the course of successfully making it through a day at Dragon High, a character will have experienced a new perspective on bullying and learned to make positive choices.