Natalie Basile
Service Pup Simulator
Play as a service dog guiding their owner across the road while avoiding possible distractions. Learn the dangers of distracting a dog at work through rhythm-based combat, matching each quick-time paw with the correct input.
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Goal: Education game for younger audiences about a contemporary under-represented group
DOCUMENTATION
Education
It was challenging to research and properly represent an underrepresented group in a game. We didn't have any personal connections to conduct interviews so we relied on the internet to learn about the underrepresented group.
Rhythm
It was fun to design distraction systems that represented service animal distractions and fit into the rhythm theme of the game. With procedurally generated notes to a song, it was a challenge to balance distractions with the main gameplay.
What I Learned
I learned that player testing is extremely important in balancing gameplay. The data was useful in tweaking the different distractions and iterating on UI to make it less distracting and more concise.
