Susan - Game for Change

Susan

Initially, I had a very difficult time deciding on a concept I felt strongly about for my "Game for Change." As an extremely privileged white Mormon young man, there are fewer social issues I have felt radically affected by, at least personally enough to explore in this assignment. However, I realized there is one universal issue that I have watched play out multiple times, and one that could really affect any one of us. When I was in high school, I had multiple encounters with suicide. Though I never personally considered taking my own life, a close high school friend, my aunt Susan, and a family friend's son all took their own lives within a few years of each other. Just last week, a film friend of mine watched a girl jump off of a 7 story parking lot. 

As the tenth leading cause of death in the United States, and second leading cause of death for 15-24 year olds, suicide is not an uncommon tragedy (SAVE, AFSP). And yet, while not majorly misperceived, is a subject that is sometimes sort of laughed off by current pop-culture. For example, popular comedy films such as The Other Guys depict jumping off buildings for comedic effect. A new super-villian movie set to release is called Suicide Squad. It is even fairly common to make a gun-to-head motion when someone is frustrated. All of this is ignorance to the tragic problem that has always existed in society. 

One of the ways in which my game explores this issue is not only through ignorance to the issue, but even the accidental initiation of it. Although a sensitive subject, I felt it was important to tackle an issue extremely relevant to suicide within LDS culture. While creating the game, I did some research on the recent policy change regarding homosexual behavior and apostasy. Sadly, at least 32 young Mormons have committed suicide as a direct result (Deseret News). In my game "Susan", I set the event in Salt Lake City tried to convey her feelings of alienation, self-loathing, and confusion that so many experience when their religious views are at odds with their sexual orientation. Regardless of the intent of the policy change, it is important to discuss what kind of rhetoric we should avoid in religious conversation as not to prompt any sort of suicidal actions.

As far as conversation is concerned, that was another important element of the game. Your character has many options for what to say, and some work better than others to allow Susan to express where she is at, which is often what someone needs who is so deep in depression. Hopefully, the player feels they might be able to save her if they are careful. But ultimately, no approach in saving Susan, which is meant to stress the seriousness of the issue. The aesthetics are annoyingly simple and dark, as to suggest the state of mind many people are in when they commit suicide, coming to the resolution that it is the simple way out. My hope is that the unbeatable element of this game brings some ideas to the viewer as to how to better prevent anyone from getting to the point of suicide. 

SAVE: http://www.save.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.viewPage&page_id=705D5DF4-055B-F1EC-3F66462866FCB4E6
AFSP: http://afsp.org/about-suicide/suicide-statistics/
Deseret News: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865646414/LDS-Church-leaders-mourn-reported-deaths-in-Mormon-LGBT-community.html