Jumpin Borders

Jumpin Borders is a simulation game that is designed to explain the hardships of immigrating to a modern America and the struggles they endure by G Ga ab by yR Ru uiiz z.

Table of Contents
Introduction ..........................................................................................................2
Design History ..........................................................................................................................................................2 Vision Statement .....................................................................................................................................................2 Logline ............................................................................................................................................................................. 2 Synopsis .......................................................................................................................................................................... 3 Game Description ...................................................................................................................................................3

Formal Elements ..................................................................................................3

Objectives ....................................................................................................................................................................3 Gameplay Description...........................................................................................................................................3 Tutorial ........................................................................................................................................................................... 4 Character Selection ................................................................................................................................................. 4 Conflict/Argument ................................................................................................................................................... 5 Challenge/Procedures............................................................................................................................................ 6 Outcomes ........................................................................................................................................................................ 6 Game World ...............................................................................................................................................................6 Characters ...................................................................................................................................................................6 PCs ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 6 NPCs .................................................................................................................................................................................. 7 Story ...............................................................................................................................................................................7 Dissoi Logoi................................................................................................................................................................7 Composition ...............................................................................................................................................................7

Introduction
Design History
English 460 with Professor Downs does not present itself with a long book list of historical classics, yet proved to be a class that prepares us for the future of English. For this particular assignment, we are to create a game document. I am going to explore all parts of a game that I create. All the complex parts of game that one does not usually think of I will talk about: conflict, characters, setting, tutorial and advertising. My game is going to based mostly on simulation applications that I have played on my iPhone or on my computer. My influences for Jumpin Borders is mostly from working with my mother. My mother herself is an immigrant and now helps several young people try and achieve their own documents themselves.

Vision Statement
Logline Jumpin Borders is a simulation game that is designed to explain the hardships of immigrating to a modern America and the struggles immigrants go trough. 2

Synopsis Jumpin Borders will be a simulation game that gives players options to choose how they will immigrate to the United States. In the immigration process, the player will be given different obstacles to overcome that many may not be aware of. The game would be marketed to young adults to adults through an application store in a trendy, modern day Oregon Trail type of way. The argument of the game would be to show how difficult it really is to come to America legally, and the struggles of young immigrants in America.

Game Description
The game begins with a video sequence of images of immigration through Americas history and how it is now. It would be Italians on Long Island and then their current family now. This would alter the players mindset of the dirty Mexican image he or she has currently. The player would then come into a dressing room type of module. This would allow them to pick a young male or female, and then style the character in the resemblance of themselves. This would allow the player to become more connected to the player. This would play similarly to the beginning of The Sims, but the next step is not buying a house and decorating it. Then a story is randomized for the player. The story could be anything from You are a student. You have papers, but must still integrate with the biases of American people. to You were brought to America as a child with no papers and now are applying to go to college. to You are planning to leave Mexico, where do you plan to start? From there they will begin their journey based on their story given. The game will play somewhat in real time with push notifications when different, real life problems occur.

Formal Elements
Objectives
Become legal (30 America points) Overcome prejudices (30 Beaner points) Go to college Be successful (as definited)

Gameplay Description
The game begins with a small video that is described earlier. Then the player is to create a character, which is explained further below. After that, a randomized character selection process will begin that I am going to divide into bullets. The problems will present themselves like in Oregon Trail.

An 18-year-old with papers already in process of being finalized o I begin with this one because it seems as though the main goal is already is accomplished, so the main obstacle will be overcoming prejudice. The problems this character will encounter are as follows: o You must learn English before the University can fully accept you. Do you choose to take English classes before you leave? (+1 America) Or spend quality time with you family before almost permanently saying bye to them? (+1 Beaner Points) Each of these will include a mini game. The English learning game will be a flash card game from English to Spanish to be most effective in showing the difficulty of learning a new language. o You must take the bus from Mexico to America, thats not very American! minus 1 America point. A 15 year old with no papers, brought as a child. o You go to your guidance counselor appoint. She tells you you even if you graduate, you will not be able to go to college. Do you drop out (-1 America point, +1 Beaner point) o Theres a DREAM act rally. Do you attend? (-1 American point, +3 Beaner point) These situations will go on and on, reflecting real life situation that actually occur to these people. Tutorial Since the game is ongoing, only hints will be used, not a tutorial. Character Selection The character creation mechanism will be very similar to the one in the Sims. My purpose here is to have people create characters that look like them so they are more attached to them and can relate, versus a foreign person that does not look like the player.

Conflict/Argument The conflict is basically going to be how you chose to earn or lose you points in different categories to reach the goal. The internal conflict will hopefully create a juxtaposition in the players head of what they think is right versus what they have to do to win the game, a similar procedure to what most immigrants have to go though. The conflicts will be story-based choices with a time constraint of 30 years. Time will run in the background of the players phone and move about 100 times faster then real time. The module, which will display the time, will look like the bottom of the Sims screen.

Challenge/Procedures The challenges and procedures should cause the players to make actions similarly to the way a modern immigrant would in real life. It should create the feeling similar to the way I felt in the McDonalds game: well, it is not exactly moral, but they have to do what they have to do! It should also cause the player to think: well if I do this, will it help or hurt my chances of finally becoming legal one day? The procedures of the game should mimic very exactly the everyday life of Hispanic teens. The talks they have with their guidance counselors, the opportunities to join organized crime or to be on the honor roll. There seems to be an obvious right answer to this, but even if they are on the honor roll, the immigrant will not be able to go to college and they will not be able to make a living for themselves. In organized crime, they make a lot of money and may not get caught. Still, if they are, a convicted felon cannot ever gain citizenship. Outcomes You can win the game by reaching the points. If you reach the 30 points on either the American side you win the game. If you reach the points on the Beaner side, you lose the game.

Game World
The real world system here is not a dramatization as much as it will be a real life, game interpretation of the struggles of modern immigration. The home screen will be in landscape orientation in order for the player to be able to see their character. With similar touch screen options that will encourage the player to see all the options given to them to better their player. Such as little side games that could increase their points if they are too close to becoming a full blown Beaner. These mini games will be traditional games like tetris, go fish and tic tac toe so the player can be entertained between different scenarios. Similar to the image above with the time slots and different options to play games or explore the game in entirely, the home screen will be their bedroom. According to the characters exact situation, the room may be very grungy or it may be shared with three other siblings. The other siblings will move around and act human like but the player will not be able to interact with them unless prompted to do so. They will be more like a set unless the game calls for something otherwise.

Characters
PCs The player will act pretty basically. I do not want the character to distract too much. If the player is down on points, the PC would show that emotion through the face, similar to the green diamond above the Sim. I want the player to be realistic and not cartoony to evoke a real life person feeling. If the player is down

on points and plays one of the mini games or responds appropriately to a situation given to them, a satisfied smile will return to their character. NPCs NPCs will be characters that may relay information to the player. It will also be the brothers, sisters and peers they encounter. The player will not be able to talk to them unless the NPC contacts first.

Story
The story of the game is meant to reflect any normal teenagers life, but with the added trials of being an immigrant. The player will constantly be overcoming battles of relationships but in the way an immigrant would. For example, You like someone, but their family does not approve that you are illegal. How do you explain the situation? The game will give you options of right and wrong that give you points one way or the other. I think most players will be more inclined to get Beaner points and the frustration of not making the right decision will create the problem in the players head that I am looking for: what is right?? The story of each game could go on and on, but each story should play out a real life characters life. From knowing previous people that are in the exact situation and even my mom and dad, I would create thousands of stories so that the game was not the same for any two players.

Reflection
Dissoi Logoi
I want the game to be hard enough that the player really understand the difficulty of immigrating to the United States. I fear that if the game is too easy, since I am not fleshing it out or getting to actually play it, the conflict of the game does not exist. If there is no conflict, there is no player and with no player I am not able to get my point across. If someone were to view this through a conservative lens, they may blame the character and not the situation, arguing that there is a way to become legal.

Composition
I think creating a game is interesting as a composition technique, definitely a little confusing, as I dont play many games myself. I feel like I am basing this game off of my little knowledge of iPhone games or dumb games I played when I was younger. I think it definitely has a role in the classroom. Reflect upon game design as a composition technique. I think it does matter if you can produce the game I have created, since there are so many details not

mentioned, the project would be huge. So I think a final game would be a enormous deal. I have to say that creating a game is not for me, though. No disrespect to you, Professor Downs! My mind wanted to create a 3,000 page document with every single detail and scenario, but in our time constraint that would be impossible. Also, I am not sure if this makes sense to anyone else. I feel like I am just learning how to write: I like horses. My favorite color is pink. That writing is so black and white other people have to understand it. I think my writing was similarly dumbed down to ensure the reader can visualize my game. Although, I am not sure if I even did that. All in all, I am grateful for a type of writing that challenges me in a way that is not expected. It is not challenging because it is a research paper on something that has no research on it and I can barely make any conclusions, game writing is an internal conflict. I struggled throughout to make sure everyone understood the plot of the game and how I envisioned it. Putting a story on paper is easy because the boundaries are pretty solid, but there are absolutely no boundaries here. Also, game jargon is not something I have had any experience with, so that was another challenger in itself.