If you could turn any real-life activity into a video game, what would it be and what kind of challenges would players face?

[killamch89]

As the question states, what activity would you turn into a video game and what would it be like?

Edited February 15, 2023 by killamch89

[Empire]

Well, can turn your full life into a RPG game. Your eyes spring open knowing what you do now is a game based of your life however anyone has a gameful approach to life as well, but unfortunatly just putting artificial points or levels onto something doesn't make it fun. Also there is a big difference between the view on life you my have and Habitica. With Habitica you don't approach your life like a game, you PLAY a game with your to do list. It's just a form of external reward. Even if it's a cool idea to have your full life into a game that you do now, it's a bad long term solution the way I See it.

[Shortie]

I would like to see a video game based around things that someone goes through that is normally not even noticed because they suffer in silence a lot of the time. Such as people who suffer with anxiety and depression, maybe seeing a game where you go into the life of someone who suffers with these things and you live their life with those issues so you can see from their perspective how it feels. Have things happen in the game like it would in real life that would increase the anxiety or depression of the character in the game. I think that would be a good way to show people what some go through on a daily basis.

[Shagger]

36 minutes ago, Shortie said:

I would like to see a video game based around things that someone goes through that is normally not even noticed because they suffer in silence a lot of the time. Such as people who suffer with anxiety and depression, maybe seeing a game where you go into the life of someone who suffers with these things and you live their life with those issues so you can see from their perspective how it feels. Have things happen in the game like it would in real life that would increase the anxiety or depression of the character in the game. I think that would be a good way to show people what some go through on a daily basis.

 

Ninja Theory did something like that with Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice, except it was schizophrenia and psychosis they portrayed rather than depression and anxiety. However, as someone who does suffer from depression I believe it isn't the sort of thing I that would translate into a video game very well. It's not the kind of mental illness that alters one's perceptions or everyday, immediate reactions and behaviour in a way an interactive experience and role play can really show in an engaging way. People who are depressed function perfectly fine like anybody else, they just feel different doing it all in a way isn't apparent from the outside. Suicide or attempted suicide is obviously depression at it's peek, but it's not necessarily something that plagues people who suffer from depression every day. Nor do we spend our time just sitting a dark room crying, it just isn't that obvious.

 

I've heard music that really captures this very well, check out Falling in Reverse, for example:

 

 

 

There are also plenty of movies and TV shows that get it as well (There's a lot that as don't as well). There's even some video games through specific characters that capture it well (Like Kate Marsh from Life is Strange), but making it the primary focus of a character and thier story in a video game is something I just don't see working because of the interactive nature. Unfortunatly, you just can't feel what depression is like through a controller no matter how hard a developer might try. Despite it being something that a person can't really know unless they've been through it, it is still one of things that's easer to understand from the outside by observing it from the outside. Nor is it that difficult, it just take a little patience, tolerance and understanding.

 

I genuinely apricate that you want to understand better through video games what it's like, but simple research is a better to learn. The late Chester Bennington talked about it, and he's spot on.

 

 

It is like having the energy to yourself depleted. Not enough to kill you, but enough to rob you of your will. Many days I wake up I just want to do nothing, say nothing, and most of all, be nothing. Getting myself out to go the the shop and buy milk isn't a chore, it's a goal. Not because I need the milk, but because it's more than I would normally achieve. I don't necessarily want to kill myself, but would be OK with laying there and dying. If that happens, so what.

 

That is what's it's like. Debilitating, but also kind of dull. It's not something that works as an interactive narrative. What would the game mechanics be like? A QTE to get out of bed? A fetch quest to the fridge because you really should eat something, it's been 8 hours? Sorry, but only way to make it work would be to go completely over the top which kind of defies the point.

[Reality vs Adventure]

I would love to have a game that is based on mining or prospecting to search for gems and mineral specimens. You would be able to try and find awesome rare specimens and try to extract them w/o breaking it. You have to be careful from dangers as you find your precious crystals. And hunters are out there to try and kill you and steal all your stuff. You then have to journey with your valuables, being hunted, and make it to where you sell items, or keep in your very own vault you can display them. You try to polish and cut specimens and sell on the market and in shows. You can trade specimens with others. You could rescue slave miners of blood diamonds and have a revolt against oppressors and take all the loot. Go on recuse missions, stealing ops, ambush bandits, and treasure hunts. And extreme weather survival, animal attacks, even government special forces trying to take your gems. Maybe you find alien minerals or something unknown to exist. Try and hide from government forces. 

I used to want to be a prospector and dreamed about it in the past. Plus I collect mineral specimens so I would love this game. 

[killamch89]

On 2/17/2023 at 7:16 PM, Reality vs Adventure said:

I would love to have a game that is based on mining or prospecting to search for gems and mineral specimens. You would be able to try and find awesome rare specimens and try to extract them w/o breaking it. You have to be careful from dangers as you find your precious crystals. And hunters are out there to try and kill you and steal all your stuff. You then have to journey with your valuables, being hunted, and make it to where you sell items, or keep in your very own vault you can display them. You try to polish and cut specimens and sell on the market and in shows. You can trade specimens with others. You could rescue slave miners of blood diamonds and have a revolt against oppressors and take all the loot. Go on recuse missions, stealing ops, ambush bandits, and treasure hunts. And extreme weather survival, animal attacks, even government special forces trying to take your gems. Maybe you find alien minerals or something unknown to exist. Try and hide from government forces. 

I used to want to be a prospector and dreamed about it in the past. Plus I collect mineral specimens so I would love this game. 

Some elements of this have been in quite a bit of games since the early days minus maybe the blood diamonds.

On 2/16/2023 at 7:38 AM, Empire said:

Well, can turn your full life into a RPG game. Your eyes spring open knowing what you do now is a game based of your life however anyone has a gameful approach to life as well, but unfortunatly just putting artificial points or levels onto something doesn't make it fun. Also there is a big difference between the view on life you my have and Habitica. With Habitica you don't approach your life like a game, you PLAY a game with your to do list. It's just a form of external reward. Even if it's a cool idea to have your full life into a game that you do now, it's a bad long term solution the way I See it.

Sims is one of the few life simulators that comes somewhat close to our everyday lives.

On 2/16/2023 at 7:16 PM, Shortie said:

I would like to see a video game based around things that someone goes through that is normally not even noticed because they suffer in silence a lot of the time. Such as people who suffer with anxiety and depression, maybe seeing a game where you go into the life of someone who suffers with these things and you live their life with those issues so you can see from their perspective how it feels. Have things happen in the game like it would in real life that would increase the anxiety or depression of the character in the game. I think that would be a good way to show people what some go through on a daily basis.

This sounds like a great premise for a game - I think there's a few out but I don't think they go really in-depth about issues like this...

[Empire]

On 2/22/2023 at 7:26 PM, killamch89 said:

Sims is one of the few life simulators that comes somewhat close to our everyday lives.

To a point, but not fully in terms of things. End of the day it's still a game

[Kane99]

Honestly, working out. I know there are workout games and apps, but I mean the whole idea of working out in video game form where I don't have to actually do the workout myself, but playing the game does it. :D I know it's lame, but working out is so boring, and if we had more video game themed ways of working out, I'd do it so much more often. 

[killamch89]

On 2/24/2023 at 12:48 PM, Kane99 said:

Honestly, working out. I know there are workout games and apps, but I mean the whole idea of working out in video game form where I don't have to actually do the workout myself, but playing the game does it. :D I know it's lame, but working out is so boring, and if we had more video game themed ways of working out, I'd do it so much more often. 

The feel-good factor from working out makes it all worth it. Besides your idea means it wouldn't be called working out, it'd be sitting about 🤣

[Scorpion]

I'd turn extreme parkour into a game—adrenaline-fueled urban exploration with insane stunts, fluid movement, and dynamic environments to conquer.