Not Going Assigment - Sweet Dreams

I chose to design a game that targets school age children (6 to 12 years old) that have a fear of anesthesia called, “Sweet Dreams”. “Sweet Dreams” is an action-adventure game for the PC. Like what was said in class, some hospitalized children may not be able to use the Wii controllers, so I chose a computer. The game is also made in 2D graphics, so it would be too simple for a console. In the game, the player controls another child in the hospital who needs anesthesia. While the character goes to sleep, the player controls him inside his mind (much like the cartoons where the characters dream of themselves and the viewer can see them acting out their dreams). The character has five dream jobs that the player must act out in five levels. These occupations include being a teacher, policeman, firefighter, astronaut, and inventor. The goal of the game is to successfully complete each of the challenges presented in each level, and the character will wake up and let the child know that anesthesia is not scary at all, and is just like falling asleep. The gameplay varies for each job, but in each one, the character presents a comical challenge and it is up to the player to solve it. For example, as the teacher, the player must chase students down the hallways, while avoiding obstacles, to send them to detention. Another example includes the inventor building crazy machines for no reason, like sofas that could walk. The exaggerated nature of the jobs in the game is supposed to humor the child and ease them of the fear of being put to sleep, showing them that it’s just like dreaming when sleeping. Hopefully the child will be reminded of this when they are anesthetized and will prompt them to have their own funny dreams. Most of all, I hope that it takes their mind off of worrying about a procedure, that is generally harmless.