Dear TouchArcade Forum My name is James and I'm a physician by training who is co-developing this game alongside a team with the hopes of making a more fun and engaging deep-breathing experience for improving overall mental wellness for those experiencing stress and anxiety. Thank you for taking the time to review this post. Our goal is to create a product that will be helpful for people struggling with their mental health. We really want to make sure what we are making would be appealing to players. I'm hoping to get the following feedback on whether our mobile digital health game concept 1) would the current concept below be something that you and other players would be interested in playing or using? If not what is missing? If yes, what do you like? Other non-game-specific questions 2) would you want any health tracking features, such as the ability to keep track/trend your stress or anxiety levels using validated brief surveys (2 questions each for stress, and anxiety). Would you want your doctor or therapist to have access to these? Would you pay for this service? If so how much? 3) would you be interested in early referrals to behavioral health therapists if on the surveys you are identified as possibly having high stress or anxiety? Pollen reimagines mental wellness through an interactive mobile game centered around deep breathing exercises. Players assume the role of wind, revitalizing a desolate world by collecting plants and flowers, each action powered by their breathing. The uniqueness of Pollen lies in its incorporation of deep, slow breathing into the gameplay. You'll take on the role of a breeze, guiding pollen along a serene environment. The distance the pollen moves is controlled by your breathing: exhale to push the pollen forward, and during the periods of non-exhalation, the pollen continues its path at a slow, steady pace. Here is a gif of gameplay in our WIP build: Imgur: The magic of the Internet Our game is designed to appeal to two types of players For the persons needing a mental break, our game offers an evolving story-like progression in a single, immersive world. You'll begin in a barren desert landscape, a blank canvas awaiting the breath of life. With each level, your breath transforms this environment bit by bit. The desert sprouts into grassland, which then blossoms into a lush forest, and ultimately, transforms into a vibrant garden filled with flowers. This progression allows you to quite literally breathe life into your game world. For the individuals interested in collecting each and every reward, we've incorporated an exciting collectible system into the game. Each level you complete rewards you with coins or collectibles, providing a sense of achievement and a memento of your journey. To keep track of your collection and add to the sense of progress, all your collectibles will be displayed in a special section in the menu UI. Your collectibles might even make into the gameplay world. This personal display not only provides a tangible record of your progress but also serves as an enticing reason to return and add more to your collection. To ensure an optimal deep breathing experience, we're planning to embed clear, intuitive cues into the game. Audio and visual cues will prompt when to inhale and exhale and provide feedback during gameplay. A tactile cue, in the form of short or long vibrations, will further enhance the immersive experience. Aside from the relaxing and engaging gameplay, we envision Pollen offering health tracking features. Players can opt-in to provide general ratings of their day, and take specific notes to refer back to at later dates. We plan for players to answer validated questions about stress, anxiety, and burnout helping them monitor their mental wellness over time. Answering surveys can also earn players rare items, adding an extra incentive for those keen on collecting.
