Schizophrenia - 5 Minute Experience Game, Adjust Expectations Upon Entry Options

[Cleril]

Schizophrenia is a short experience game in which you experience Schizophrenia to some extent. Before reading on I will say that I did not make this with the intention to insult those with Schizophrenia. I feel the need to say this because upon showcasing this game on The RPG Maker VX Community I got flamed bad for this creation and do not wish to have a repeat of that occurrence. Consider this my interpretation of putting Schizophrenia into a game to a limited extent. If anything this is the story of a Schizophrenic, perhaps, based on your interpretation.

This game only has one map, well, technically three, but since you will only play on one map I cannot show any screenshots. There is no fancy scripting, graphics, or perhaps one could say gameplay. This is an experience game I made like The Fall(en) which means you should expect essentially five minutes of art. I am not saying there will be amazing plot lines or anything of that sort so do not judge the game because you expected something I never set out to offer.

This game is even more so about what thoughts you put on it than The Fall(en) as there is maybe 7 lines of written text. You get out of it what you put in essentially. Go into it with the right mindset, you'll perhaps be inspired. Go into it with the wrong mindset and then prepare to bark at me about how the game sucks.

RPG RPG Revolution Page: http://www.rpgrevolution.com/game/1931

Download: http://www.mediafire.com/?uc27oozf3u62qh2

It is recommended to play Schizophrenia in windowed mode. Fullscreen might cause a slight lag and the whole game is timed. If you have Steam (or other programs that make itself the active window) turn them off before playing other you will ruin the timing in the game. Parallel Process events do not work if the game is not the active window ergo Steam is a no go (the pop-up notifications make it the active window.)

Warning: Games contains a few f-bombs, a lot of lights flashing, and may cause headaches. If you have epilepsy or are sensitive to flashing lights then play Schizophrenia at your own risk.

Game created in RPG Maker VX.

This post has been edited by Cleril: Dec 28 2010, 11:35 AM

[Kread-EX]

Rather than schizophrenia, what you just showed is roughly what I experienced the only time I tried LSD - and that's not something I really wanted to remember. :/

To focus on the game itself rather than on your (bad) interpretation of the disease, there are two main problems:
1) The abuse of flashs. You pretty much exclusively used solid colors (white mainly) and that was very hard on the eyes.
2) Considering the number of events, 5 minutes is too long. I had the time to repeat 3/4 times every event in 3 minutes, so I just let the game for the 2 remaining minutes and went prepare myself a coffee. You'd need to double the number of events (and make them more confusing) to cover the game's duration.

That's about it.

[Cleril]

Rather than schizophrenia, what you just showed is roughly what I experienced the only time I tried LSD - and that's not something I really wanted to remember. :/

To focus on the game itself rather than on your (bad) interpretation of the disease, there are two main problems:
1) The abuse of flashs. You pretty much exclusively used solid colors (white mainly) and that was very hard on the eyes.
2) Considering the number of events, 5 minutes is too long. I had the time to repeat 3/4 times every event in 3 minutes, so I just let the game for the 2 remaining minutes and went prepare myself a coffee. You'd need to double the number of events (and make them more confusing) to cover the game's duration.

That's about it.

Just ignore the title of the game then I suppose. Though since I've never done any LSD it seems I don't need drugs.

Well all the flashes are timed with the song though I suppose I could of done more tint screen stuff instead.

Dunno about the timing, when I did it there was roughly 1 minute left after doing all of the events, which was purposeful. Should of disabled dashing but I didn't want to limit interpretation in anyway but if you take things slow it should stop having stuff to do at the 1 minute mark.

If you want a more substantial game from me there's the other things in my signature. See if you start with this game from me then you'd have a unwarranted bias of sorts to my creations as only this one is truly an "eventing experimentation" as it's called. My other stuff is not like this at all.

And I thank you for not blowing up in my face unlike that other forum.

[Rob_Riv]

The filesize is huge for a five minute game.

I read the posts on the other forum regarding this. PentagonBuddy stated that this "game" perpetuates negative stereotypes. I would say that it complete misrepresents what schizophrenia is. "Hi, I'm Dan... Now I'm Fred" - That isn't anything to do with schizophrenia.

You actually said...

Firstly you insult anyone with any mental configuration by calling it a disorder. If a person thinks differently it's now a disorder?

You know that Schizophrenia is a mental disorder, right?

[Cleril]

The filesize is huge for a five minute game.

I read the posts on the other forum regarding this. PentagonBuddy stated that this "game" perpetuates negative stereotypes. I would say that it complete misrepresents what schizophrenia is. "Hi, I'm Dan... Now I'm Fred" - That isn't anything to do with schizophrenia.

You actually said...

Firstly you insult anyone with any mental configuration by calling it a disorder. If a person thinks differently it's now a disorder?

You know that Schizophrenia is a mental disorder, right?

I include the RTP because the majority of players for my games do not come from sites like these, ergo the file size is big.

Then ignore the title of the game, only the title of the game really exemplifies anything. That could have something to do with schizophrenia because schizophrenia can be diverse and perhaps you were talking to the voices in the guys head. Interpretation sir.

Not everyone with Schizophrenia suffers from it. Not all the voices on hears can be bad. And consider this, is it not a worse thought to know you are depressed and that you have a disorder than to simply think you are having a period of sadness? Same goes for schizophrenia. It's simply a mental configuration (the brain acts differently) to see the world through, would you call thinking differently a disorder? Well then Schizophrenia is a mental configuration, or at least, it can be considered in some circumstances one.

[Rob_Riv]

That could have something to do with schizophrenia because schizophrenia can be diverse and perhaps you were talking to the voices in the guys head. Interpretation sir.

The "Hi, I'm Dan... Now I'm Fred" isn't anything to do with schizophrenia. It's not about interpretation.

Not everyone with Schizophrenia suffers from it. Not all the voices on hears can be bad.

Part of the definition of schizophrenia is Social/occupational dysfunction. So you kind of have to suffer from it. Not all voices are bad, you probably won't find a diagnosis of schizophrenia with positive voices, as positive voices wouldn't affect the person in a negative way.

And consider this, is it not a worse thought to know you are depressed and that you have a disorder than to simply think you are having a period of sadness? Same goes for schizophrenia.

Sadness (or low mood) is only one symptom of depression (it is necessary, but not sufficient for a diagnosis). They are not the same. Sadness is an emotion; depression is a mental disorder.

It's simply a mental configuration (the brain acts differently) to see the world through, would you call thinking differently a disorder? Well then Schizophrenia is a mental configuration, or at least, it can be considered in some circumstances one.

Well, schizophrenic disorders are charactised by distortions of thinking and perception. A hallucination isn't a different way to see the world.

I mean, it's clear that you have no idea what you're talking about when you said.

you insult anyone with any mental configuration by calling it a disorder.

As schizophrenia is classified as a mental disorder.

[Spaz Bunny]

I read the RPG Maker VX Community thread, and every single person there wasn't flaming you. They were simply putting you in your place because you were doing exactly what they were talking about. When playing this game I experienced a small headache afterwards, and it just felt like a small random outburst of weird effects. After it was over I just said to myself; "Wtf just happened?" and yes, Schizophrenia is considered a mental disorder. It's a problem, not a normal way for the brain to function. But this seemed more like "Experience being on acid for five minutes".

[Cleril]

That could have something to do with schizophrenia because schizophrenia can be diverse and perhaps you were talking to the voices in the guys head. Interpretation sir.

The "Hi, I'm Dan... Now I'm Fred" isn't anything to do with schizophrenia. It's not about interpretation.

Not everyone with Schizophrenia suffers from it. Not all the voices on hears can be bad.

Part of the definition of schizophrenia is Social/occupational dysfunction. So you kind of have to suffer from it. Not all voices are bad, you probably won't find a diagnosis of schizophrenia with positive voices, as positive voices wouldn't affect the person in a negative way.

And consider this, is it not a worse thought to know you are depressed and that you have a disorder than to simply think you are having a period of sadness? Same goes for schizophrenia.

Sadness (or low mood) is only one symptom of depression (it is necessary, but not sufficient for a diagnosis). They are not the same. Sadness is an emotion; depression is a mental disorder.

It's simply a mental configuration (the brain acts differently) to see the world through, would you call thinking differently a disorder? Well then Schizophrenia is a mental configuration, or at least, it can be considered in some circumstances one.

Well, schizophrenic disorders are charactised by distortions of thinking and perception. A hallucination isn't a different way to see the world.

I mean, it's clear that you have no idea what you're talking about when you said.

you insult anyone with any mental configuration by calling it a disorder.

As schizophrenia is classified as a mental disorder.

Again, it can have something to do with it. Perhaps it's the voices in his head as I said. Schizophrenics do give names to the voices or the voices have names.

So it's a disorder to have negative voices but not to have positive or just not negative voices? I believe that is picking and choosing.

But would you be more depressed if you knew you had a disorder or if you thought you were perfectly fine? That is my point.

Most Schizophrenics only have auditory hallucinations, only 26% or so have visual hallucinations.

It's an insult because not every Schizophrenic may think of it as a disorder and therefore you're calling what they are something they do not perceive themselves as, which is an insult.

I've had a Schizophrenic play the game apparently if you read the other forum, they did not feel insulted and agreed with me that Schizophrenia is a multidimensional mental quirk that is not the same for everyone.

It has a lot to do with interpretation, the whole world we live in has to do with interpretation. Some people believe in gods or a god, others believe a flying spaghetti monster crafted us.

I am not saying I am right or that you are wrong. I am only stating that what you think, what others think, and what I think are based on interpretation. Therefore there is no reason trying to say the game does X based on what you think.

It's not my best game but it's a game I have made and should not have to justify it's creation.

Look what happens when I do justify it, it gets people in a rut. So let's just leave it that you did not like the game and perhaps play something else I have made. This is really not a good game to start with concerning my games as I've said to the other user. As you now will have a bias that I am a blithering imbecile.

And perhaps I am just that.

[Cleril]

I read the RPG Maker VX Community thread, and every single person there wasn't flaming you. They were simply putting you in your place because you were doing exactly what they were talking about. When playing this game I experienced a small headache afterwards, and it just felt like a small random outburst of weird effects. After it was over I just said to myself; "Wtf just happened?" and yes, Schizophrenia is considered a mental disorder. It's a problem, not a normal way for the brain to function. But this seemed more like "Experience being on acid for five minutes".

Perhaps, though I'd imagine the case be closed once a schizophrenic says the game is just fine.

There is no normal way for the brain to function, that would dictate that there is only one way to perceive anything. Show people water and some think of it as the thing of life. Others think of it as bad tasting and would rather have soda. Drinking soda is not naturally normal, is it? Is that now a problem that one drinks soda because it is not naturally normal?

I wasn't on any drugs when making this. I'm "straight edge" as they say. Never did drugs, never drank, and never will do either of those.

Thank you for playing the game.

[Rob_Riv]

Again, it can have something to do with it. Perhaps it's the voices in his head as I said. Schizophrenics do give names to the voices or the voices have names.

Right, but the clear inference was multiple personalities, which just so happens to be a common misconception of schizophrenia, and this is in a game by someone that doesn't know anything about schizophrenia. Seems a little coincidental.

So it's a disorder to have negative voices but not to have positive or just not negative voices? I believe that is picking and choosing.

Picking and choosing? I don't know what you mean. Hearing voices is one of the symptoms for schizophrenia. There are other symptoms also. If you hear positive voices, it's unlikely that you'd be suffering in a negative way.

But would you be more depressed if you knew you had a disorder or if you thought you were perfectly fine? That is my point.

Either. People tend not to like labels, but also, once something is labelled, they can get treatment for it. One reason people do not like labels is because of stigma. Stereotypes and misunderstandings of the mental illness (as featured in this game) are part of that (as PentagonBuddy has already stated).

It's an insult because not every Schizophrenic may think of it as a disorder and therefore you're calling what they are something they do not perceive themselves as, which is an insult.

It doesn't matter whether or not they perceive it as a disorder, it is a disorder. Schizophrenia is a psychosis that involves a disconnection between the self and reality.

[Spaz Bunny]

You could have also added some extra things to do... But I think if you just changed the title everything would be just fine. On a positive note, the music added to the experience very well. And the freaky thing was, as soon as the game was over, the very INSTANT it finished, I had a Youtube video open in another tab in my browser, that's been sitting in the replay menu for about an hour, and as soon as that error message closed, the Youtube video began playing again. I didn't even press anything. o.0

[Cleril]

Again, it can have something to do with it. Perhaps it's the voices in his head as I said. Schizophrenics do give names to the voices or the voices have names.

Right, but the clear inference was multiple personalities, which just so happens to be a common misconception of schizophrenia, and this is in a game by someone that doesn't know anything about schizophrenia. Seems a little coincidental.

So it's a disorder to have negative voices but not to have positive or just not negative voices? I believe that is picking and choosing.

Picking and choosing? I don't know what you mean. Hearing voices is one of the symptoms for schizophrenia. There are other symptoms also. If you hear positive voices, it's unlikely that you'd be suffering in a negative way.

But would you be more depressed if you knew you had a disorder or if you thought you were perfectly fine? That is my point.

Either. People tend not to like labels, but also, once something is labelled, they can get treatment for it. One reason people do not like labels is because of stigma. Stereotypes and misunderstandings of the mental illness (as featured in this game) are part of that (as PentagonBuddy has already stated).

It's an insult because not every Schizophrenic may think of it as a disorder and therefore you're calling what they are something they do not perceive themselves as, which is an insult.

It doesn't matter whether or not they perceive it as a disorder, it is a disorder. Schizophrenia is a psychosis that involves a disconnection between the self and reality.

I do know about Schizophrenia, this game was made at least 2 months or so ago. It was an experiment and again, ignore the title if it pleases the court. Plenty of artwork is called something that the art has nothing to do with. Would it have made more sense for me to call the game "Poland Spring Water Bottles"? No. There's no water in it.

You're saying that if one hears positive voices then clearly you 100% fine but hearing negative voices means you are not AOK. So it's okay to have an ego and think your top gun but once you think you see a third eye on a person all of a sudden you're just wrong and need to be fixed? That's what your saying and that's what I simply disagree with.

But if you are sad and someone tells you that you need pills to make yourself happy instead of you being able to be happy on your own will would that not lead to further depression? I'd say that would be the case with my, well, whole family (minus me) because both my parents and my sibling have depression and my sibling gets even worse when the pills are taken, and has even complained that they do not want pills to make them happy and would rather do so on their own. By saying that they are just fine they may well overcome their issues on their own. Take me for example, by family history I should have an eating disorder, depression, anger management, inability to de-stress, and so on.

Yet I do not think I have or exhibit any of those things. The power of thought.

So does a videogame. A videogame takes you out of reality. As does movies, books, television, are you implying that escaping from reality is a disorder? I'd call that a very nice holiday gift, or Persona 3:FES (a videogame).

You could have also added some extra things to do... But I think if you just changed the title everything would be just fine. On a positive note, the music added to the experience very well. And the freaky thing was, as soon as the game was over, the very INSTANT it finished, I had a Youtube video open in another tab in my browser, that's been sitting in the replay menu for about an hour, and as soon as that error message closed, the Youtube video began playing again. I didn't even press anything. o.0

I could have. I could have also added more to a piece of poetry or maybe took an extra five minutes to take in the sound of the wind. A game, like an experience, or a poem, is never completed. It is abandoned.

Probably would make everything dandy but that's people's issues. Me and the schizophrenic on the other forum had no issues with the title so I couldn't give a toss to change it. It's the supposedly "normal" people who take an issue with it. And that's fine by me, it's just a title, ignore it if it makes the game better.

I created the music in Myna, a free in-browser audio editor. Development time was spent making the timing with effects and music perfect. My more recent games use all music made by me via Myna. None of these games are up here but eventually I'll put them up when I get to it. Haven 2 won't be up since I'm near completion of an update to it but that is one of my more recent games that solely uses self-made music.

You do have to click/press enter to make the error go away so maybe you double clicked/pressed enter. Or maybe the game made you hallucinate the youtube video.

This post has been edited by Cleril: Dec 28 2010, 12:08 PM

[Rob_Riv]

You're saying that if one hears positive voices then clearly you 100% fine but hearing negative voices means you are not AOK. So it's okay to have an ego and think your top gun but once you think you see a third eye on a person all of a sudden you're just wrong and need to be fixed? That's what your saying and that's what I simply disagree with.

Yeah, I didn't say this. It's a complete straw man. Hearing voices is one symptom of schizophrenia, however, it is unlikely that hearing positive voices would lead to a diagnosis of schizophrenia. This is because hearing positive voices is unlikely to lead to other symptoms such as social or occupational dysfunction.

But if you are sad and someone tells you that you need pills to make yourself happy instead of you being able to be happy on your own will would that not lead to further depression? I'd say that would be the case with my, well, whole family (minus me) because both my parents and my sibling have depression and my sibling gets even worse when the pills are taken, and has even complained that they do not want pills to make them happy and would rather do so on your own.

Well, research suggests that medication does help with depression, that's why it's prescribed. Medication is not the only treatment however, there are therapies that exist.

[Cleril]

You're saying that if one hears positive voices then clearly you 100% fine but hearing negative voices means you are not AOK. So it's okay to have an ego and think your top gun but once you think you see a third eye on a person all of a sudden you're just wrong and need to be fixed? That's what your saying and that's what I simply disagree with.

Yeah, I didn't say this. It's a complete straw man. Hearing voices is one symptom of schizophrenia, however, it is unlikely that hearing positive voices would lead to a diagnosis of schizophrenia. This is because hearing positive voices is unlikely to lead to other symptoms such as social or occupational dysfunction.

But if you are sad and someone tells you that you need pills to make yourself happy instead of you being able to be happy on your own will would that not lead to further depression? I'd say that would be the case with my, well, whole family (minus me) because both my parents and my sibling have depression and my sibling gets even worse when the pills are taken, and has even complained that they do not want pills to make them happy and would rather do so on your own.

Well, research suggests that medication does help with depression, that's why it's prescribed. Medication is not the only treatment however, there are therapies that exist.

By saying that they are just fine they may well overcome their issues on their own.

This statement suggests you really don't know anything about mental disorders.

Look, you can think anything you want about me and this game. Whatever turns you on I say.

Would you stop pulling out the assumption that I'm brain dead about mentality every post though? (EDIT: Thank you for pulling out the comment again sir!)

I'm all for deja vu but if I keep learning the same information from the deja vu (that I am questioning what is and isn't a mental disorder) it tends to get a little stale tasting.

Thank you for playing the game at least.

This post has been edited by Cleril: Dec 28 2010, 03:19 PM

[Rob_Riv]

I had removed the comment, but you seemed to post before I confirmed the edit.

[Cleril]

I had removed the comment, but you seemed to post before I confirmed the edit.

Oh well then thank you sir.

On a related note some players said that Cleril (the protagonist in Haven) is Schizophrenic. Like I said my other games are better than this and that it would not bode well to start by playing this game of mine or else you may think I am a terrible, terrible designer.

Of that I'm certain I'm not.

[Lkmb98]

This is less like schizophrenia and more like what would happen if one took a bunch of drugs and had a bad trip. As for the game itself it's more of a novelty than a game (like Electro Plankton, Wii Fit or any other casual games that Nintendo puts out >_>). There isn't any substance or a whole bunch of gameplay to be found. I found almost all the things that the game has to offer in less than 5 minutes, the story is non-existant and I think it was a little too silly to be taken seriously: "Welcome to Schizophrenia world, Fuck Nugget."

Yeahhh...... This is something I would play once out of curiousity. 3/10

[Cleril]

This is less like schizophrenia and more like what would happen if one took a bunch of drugs and had a bad trip. As for the game itself it's more of a novelty than a game (like Electro Plankton, Wii Fit or any other casual games that Nintendo puts out >_>). There isn't any substance or a whole bunch of gameplay to be found. I found almost all the things that the game has to offer in less than 5 minutes, the story is non-existant and I think it was a little too silly to be taken seriously: "Welcome to Schizophrenia world, Fuck Nugget."

Yeahhh...... This is something I would play once out of curiousity. 3/10

Fair enough, you get what you put in really.

I'd say the story involves a mental patient on his way to shock therapy (as the music charges up near the end) and I purposely didn't give you enough to do in 5 minutes (well, if you didn't rush then it would leave you with about 1 minute with all thins done).

It's pure interpretation really, nothing much else to it. This is my most abstract game really so it has the most varying feedback ranging from very bad to very good, though mostly I get very bads or just bads it seems.

[CrayDragon]

Abstract? Are you serious? This game was just spam. You basically just gave us a test map. The dialog would be funny to a six-year-old. To top it off, you named the game after a mental disorder as a lame excuse for the absolute WTF you portrayed in this. Don't you dare say it's abstract.

This post has been edited by CrayDragon: Jan 8 2011, 09:30 AM

[Cleril]

Abstract? Are you serious? This game was just spam. You basically just gave us a test map. The dialog would be funny to a six-year-old. To top it off, you named the game after a mental disorder as a lame excuse for the absolute WTF you portrayed in this. Don't you dare say it's abstract.

I'll say what I want to say it is. When you make your games I will let you call it what you want to call it. Disagree with me all you want. But do not disregard my work because you disagree with my views.

People name a lot of things after stuff that has nothing to do with what it is.

And lastly, I basically stated that you may enjoy this game more or that this game is not the best game to start with regarding my work as it's not the best. It isn't, this is not my best work at all.

And trust me this game isn't spam. I've played games involving Duck Hunt dog vs Player. There's "The Awesome Game" on here as well. If this is spam then those are too, and it's a game. You don't like it? Good for you. Go play some other games then because telling me my time was wasted making this is not feedback or criticism. It's a waste of both our time.

The dialogue wasn't dialogue, it's monologue. He was talking to himself, maybe you, but somehow I don't think he would want to talk to you.

Don't you dare say your subjective opinions are fact, good sir.

This post has been edited by Cleril: Jan 8 2011, 11:24 AM