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Picture of the Meridian

UX Research

Games

UX/UI

LOST MINDS

Serious Game Concept Development.

Timeline

May 2024 - November 2024

Team

Me

Methods

Qualitative Interviews
Quantitative Survey​
Design Thinking

Keywords

UX Research
Narrative Design
Storytelling

TASK.

My thesis connects two things I am passionate about: User research and games. To do something good with it, I wanted to address a problem that I encountered during one of my research projects: Psychology students receive a theoretical education for a highly practical job. And lots of them feel overwhelmed once they start their first one. Since I think every patient deserves a top-notch therapy and students deserve to be well prepared for their job, I asked myself and a bunch of students how I could address this problem. Because that's my jam. I like to solve problems, find solutions that might not be that obvious, and make something great.  ​I had been concentrating on serious games for a while at this point, and the feedback I received showed that it could be considered an adequate solution for the problem. This is how I came up with Lost Minds. Lost Minds is an interactive, narrative-driven serious game to immerse psychology students in realistic therapeutic scenarios aboard the research vessel Meridian. The story follows Charlie Brunner, a young psychologist who is involuntarily brought aboard the isolated research vessel after unknowingly signing a deceptive work contract. Onboard, Charlie encounters patients suffering from severe psychological disorders, including psychosis, borderline personality disorder, and depression. He must learn to navigate complex therapeutic situations while under pressure from the authoritarian project leader known as "the Doc". Throughout the story, students are exposed to realistic diagnostic processes, ethical dilemmas, crisis interventions, and the nuances of therapeutic communication. By observing and reflecting on Charlie's journey - his uncertainties, breakthroughs, and interactions - students gain insights into their future role as therapists. The scenarios are crafted to simulate real-world challenges and to foster clinical reasoning, empathy, and resilience. Lost Minds is not only a gripping psychological drama, but also a training tool designed to prepare students for the emotional and professional demands of everyday work in clinical settings.

PROCESS.

*Note: Even though the process is displayed as linear here, it seriously isn't. During projects, depending on the research and new information that comes up through interviews, etc., I go back and forth. 

EMPATHIZE

  • Market Research
  • Qualitative Interviews
  • Competitor Research
  • Target Group Research​
    • User Stories​
    • User Journey Map​

DEFINE

  • Personas
  • Storyboarding
  • Level Design
  • Game System

IDEATE​

  • Brainstorming
  • Sketching of the visual concept
  • Design System

PROTOTYPE​

  • low fidelity prototypes

TEST​

  • Testing the prototype with the target group

RESEARCH.

​As mentioned before, I stumbled across this problem during another one of my research projects, and for some reason, it stuck with me. How are recent graduates supposed to help someone with severe mental illness when they are overwhelmed themselves? It didn't seem fair to me that patients who trust their therapists had to make do with possibly a therapy that won't help them at all, only because the university didn't prepare their students properly. So I tested the waters by talking to recent psychology graduates about the problems they encountered once they started their jobs, and realized that the problem is prevalent everywhere and not an isolated case. And I mean across Germany.  The target group for this project seemed obvious: Psychology students. But if we only ask students, we get a singular view of the problem, and that is simply not enough. It is therefore important to identify other stakeholders and find out what problems other people perceive. So, my take was to take lecturers and psychologists who recently graduated into the mix. Why? Good question! Students might complain about topics that are (although) valid, not fixable in the way they wish them to be. Getting the opinions of lecturers and psychologists who have hands-on experience can provide a deeper understanding of the situation universities face and why they teach the way they do, as well as unearthing desperately needed knowledge and skills when starting the first job. ​​That's actually where it got exciting. When gathering information from different angles, there is always the possibility that it leads nowhere, and the hypothesis proves to be wrong. And I was anxious to find out whether the impressions correlate. Spoiler: They do!

User Interviews

After identifying 2 more target groups (lecturers and recent psychology graduates), I took a more detailed look at the main target group: Psychology students. 

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​The number of students opting to study psychology has been rising steadily for years; while around 85,000 students were enrolled in such a degree program in 2018 (cf. Spinath, 2021), this number has since grown to almost 110,902 students studying psychology in the winter semester of 2022/2023. Around 75 percent of them were female (cf. Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), 2023; Federal Employment Agency, 2023).

Game preferences depending on the gender

Despite the attempt to equalise the unequal gender ratio, a female-dominated student body in psychology can also be expected in the coming years (cf. Spinath, 2021). This distribution is interesting with regard to the different interests and preferences of men and women. Although the social debate on gender equality, gendering, etc. is recognised by me, stereotypes cannot be completely ignored. Studies show that in some cases, there are valid gender-specific preferences with regard to the design of games. As a primarily female target group is expected in the near future, it may therefore make sense to design the serious game in such a way that it addresses the range of interests of a female audience, but still remains interesting for male players. 

Psychiatrist , 24 yrs.

“It's a bit of learning by doing. I was also told that beforehand. A bit along the lines of fake it till you make it. But at the beginning I felt completely let go and I've only been at it for two months. But for the first three weeks I really thought to myself, what am I doing here?"

Competitors 

The desire for a service that combines all these aspects is more than understandable. The question arises, however, whether such a service already exists. Hence, we proceeded with a competitive analysis, where we encountered the usual suspects:

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1. MediSims

  • Target Audience: Psychologists & Doctors

  • Features: Patient introduction, interview, tests, diagnosis, orders, and a detailed review

  • Strengths: Medication adjustment, slightly interactive

  • Weaknesses: Focus on common clinical pictures, very guided

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2. USC Standard Patient

  • Target Audience: Psychologists & Doctors

  • Features: Interviews and diagnosis

  • Strengths: free text input/speech input

  • Weaknesses: Not detailed, very fictional

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SWOT-Analysis & Differences​

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A SWOT analysis of those competitors showed that the highest differentiation potential lies within the following areas:

  • Personalized experiences based on the choices made by the players

  • Storytelling to provide immersion and a more realistic experience

  • Focus on students to train them early on, and not after graduation

  • Motivation through challenges and gamification​

AUDIENCE.

The main target group is between 18 and 28 years old and studies Clinical Psychology in the Master's program. Over 75% of students in this program are female, so it is important to design a game that appeals to female players. Those prefer strategy and adventure games such as Age of Empire, Red Dead Redemption, Civilisation, etc. In contrast to male players, female players like a realistic setting and to experience the full spectrum of emotions in the context of a game. Caring is also important to them, e.g., by being able to heal other players or something similar. While men have more pronounced spatial thinking skills, women excel with stronger communication skills and verbal puzzle solving, which should also be used in games for a mainly female audience (see Schell, J. 2020).

GOALS.

We know what our competitors do, we know what our target group wants, and we know the problem. Time to define some goals! Every game needs goals, and serious games are no exception. While commercially available digital games are satisfied with player experience goals, etc., according to Fullerton (2024), the development process of serious games must be supplemented by learning goals. Means, we take our analysis of the interviews and create learning as well as player experience goals. 

Learning goals

Intake and initial interview

  • During an intake interview, the Master's psychology student asks the patient at least 85% of the relevant questions.

  • After the interview, the Master's psychology student categorizes the patient's description and is able to draw a 90% correct conclusion as to whether psychotherapeutic treatment is appropriate in view of the problem.

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Individual interview

  • During the first individual interview, the Master's psychology student carries out biographical work and asks about at least 85% of the relevant milestones in the patient's life.

  • The Master's psychology student accurately interprets the patient's answers after the intake interview and can assign 75% of them to a clinical picture.

  • Based on the information from the individual interview, the Master's psychology student can deduce a specific diagnosis 90% of the time.

  • The Master's psychology student is able to explain their diagnosis to the patient 85% of the time and clarify questions.

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Therapy plans

  • Together with the respective patient, the Master's psychology student is 75% able to develop a therapy plan.

  • If the diagnosis proves to be incorrect, the Master's student in Psychology is 70% able to review the diagnosis and make a new one.

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Writing reports

  • When writing reports, the Master's psychology student is able to categorize the patient correctly and write the report with 80% accuracy.

Player Experience goals

  • Players feel responsible for the moral and therapeutic choices they make towards the characters.

  • Players feel connected to the fate and stories of the characters in the game.

  • Players feel a desire to achieve the best for the characters in the game.

  • Players feel curious to discover the secrets of the game world.

  • Players feel secure and happy that they are learning something that they can use later.

  • Players feel reassurance because they can apply their theoretical knowledge from their studies in the game.

Now, we know what we would like to teach the students. Since we have a primarily female target group who prefers realistic settings, big emotions, strategy, action, and simulation, we dig into that and mix it with some storytelling. Sounds easy, but it's not. I used brainstorming, a bunch of my own limitless fantasy, and the narrative arc as well as Will Storrs strategy to create some great characters and storyline.

DESCRIPTION.

Lost Minds is an interactive, narrative-driven serious game to immerse psychology students in realistic therapeutic scenarios aboard a research vessel named Meridian. The story follows Charlie Brunner, a young psychologist who is involuntarily brought aboard the isolated research vessel Meridian after unknowingly signing a deceptive work contract. Onboard, Charlie encounters patients suffering from severe psychological disorders, including psychosis, borderline personality disorder, and depression.  He must learn to navigate complex therapeutic situations while under pressure from an authoritarian project leader know as "the Doc".

​

Throughout the story, students are exposed to realistic diagnostic processes, ethical dilemmas, crisis interventions, and the nuances of therapeutic communication. By observing and reflecting on Charlie's journey - his uncertainties, breakthroughs, and interactions - students gain insights into their future role as therapists. The scenarios are crafted to simulate real-world challenges and to foster clinical reasoning, empathy, and resilience. Lost Minds is not only a gripping psychological drama, but also a training tool designed to prepare students for the emotional and professional demands of everyday work in clinical settings.

​

Title: Lost Minds

Genre: Narrative Serious Game / Simulation

Platform: PC

Target Audience: Psychology students and trainees in clinical settings

Learning Goal: Teach diagnostic reasoning, therapeutic communication, and ethical decision-making in clinical psychology.

Core Mechanics

Space

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  • The game world is the ship Meridian, a confined environment that fosters tension and psychological pressure. 

  • Navigation is node-based: players move between rooms (e.g., cabin, infirmary, therapy office, deck) via a contextual UI. 

  • Environmental storytelling is key (e.g., scattered personal items, condition of patients’ rooms). 

Objects

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Documents: Patient records, diagnostic tools, notes, and medication lists. 

Dialogue Interfaces: Branching dialogues with selectable tones (neutral, supportive, confrontational). 

Medical Equipment: Non-functional props that build realism. 

Access Keys: Unlock areas through narrative progression (e.g., therapy room, restricted lab). 

Actions​

Interviewing: Choose questions and responses in therapy sessions. 

Diagnosing: Select likely disorders based on DSM-aligned clues. 

Recording Notes: Enter observations in Charlie’s notebook. 

Exploring: Search for clues about the ship and the project. 

Confronting: Engage with antagonists using moral reasoning and evidence. 

Rules​

  • Adherence to professional ethics is required (no forced treatment, confidentiality, informed consent). 

  • Missteps affect trust and access to further information. 

  • Time-limited sessions: players can only perform a set number of tasks per in-game day. 

Skills

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  • Empathic listening 

  • Hypothesis formation 

  • Pattern recognition (symptom clusters) 

  • Managing crises (e.g., suicidal ideation) 

  • Professional boundary-setting 

Chance​

  • Patients may respond differently within a behavioral range, affected by earlier choices. 

  • Some events (e.g., storms, equipment failures) are triggered dynamically to simulate unpredictability. 

Conflict​

  • Interpersonal: Player vs. Doc, player vs. patient resistance 

  • Internal: Charlie’s personal conflict between escape and duty 

  • Systemic: Lack of resources, time, and freedom 

Objectives​

  • Build patient trust 

  • Deliver accurate diagnoses 

  • Develop and implement treatment plans 

  • Escape or reform the system aboard the Meridian 

Outcomes​

  • Multiple endings based on professional conduct, patient outcomes, and moral choices. 

  • Trackable progress metrics (e.g., patient stability, ethical standing, narrative arc). 

Interface & Feedback Systems​

  • Notebook UI: Records observations, decisions, and hypotheses. 

  • Dialogue System: Shows patient reactions and rapport level. 

  • Progress Tracker: Monitors goals and narrative milestones. 

  • Visual Cues: Lighting, posture, and facial expressions provide patient status. 

Progression & Structure​

  • Divided into Days (chapters): 

    • Day 1: Orientation, first interviews 

    • Day 2: Deeper assessment, emerging crises 

    • Day 3–5: Treatment planning, moral confrontation 

    • Final Day: Resolution and outcome 

Learning Assessment​

  • Embedded reflection prompts 

  • Post-session feedback comparing choices to best practices 

  • Summary reports on diagnoses, rapport, and ethics 

Constraints & Resources​

  • Designed for short play sessions (45–60 minutes per chapter) 

  • Low-complexity UI for accessibility 

  • Realistic character designs based on narrative consistency 

DESIGN SYSTEM.

Dramatic Elements​

Premise: A young psychologist is trapped on a research ship and must care for patients under morally and psychologically intense conditions. 

Character: Charlie Brunner is the player avatar; supporting characters include Louisa, Sascha, Jeff, Max, Sarah, and the Doc. 

Story: Linear chapter progression with branching subplots and multiple narrative outcomes. 

World Building: Atmospheric ship setting with themes of isolation, control, and ethical ambiguity. 

System Dynamics​

  • Rules: Govern behavior and ethical boundaries (e.g., time limits, no breach of confidentiality). 

  • Procedures: Players conduct therapy sessions, collect data, and update diagnoses. 

  • Resources: Limited access to time, tools, trust, and space. Each is tracked and affects decision-making. 

  • Boundaries: Entire game occurs within the ship. Players may only act through Charlie’s perspective. 

  • Conflict: Emerges through ethical tension, interpersonal breakdowns, and narrative urgency. 

Unifying Theme​

​The emotional and ethical responsibility of caregiving under pressure. Players confront what it means to help, when help is possible, and what it costs. 

Dramatic Arc​

  • Designed for short play sessions (45–60 minutes per chapter) 

  • Low-complexity UI for accessibility 

  • Realistic character designs based on narrative consistency 

ARTWORK.

The following artwork was created by AI (ChatGPT).

IMPROVEMENTS.

Image by JOHN TOWNER

1

Depth

All the design systems as well as the core mechanics need depth.

2

2nd pair of eyes

Obviously it's the first concept I made. So it's not perfect. Working with a team could absolutely highten the quality of the product. Which I would love.

Resources.

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Pictures

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