A downloadable Hell Week

Introduction

Welcome to Hell Week. a nightmare of academic challenges that will forever haunt you. You seek a moment of calm, of silence, but there is no escape from the notoriously difficult Georgia Institute of Technology. Every turn you take there’s another exam, another assignment, an unfair grade, and a horrible work-life balance. According to “Testing, Stress, and Performance: How Students Respond Physiologically to High-Stakes Testing,” the author talks about the definite correlation between stress factors and high-stake exams (Heissel, Jennifer et al). In addition to general stressors that you may face, the stress from your exams almost sends you over the edge. You are suffocating in pressure and expectations to succeed. Especially in a week of multiple exams, this nightmare is what many Georgia Tech students call “Hell Week.”

The game becomes very relatable and realistic given that players have the opportunity to endure the life of a high-achieving, overly-stressed out college student. Though you must focus on your academic studies, you will also need to manage your time in a way which minimizes procrastination, solidifies priorities, and keeps your social life in check to ensure overall balance (Calonia, Julsar et al). You also will face the anxiety a student may face being subjected to a loud, distracting testing room which hinders their performance by placing them in an attention-deficit (Monteiro, Raquel, et al). Regardless of all that is against you, you must attempt to accomplish the goal of trying to make it out “alive” in Hell Week. Thus, not only does this eerie life function as a horror-driven, suspenseful game for players to enjoy, it is also a lesson meant to teach players how to manage a rigorous academic schedule. But beware- although this may seem like a fun, hypothetical game, your life may be on the line…

Background

Hell Week will take place on the campus of Georgia Tech, and as players continue through gameplay the horror/suspenseful tone will become more prominent as their chances at failing or succeeding will become more clear. Imagine a setting of perpetually dark skies, mass forests of barren trees, crows cawing in the distance, a constant sense of vulnerability in the air, lingering silhouettes, and the unsettling feeling that you are always being watched (by the dean trying to preserve Georgia Tech’s prestige, perhaps). Many college students face days feeling on edge, awaiting their exam scores. You, the player, will be immersed in this same everlasting uneasiness, as you will not know how you are doing on your exams until the very end…

Players will go through a week in their lives as a college student (starting on a Monday), mainly focusing on preparing for their predetermined number of exams (via a dice roll). The game master will gradually lead the players throughout the entire week (until the following Sunday). This week of preparation will be the bulk of the game, being quite slow-paced to emphasize player apprehension. The success rate of the tasks completed by players will be used to boost or hinder their randomized exam grades at the end, so it is very important to do well in each scenario and to help each other out to meet the minimum passing rate to keep Georgia Tech a prestigious university in the US, or else. The day following the slow, uneasy five days of preparation will be when players roll a dice to determine their exam outcomes, awaiting for the game master’s substantial message telling players if they passed or failed the game. The 6th day, unlike the weekdays, will be much more fast-paced, as players no longer have any control over their exam performance—the dice is who decides…

Up to 7 people can play at one time. First, players must pick a gamemaster (someone with a creative imagination and someone willing to carry on the narrative in a clear way). The game master will hold the most power in the game—contributing to the fates of the other players—but will also hold the most responsibility.

Individual Rationales

agastya link

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MonY5kA_PWDgoH5KeKxrg2-ZlJbyHnfuIfne7OoySc0/edit?usp=sharing

evie link

rationale - Google Docs

madison link

Madison Miangolarra Artifact 3 Rationale.pdf

kayla link

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DERDC-qmpYtGsUCIqm7CXrwPxap-UVmoWg35OZNbe3k/edit?usp=sharing

veronica link

https://docs.google.com/document/d/10S72-kBY3tGdQD_Notyd3_rYMQL8DlIPpeN2vNJA9tc/...

Assets: