PROJECT SPOTLIGHT: MST – Stichting GameLab Oost

Howdy, everyone! We are back with a new project spotlight this week – featuring the one and only, MST group!

The group consists of three diverse sets of young professionals – psychologists, artists, and programmers working on a prototype for MST. There is no time to waste, so let’s get the tape rolling and tell you all you need to know about this exciting endeavor!

So, what is this project anyway?

The project is aimed to help people suffering from the NAFLD disease, which (in a more user-friendly way) means, that the target group has problems with their liver, they are overweight, or experience any related to this issue, symptoms. The game provides the patients with more information about the content of the food they are consuming, promotes a better lifestyle to them, and helps them integrate food-related facts from the game in their lifestyle. Whew, theoretically speaking that is! How will the game look like though? The concept comes in the form of an entertaining environment featuring a food truck, in which the player can complete various tasks. These tasks allow them to find more information on the food products they use and assist them in finding out more about what is really important – the daily carbohydrates consumption.

Who are making all of this possible!

Having eloquently elaborated on the idea and theme of the project, it is only fair to move towards the tasks of the students, who are making all of this possible! As we have previously mentioned, the group consists of programmers, artists, and psychologists. Before they get those knuckles cracking, of course, they have to come up with ideas! So how do they do this? The interns conduct loads of research on the topic, brainstorm together and ask each other questions. In the end, this process opens doors for many different and creative outputs, since the project group comes from diverse backgrounds and studies! Thanks to this, the students came up with the idea to implement a food truck in the game (which led to different design choices of interior, exterior, and all sorts of creative shenanigans). The decision-making process in the group undergoes the following steps: idea development, idea prototype, enhancement of prototype.

A 1930s cartoonish style with noodle-like limbs

Lastly, of course, we will have a look at what the students like about their project and present you with some juicy findings! The main highlight is the diversity of the project group – the game has a particular concept, as you can see, and the input of each group is essential! The variety within the group helps every member see the bigger picture, without getting caught up in their own head. The art style of the game is definitely something the students enjoy! A 1930s cartoonish style with noodle-like limbs is something new for them and presents a lot of fun possibilities to work and experiment with. The focus of the project provides a lot of learning possibilities, which help the students to become more knowledgeable on the subject and the growing problem of the NAFLD disease (it is affecting a large percentage of the global population and the results of the diseases can be fatal). In the same spirit, getting to learn new facts about nutriments is very engrossing and helps the participants promote awareness of a healthier lifestyle. Of course, all of the young professionals wholeheartedly agree on having fun while working on a new kind of game together. The team is looking forward to seeing their game realized as a final product!

That was all for today, folks! See you next week and don’t forget to show love for the group!