Instructions for Enhancing the Donigian Park Bikeway Section
What This Is About:
This is for a virtual reality game project called Meshanticut. The game is designed to guide players through different locations around Providence, Rhode Island, while teaching them about Indigenous culture, history, and environmental conservation. Each section of the game is based on a real location, and the players “visit” these places virtually to complete tasks and earn pieces of a symbolic Wampum belt.
My section focuses on the Donigian Park Bikeway. This is a small 0.9-mile bike path in Providence, and the goal of my section is to:
- Educate players about the spiritual significance of trees in Indigenous culture.
- Highlight the importance of preserving the environment, like the Woonasquatucket River.
- Explain the historical impact of colonization on Indigenous traditions and languages.
- Engage players with reflective questions and tasks to connect them with the themes of the game.
What Needs to Be Done:
1. Understand the Flow of My Section:
Here’s the structure of my section step-by-step:
- Introduction (Q14): Players are welcomed to the Donigian Park Bikeway and asked to reflect on interviews they’ll “hear” as they walk along the path.
- Wattáp Introduction (Q18 & Q20): Wattáp, a tree with eyes and glasses, is introduced as the keeper of history in Meshanticut. He talks about how trees preserve spiritual and cultural memories in Indigenous traditions.
- Historical Reflection (Q22): Wattáp explains how colonization erased Indigenous culture, forced assimilation, and led to the loss of languages and traditions.
- Environmental Focus (Q23): Wattáp points out the degradation of the Woonasquatucket River, comparing it to the thriving rivers in Meshanticut.
- Reflection Task (Q24): Players are asked to reflect on what they’ve learned and how they can help preserve culture and nature in their own communities.
- Quest Completion (Q41): Players earn a piece of the Wampum belt for completing the task.
2. Improve the Section:
If you’re up for it, I’d love your help in making my section even better and more engaging. Feel free to put your own spin on it and make it stand out! Here’s the general idea of what could be done:
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Rewrite Wattáp’s Dialogue:
You can adjust the dialogue to feel more conversational and relatable, especially for players who might not know much about Indigenous culture. Think of ways to simplify or clarify the text so it’s easier to follow but still meaningful. -
Add Reflection Questions:
It could be cool to add questions that make players really think about what they’re learning. For example:- “How do you feel about the idea that cutting down trees erases cultural memory?”
- “What can we learn from the changes to the Woonasquatucket River?”
You can come up with your own ideas too—whatever feels like it fits the theme.
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Research the Area (If You Want):
If you’re interested, you could even look into Donigian Park or the Woonasquatucket River. Maybe there’s something unique about the area that could make the section more authentic and fun. Adding a little detail here and there might really bring the section to life. -
Make It Interactive:If you think of any small tasks or challenges players could do within the section (like solving a puzzle, collecting something, or interacting with Wattáp), that would be awesome. Just something to make it feel more like a game.
3. Make the Tasks Interactive:
Think of ways to make this section feel more like a game. For example:
- Add more engaging tasks. Instead of just asking players to reflect, could Wattáp give them a challenge related to the river or trees? Maybe they “collect” pieces of history or “clean” parts of the river virtually.
- Ensure the reflection task (Q24) feels meaningful. Rewrite the prompt so players know exactly what they’re supposed to reflect on.
4. Fix Any Issues:
- Right now, there are two images of Wattáp (Q18 and Q46). It’s not clear why both are there. Figure out if one of these should be removed or used differently.
- Make sure the transition to the next section (Q41) feels smooth and rewarding. When players earn the piece of the Wampum belt, it should feel like an accomplishment.
What to Keep in Mind:
- Stay aligned with the game’s themes. The goal is to teach players about Indigenous culture and environmental issues, so every change should contribute to this purpose.
- Keep it simple but engaging. The audience for this game could include people of all ages, so the language and tasks shouldn’t feel too complicated.
- Focus on the visuals. Since I’m sharing screenshots and you can’t see the game directly, make sure the text works well with the images provided.
Next Steps:
- Look through the screenshots and my notes carefully.
- Rewrite or adjust the text/dialogues, add reflection questions, and suggest interactive elements.
- Share any questions or suggestions with me