Dikta
Overview
DIKTA is a narrative-driven "Hidden Object, Point and Click, Adventure Game" designed specifically for Senior High School students. The project aims to provide an interactive alternative to traditional learning methods, making history education more engaging and accessible.
Setting and Premise The game is set during the Martial Law era of the Philippines, a period chosen by the developers to combat the rise of historical revisionism and fake news surrounding the Marcos dictatorship. The narrative focuses on uncovering the realities of that time to help students distinguish fact from falsehood.
Players assume the role of a journalist navigating the responsibilities and dangers of the era. Key gameplay features include:
- Players must interview characters to gather information and find clues hidden in various locations.
- The game forces players to make ethical choices, such as whether to stay silent or stand their ground on contentious issues, which can influence the game's ending or have consequences in later chapters.
- Inspired by the game L.A. Noire, interactions involve choosing between "Truth," "Doubt," or "Lie" when questioning subjects.
- Players collect objects in an inventory to unlock new areas or solve deduction puzzles, drawing inspiration from games like The Great Gatsby and Return of the Obra Dinn.
The primary objective is to improve the learning experience regarding Philippine history and to align with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal 4: Quality Education. By immersing students in a digital recreation of the past, the game aims to foster critical thinking and social awareness.
Contributions
- Planned the game's concept and mechanics, from the main story to the branching interview mini-games.
- Wrote the code for UI, gameplay, background music and sound effects handling, and saved game (de)serialization, among others.
- Designed and edited all the scenes for the game's graphics.
- Utilized Microsoft Azure Cognitive Services' Text to Speech API in generating the voices of the game's characters.