Play-Life Balance Video Game

More about Play-Life Balance, the video game.

About the game

Play-Life Balance is a fast-paced, 90-second 1v1 esports challenge designed to be an approachable and practical experience of esports and our principles.

The objective is to collect points by picking up coins, healthy items like apples, as well as special Berocca & Fibre power-ups.

As you play, you must manage an increasing “Screen Fatigue” bar that gradually reduces your speed, adding a layer of strategy as you balance the real-life temptation of playing the game with the necessity of health through taking breaks.

The game was created with an educational purpose in mind to mirror real-life esports fundamentals, such as avoiding burnout through taking breaks and prioritising nutritious foods to fuel your character. It serves as an interactive introduction to esports for both students and teachers, emphasising the importance of balancing screen time with real-life activities.

If you ignore the “Screen Fatigue” mechanic, your character will very slowly down decrease in speed until you crash and are forced to take a longer break period which illustrates how prolonged screen exposure can impact performance, while the option to use the “Rest Zone” highlights the benefits of taking breaks and allowing you to be at your top speed for longer.

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How to play

You have 90 seconds to gather as many points as you can. However, you need to take short active rests in the “Berocca Rest Zone”. This manages your screen fatigue. If left to build up, will make you slow, and give your opponent an advantage.

To start: 

  • Press the Space key

Movement:

  • Player 1: WASD keys
  • Player 2: Arrow keys

Point system:

  • Coins = 1 point 
  • Apples = 3 points.
    • Apples spawn randomly throughout the game. 

Special power-ups:

  • Berocca Tablets: 2x speed boost for 5 seconds. 
  • Fibre lanes: Active randomly and takes you from the top to the bottom of the map in half the time. 
 
Disadvantages: If your screen fatigue bar reaches 100%, you will fall asleep and teleported into a “Rest Zone”. 
 
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This project was a true collaboration. We developed the game concept and Emotion Theory, an indie game developer brought it to life, and Berocca gave us the opportunity to turn our ideas into reality. Their support and partnership allowed us to create this game as a way to showcase esports in schools, and we’re incredibly grateful for their commitment to the future of gaming!

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