This week, the focus has been on finishing the core gameflow for the coping card game. Previously, players could use coping cards to “attack” the states-of-being, and now the states-of-being can actively drain the player’s emotional energy. This creates a dynamic loop where the player must balance using their coping cards effectively to eliminate the states-of-being before their emotional energy runs out.

The intention behind this mechanic is to help players connect the in-game actions to real-life emotional self-regulation. The idea is that by helping a virtual AR character cope with challenging behaviours and states-of-being using coping cards (which represent real-life strategies), players can see how these strategies work in practice. The hope is that this connection will encourage players to apply similar techniques to manage their own emotions and behaviours in real life.

Now that the gameflow is coming together, the next step is to make the coping cards more dynamic. They won’t just help eliminate the states-of-being—they’ll also reinforce the player’s emotional health by shielding, protecting, or defending it. This addition will add another layer of strategy and make the gameplay feel more rewarding and impactful.