Fallen London Developer's New Title Tackles Teen Suicide

[Karloff]

Fallen London Developer's New Title Tackles Teen Suicide

Failbetter Games' Machine Cares! is intended to help people who have lost a friend.

Failbetter Games, best known for its steampunk gothic story game Fallen London, has joined forces with ChildLine to create its latest venture: Facebook game Machine Cares!, an interactive tale about teen suicide. The intent is to help young people who may have lost a friend feel confident about sharing their worries and concerns with others, or with a service like ChildLine.

The plot concerns you, a new resident of the Tower, who has moved into an apartment previously owned by Jay. Jay killed himself before you arrived, and as you meet people who used to know Jay and learn what happened as they understand it, you begin to unravel Jay's sad story.

ChildLine hopes that people affected by any part of the story will contact them. "The subject of suicide can be a difficult matter to discuss," said Peter Lever, Director of ChildLine. "By reaching out to [people] through a story like Machine Cares! online, we hope that young people will see a way to contacting us where they hadn't before."

Failbetter founder Alexis Kennedy acknowledged that many don't feel comfortable seeking professional help, and hopes that Machine Cares! will change that. Failbetter encourages high school and college teachers to share Machine Cares! with pupils, as the game will probably be of most benefit to those 14 and older. Mature themes, including strong language, drug use and sexuality, will be part of the game's story.

Machine Cares! can be found here. [http://www.machinecares.com/signup]





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[ProtoChimp]

This is interesting. Is it like a choose your own adventure game or role playing or what? Plus this could help in theory, I mean its a lot easier to talk to people you don't know when going through a bad time rather than someone you know. I don't know if it was the case for other people, but I always felt I shouldn't make other people feel worse when in truth they already feel worse because they can tell you're going through hell. Unless they're dicks.

 

[V8 Ninja]

...And you have to have a Facebook account to play the game.

So much for that!

 

[FEichinger]

Okay, I'll be "that guy" now ... Why the fuck does it have to use Facebook? Seriously, even ignoring the irony of Facebook having been part of the whole friggin problem to begin with, why is there - as far as I see it, prove me wrong, if there is, point stands for the vast majority of "facebook games" nonetheless - no option to do it without giving your soul to the devil for free?

 

[Irridium]

Okay, I'll be "that guy" now ... Why the fuck does it have to use Facebook? Seriously, even ignoring the irony of Facebook having been part of the whole friggin problem to begin with, why is there - as far as I see it, prove me wrong, if there is, point stands for the vast majority of "facebook games" nonetheless - no option to do it without giving your soul to the devil for free?

Most teenagers these days use facebook, and their target audience is teenagers. So it'd make sense to put it on Facebook.

 

[blackrave]

While teen suicide is sad, it is also incredibly stupid.
The very concept of killing yourself because your first few years of existence brought you some social discomfort (and in most cases it is the main reason) is just ridiculous

Few rules to survive young age
All people do stupid things (especially when they are young)
What other people think about you doesn't matter
Your feelings mostly doesn't matter
You're not special
NOBODY WILL SAVE YOU
The sooner one accepts these rules, the better his/her life will be

So unless you are terminally ill, suicide is extremely poor and stupid option
And if you'll commit suicide because your life "ended" at age 15 because some jerk did/said some bad things to you, I will laugh at you
Not publicly, no, but deep inside I will categorize you as "idiot"

 

[llafnwod]

While teen suicide is sad, it is also incredibly stupid.
The very concept of killing yourself because your first few years of existence brought you some social discomfort (and in most cases it is the main reason) is just ridiculous

Few rules to survive young age
All people do stupid things (especially when they are young)
What other people think about you doesn't matter
Your feelings mostly doesn't matter
You're not special
NOBODY WILL SAVE YOU
The sooner one accepts these rules, the better his/her life will be

So unless you are terminally ill, suicide is extremely poor and stupid option
And if you'll commit suicide because your life "ended" at age 15 because some jerk did/said some bad things to you, I will laugh at you
Not publicly, no, but deep inside I will categorize you as "idiot"

Teenagers? Being irrational? Heavens forbid.

Sarcasm aside, blaming people in circumstances and mindsets you do not and have not tried to understand for making what you judge to be a poor decision, is about as fair as my telling you to go fuck yourself for making an incredibly insensitive comment when you likely have no experience with the topic and little idea of how much it affects the people touched by it.

So I won't.

 

[Not Matt]

As much as people should be able to tackle their friend's death, learn to move on and get some closure. The media should not play a part in the sorrow. No media airwave should. No tv, no radio, no books, no games. You need to deal with these problems for yourself

 

[blackrave]

Teenagers? Being irrational? Heavens forbid.

Sarcasm aside, blaming people in circumstances and mindsets you do not and have not tried to understand for making what you judge to be a poor decision, is about as fair as my telling you to go fuck yourself for making an incredibly insensitive comment when you likely have no experience with the topic and little idea of how much it affects the people touched by it.

So I won't.

You expect everyone who at some time was brought to brink of suicide to be understanding and talking in soft, quite voice?
It can't be that someone who had no help, didn't commit suicide and was able to pull himself out.
Because every potential suicide NEED other people to help them.
And everyone ends up nicer and tolerant.
God forbid someone learning different lessons while going through tough time.
That person MUST be wrong. Right?

captcha: don't stop
Not going, not anymore.

 

[llafnwod]

Teenagers? Being irrational? Heavens forbid.

Sarcasm aside, blaming people in circumstances and mindsets you do not and have not tried to understand for making what you judge to be a poor decision, is about as fair as my telling you to go fuck yourself for making an incredibly insensitive comment when you likely have no experience with the topic and little idea of how much it affects the people touched by it.

So I won't.

You expect everyone who at some time was brought to brink of suicide to be understanding and talking in soft, quite voice?
It can't be that someone who had no help, didn't commit suicide and was able to pull himself out.
Because every potential suicide NEED other people to help them.
And everyone ends up nicer and tolerant.
God forbid someone learning different lessons while going through tough time.
That person MUST be wrong. Right?

captcha: don't stop
Not going, not anymore.

I know everyone goes through different experiences. That's exactly why I got pissed off when you called every teen suicide an idiot. Not everyone needs - or can tolerate - the "man up" or "tough love" approach, just like some people can get up without a helping hand.

But I'm sorry for making the bolded assumption. I was angry. That was wrong of me.

 

[Chunga the Great]

While teen suicide is sad, it is also incredibly stupid.
The very concept of killing yourself because your first few years of existence brought you some social discomfort (and in most cases it is the main reason) is just ridiculous

Few rules to survive young age
All people do stupid things (especially when they are young)
What other people think about you doesn't matter
Your feelings mostly doesn't matter
You're not special
NOBODY WILL SAVE YOU
The sooner one accepts these rules, the better his/her life will be

So unless you are terminally ill, suicide is extremely poor and stupid option
And if you'll commit suicide because your life "ended" at age 15 because some jerk did/said some bad things to you, I will laugh at you
Not publicly, no, but deep inside I will categorize you as "idiot"

I agree with you that "My life is over my bf/gf/toaster just broke up with me imma kill myself with my dad's revolver" is fucking stupid, but we're on the outside looking in. Someone who's seriously thinking about killing themselves is not thinking rationally. Emotions have a tendency of clouding reality.

 

[blackrave]

I know everyone goes through different experiences. That's exactly why I got pissed off when you called every teen suicide an idiot. Not everyone needs - or can tolerate - the "man up" or "tough love" approach, just like some people can get up without a helping hand.

But I'm sorry for making the bolded assumption. I was angry. That was wrong of me.

I don't think that anyone who is one step away from suicide is idiot
And I despise people who ignore sincere cries for help and mercy
But anyone who actually commits suicide is of questionable intelligence
Perspective people, your problems and mistakes are tiny and doesn't matter, when considering all BS that goes around
So there isn't anything big enough to be upset so much about to end one's life

I agree with you that "My life is over my bf/gf/toaster just broke up with me imma kill myself with my dad's revolver" is fucking stupid, but we're on the outside looking in. Someone who's seriously thinking about killing themselves is not thinking rationally. Emotions have a tendency of clouding reality.

I've always considered inability to cut your emotions to be sign of stupidity
So how common this inability actually is?

 

[BarbaricGoose]

While teen suicide is sad, it is also incredibly stupid.
The very concept of killing yourself because your first few years of existence brought you some social discomfort (and in most cases it is the main reason) is just ridiculous

Few rules to survive young age
All people do stupid things (especially when they are young)
What other people think about you doesn't matter
Your feelings mostly doesn't matter
You're not special
NOBODY WILL SAVE YOU
The sooner one accepts these rules, the better his/her life will be

So unless you are terminally ill, suicide is extremely poor and stupid option
And if you'll commit suicide because your life "ended" at age 15 because some jerk did/said some bad things to you, I will laugh at you
Not publicly, no, but deep inside I will categorize you as "idiot"

What exactly is your point?

I'm desperately trying to find one, but I can't. None of that really addresses why people commit suicide. Suicide isn't rational, and neither are teenagers. If people were actually thinking rationally, they wouldn't commit suicide. So those little rules of yours are... worthless? Yeah, worthless.

Captcha: It's Super Delicious. Thank you, Crunchy Nut, I will forever associate you with teen suicide.

 

[DudeistBelieve]

This is going to be a hilarious Let's Play...

 

[Sir Thomas Sean Connery]

Must..... Not.... Make joke..... About..... Bleach drinking simulator!

Could be legitimately interesting.

Ties into what Extra Credits was talking about recently that games don't have to be fun and should try to expand.

 

[blackrave]

What exactly is your point?

I'm desperately trying to find one, but I can't. None of that really addresses why people commit suicide. Suicide isn't rational, and neither are teenagers. If people were actually thinking rationally, they wouldn't commit suicide. So those little rules of yours are... worthless? Yeah, worthless.

Captcha: It's Super Delicious. Thank you, Crunchy Nut, I will forever associate you with teen suicide.

OMG, someone over internet called my thoughts worthless.
Must.Kill.Myself.Now.

But seriously don't undervalue teenagers. Unless in last 8 years their intellect started to decline rapidly.
Suicide can be rational act, but true, in most cases it isn't.
Regarding rules- they're full of cynical shit so don't give them too much thought >:/

 

[Gunner 51]

While teen suicide is sad, it is also incredibly stupid.
The very concept of killing yourself because your first few years of existence brought you some social discomfort (and in most cases it is the main reason) is just ridiculous

Few rules to survive young age
All people do stupid things (especially when they are young)
What other people think about you doesn't matter
Your feelings mostly doesn't matter
You're not special
NOBODY WILL SAVE YOU
The sooner one accepts these rules, the better his/her life will be

So unless you are terminally ill, suicide is extremely poor and stupid option
And if you'll commit suicide because your life "ended" at age 15 because some jerk did/said some bad things to you, I will laugh at you
Not publicly, no, but deep inside I will categorize you as "idiot"

Good grief, I almost had to spit-take when I read the sheer spite, venom and lack of empathy or even sympathy coming from your post.

People do not commit suicide just because they find life marked by "some social discomfort" - they do it because they find life absolutely unbearable. Experience has taught me that the number one cause of this is bullying and the second one is bereavement. While I've been through both - I cannot state just how horrible just one of them is.

Your post has shown that you have never been the victim of a bully or had someone you truly knew and loved die - if anything your point of "laughing at" someone because they committed suicide at such a young age makes me wonder if you are the bully. Laughing at someone committing suicide at such a young age isn't funny or even idiotic - but a truly sad, terrible and tragic.

What teenagers need is understanding and to know that they are never truly isolated. Someone to help pick them up when they are down. In essence, a good friend. And furthermore, there should be no stigma involved asking for assistance from a good councillor - who are about as rare as gold-dust around these parts. (And working for a doctor's surgery will tell you there's an awful lot of depression and suicidal people out in the world.)

Suicide may not bring our loved ones back or make bullies go away while leaving our own family and friends in emotional tatters in it's aftermath. But I can understand and empathise their reasons and forgive the emotional wreckage that follows their actions. If there is an afterlife, I can only hope that they find the peace in death that eluded them in life.

Your lack of understanding and empathy is truly astounding. Someone's little boy or girl died and you laugh at them. I'll grant you that the world isn't a nice place, but your cold and spiteful attitude doesn't make it any better - if anything, it makes it worse.

 

[blackrave]

Good grief, I almost had to spit-take when I read the sheer spite, venom and lack of empathy or even sympathy coming from your post.

People do not commit suicide just because they find life marked by "some social discomfort" - they do it because they find life absolutely unbearable. Experience has taught me that the number one cause of this is bullying and the second one is bereavement. While I've been through both - I cannot state just how horrible just one of them is.

Your post has shown that you have never been the victim of a bully or had someone you truly knew and loved die - if anything your point of "laughing at" someone because they committed suicide at such a young age makes me wonder if you are the bully. Laughing at someone committing suicide at such a young age isn't funny or even idiotic - but a truly sad, terrible and tragic.

What teenagers need is understanding and to know that they are never truly isolated. Someone to help pick them up when they are down. In essence, a good friend. And furthermore, there should be no stigma involved asking for assistance from a good councilor - who are about as rare as gold-dust around these parts. (And working for a doctor's surgery will tell you there's an awful lot of depression and suicidal people out in the world.)

Suicide may not bring our loved ones back or make bullies go away while leaving our own family and friends in emotional tatters in it's aftermath. But I can understand and empathize their reasons and forgive the emotional wreckage that follows their actions. If there is an afterlife, I can only hope that they find the peace in death that eluded them in life.

Your lack of understanding and empathy is truly astounding. Someone's little boy or girl died and you laugh at them. I'll grant you that the world isn't a nice place, but your cold and spiteful attitude doesn't make it any better - if anything, it makes it worse.

I call bullshit on that
Only true way to ensure your emotional safety is rely only on yourself
If you invest yourself in other people, than don't be surprised when all goes to hell.
Expect from other people the...
You know what? Check this
http://www.splitreason.com/product/theescapist/1225
it is perfect approach to everything, not games only
And if being cold and spiteful can make them realize that nobody cares, than I'm ok with that.

I never said that it wasn't sad or tragic
It is both- sad and stupid AT THE SAME TIME (yes such thing is possible)