Hypothetical Game Case Study: The Terrellens

Parts of the planet Jaan are inhabited by the peaceful Terrellen, the planet's natives, while other parts of the planet have been leased by the Terrellen to human mining colonies. You're an anthropologist, here on a cultural exchange. You report, however, to the USIDF the United States Interplanetary Defense Force. That's because you might be an anthropologist, but you're also a colonel in the USIDF. Before becoming an anthropologist, you were an experienced tactician and commander (trained in these skills earlier in the game).

Here's a bit about the Terrellens:

• They love athletic competitions, and have a refined code of sportsmanship. It is so developed that it's almost a code of life to live by.

• Families are very important, and are run democratically. At nine years old, each child undergoes a ceremony that changes their status within the family. From that point on, the child is a full member of the household with an equal vote.

• Their religion is attributed to Tylaan, a figure who appeared 4000 years ago, bringing wise religious precepts. They say he wasn't from this planet, but is immortal and was incarnated in a Terrellen body to bring truth. The Terrellen, upon learning about Jesus from humans, assume that Tylaan had been Jesus on Earth, and no amount of argument can convince them that the two men aren't the same.

• Because they thought of Tylaan as a stranger visiting their world, they've always honored strangers. This is why they've been so kind and generous to you. They've provided you food and lodging, and have even started teaching you some minor mystical abilities that they've mastered. This generosity toward strangers is also why they've allowed humans to mine their planet.

The planet gets attention when small amounts of Mitro3 are found in the mining camp. When super-cooled, this metal emits anti-gravity waves. Thus, it's the most coveted metal in the universe, for it can power space ships.

Suddenly, the mining camps are swarmed with American military, who want to seize all the Mitro3. Then much vaster quantities of Mitro3 are discovered in the sections of the planet inhabited by the Terrellens.

The United States, involved in space skirmishes off various planets, first requests, then demands the right to mine the Mitro3 in the Terrellen section, especially because the ore has been discovered in uninhabited Terrellen regions. Those deposits are located beneath the Terrellens' most sacred grounds, however, and the Terrellens refuse to let humans mine there.

The Terrellens haven't fought a war in 4000 years. Only one person can lead them to defend themselves and that's you, because you have military and tactical knowledge they lack. Will you take the job?

Giving a Face to a Group

Everything's fine with the preceding scenario, except one thing:

It's hard to identify with or care about a group, unless we specifically care about one or a few individuals in that group.

So we'd need to come to know and love or admire a few specific, individual Terrellens. Then you'll care about the group and be willing to help them (take responsibility for them). If you freely elected to do so because you know them and care about them, this would be a deepening experience.

Of course, if the Americans really need that Mitro3 because they are losing a space war and Earth itself is endangered, then we add another First-Person Deepening technique into the equation: giving the player a tough choice.