Trauma distorts our sense of time and self…

-By Sujata Gupta, ScienceNews (Feb 2023)

Recollection is a pitch project created by a team of six ETC students, whose goal is to create empathy and understanding for people with trauma by depicting it in an interactive narrative VR experience. We are working closely with the Pittsburgh VA to create an accurate representation of trauma as it affects a person’s mental state and perception of memory. Our interactive experience is about Sam, a young painter who’s suffered a car crash that killed Sam’s mother. The Player navigates Sam’s memories and experiences Sam’s perspective through emotionally charged interactions and innovative graphics.

Our goal is to showcase this project in serious games festivals and open dialogue about the nature of trauma, and its effects on the people in our lives and our communities.

Here our some of the prior works we are taking inspiration from:

VR Short Film – Pearl

Video Game – What Remains of Edith Finch

Video Game – Before I Forget

Literature to guide our game development process:

The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma
by Bessel van der Kolk

Trauma distorts our sense of time and self. A new therapy might help.
by Sujata Gupta, ScienceNews (2023)

The Language of Emotions
by Karla Mclaren

Trauma Narratives
by TherapistAid