"In video games, it's completely different. The players are at the center of the action. THEY decide when and where to move, look, and take action. They can spend ten minutes in a hallway. Or ten seconds. The players can open this door, then that door, then go out this window. Or they can just go out another window. Maybe they turn around and go around the building. The pace and direction are entirely up to the players. This non-linear interactive storytelling is one of the many innovations that video games have created." (Page 13, 14)

In every decision I needed to make, I had to realize that although I hoped and urged the player to move a certain way toward a certain collider, I had no control. Therefore, I could only use guiding principles in order to have players fully takeaway the full story experience. I used the rail road tracks as a path to take viewers where I wanted to take them. Also, by employing 3D audio with restricted reaches, players had to stay close enough to the collider for a certain length of time while the audio played, or they would not hear the entire clip. The 3D aspect hopefully will help to keep players stationary long enough to hear the next piece of the story.

"With video games, players are in the driver's seat (sometimes literally, if it's a racing game like Gran Turismo). They are immersed - emotionally and physically - in the game." (Page 25)

In every decision I made, I balanced how it aesthetically looked for visuals, as well as the impact it would make emotionally. I added box car movement as well as smoke fumes to allow viewers to see my survivor's point of view in remembering the tragedies he first-hand witnessed and experienced. However, my intention was to instill empathy, not fear. In keeping emotional and physical immersion forefront in my mind, I chose not to employ gun noises or dogs barking, as I felt this would alter the emotional path my players would travel.

"Because the computer is running the game, the player can stay immersed in the world of the game ... Players (and characters) make choices that affect outcomes, and those outcomes affect further choices the player can make. It's a feedback loop: Rules create consequences. Consequences create feelings. Those feelings affect the player's next actions, and those actions are again judged by the rules ... Our goal as game writers is to use those feelings to deepen the narrative experience for the players." (Page 44)

Players will quickly realize that following the tracks will allow them to experience the survivor's story. If at any point, this become too powerful or sad for the player, they could instead wander the space that the tracks surround. If the story is powerful, building upon itself one audio clip at a time as it aims to do, players will have the choice of continuing down the path, and feeling the impact of the story.

"A story is a journey of emotion. If that's true, and we feel it is, then it's useful to think of a game as a journey of action." (Page 44)

When someone enters my simulation, their specific choices lead them to various audio pieces that have deep meaning. These actions, approaching a collider that will trigger a piece of powerful audio, should elicit strong emotions from the user. In traveling the path from trigger to trigger, they will journey through various, powerful emotion, all initiated by their choice to approach a trigger.

"Story matters more in representational (more realistic) games than in presentational (more abstract) games." (Page 56)

As my simulation is representational of present day Auschwitz, the survivor's story is truly pivotal to the experience players will takeaway. The story plays out in conjunction with the physical structures, and therefore both must be authentic to be effective.

"Somebody wants something and is having trouble getting it." (Page 90)

Slay the dragon - what does my player want? Slay The Dragon presents the  Pyra-grid, on page 108, that lays out the cycle of questions players go through in experiencing a simulation and ultimately figuring out his or her objective within said experience. "Who am I? Why must I Slay the Dragon? What does Slaying the Dragon teach me of myself? What can I do? How can I Slay the Dragon? Do I have choices? Do I know how? Is this a new challenge? Do I need to learn new skills? Where am I? How do I get to the Dragon? What have I learned from this place? Where do I go next?" My simulation pertains most to the final set of questions, in that the player will ultimately figure out what significance the physical re-location to Auschwitz means, what he or she can takeaway from this experience, and what he or she has to learn going forward.

"Good episodes or game missions have a magic "potato chip" effect. Try eating just one potato chip: the first one makes you want the next one, and so on, and before you know it the bag's empty." (Page 101)

The goal is not using iTween to move my FPS or OVR from audio trigger to audio trigger, but rather allocating the user control to continue on through my story at his or her own pace, passing anything that may make him or her too uncomfortable or moving along when an audio clip is too emotional. However, the interview bits purposefully end on a bit of a cliff hanger, or a potato chip if you will, to urge the reader to continue on to the next piece of my survivor's story.

"You want a story line (action) that impacts the character line (emotion). An engaging game or movie or television show has a story line that exposes the character's flaw(s), makes her confront her fears and leads to an arc. If your story is not forcing change on the character, then either the story is wrong, or the character is wrong. The actions of the story impact the emotion of the story." (Page 116)

Utilizing a survivor puts the player in a position of discomfort. Although this is out of his or her control, he or she will feel slightly awkward and guilty for never having to had endure what the survivor has. The player confronts his or her fears, as this place instills a significant feeling of discomfort. Moreover, the player will absolutely learn, and go on an emotional voyage in the process.

"If you can reduce your game to a primal emotion, then the player can relate on a visceral level. Primal emotions are feelings we experience in our guts: the love of family, the longing for safety, the will to survive, the urge for revenge, the temptation to hate. Stories and quests are stronger when characters are motivated by a primal emotion." (Page 133)

Auschwitz, possibly more so than any other physical location, elicited this primal emotions from me in my visit. I designed my scene to elicit those same primal emotions from my users, ultimately making the case for story that much stronger.

"The action of the game has to mirror the emotion of the story. This is what leads to empathetic immersion. The player should ideally feel empathy - an emotional connection - to what's happening on the screen. his connection of emotion and action is what game creators should constantly be striving for, difficult though it may be. It's where the player and story become one; where the players are so absorbed in the game action they don't want to stop playing. They don't want to stop watching. They want to stay in the world because they feel they can help to decide the outcome. And this is something only games can do."

In context of action versus motion, which of my triggers will add to my story, rather than taking up time and space. I made sure every part of the story employed this empathetic immersion. Originally, I included more audio to my project. However, in going through my experience multiple times, I edited down the content to only those that really added emotion to the story and to the experience.

"No matter what tool we use, it is always toward the same end: keeping our players engaged in our story. This does not mean you need to spoon-feed the player every piece of information. Give the audiences clues. let them figure out that 2 + 2 = 4. Don't tell them. Let the exposition unfold as the story unfolds. This is breadcrumb storytelling." (Page 175)

I allow the players to figure out how to follow along with the story on their own by removing the "State 1" text that typically appear with triggers. I want the player to journey along the experience at his or her own pace, experiencing what he or she wishes to experience.

"We the players are engaging in "reflective empathy." The protagonist is onscreen. I am doing the things that I think are best for him. My avatar feels the emotional results of my actions, but I do not." (Page 195)

Although it is not our story, we feel empathy for that which the survivor endured. By progressing through the story, we are honoring his re-telling, and honoring the experience he wishes us to have.

"The word immersion begins with the letter I. I'm the game. I, the player, am doing the things that I want to do. I own the emotional results of my actions." (Page 195)

As I have said, VR gave me a platform to put the player forefront, and feeling the emotions alone. He or she will do what he or she wishes, and all results will only affect that player, with the end results being calculated by him or her.

"Immersion and choice and story are the future." (Page 210)

Every decision I made prioritized the telling of the story, the choice of the player to progress how he or she wished, and I wanted to make sure at each and every turn, the player was immersed.

"What drives that maturing of games is not the evolution of technology, but rather their ability to reflect the full spectrum of human emotions. They can enable us, through gameplay, to experience and to identify with and to understand those who are not us." (Page 213)

Even as a Jew, I cannot identify with a survivor fully, because I didn't experience what survivors experienced. This aims to get you to as close of a point as recognition as possible. In this simulation, the player will understand someone who has experiences that make him very, very distinct from the player.

"Use this moment to create games that allow players to experience and understand emotions that are not comfortable, that are complex, that reflect the often maddening puzzle that is the human condition." (Page 214)

In short, I employed this mentality in every decision I made over the course of designing my game.

"Make games that reflect your experience and worldview. Add your unique voice to the medium. Regardless of your gender, ethnicity, sexuality, culture or class - or perhaps because of it - your voice should be heard. Your thoughts should be shared. Your emotions experienced by other players who are not you." (Page 215)

A tour of Auschwitz is an experience I have had. I didn't endure its atrocities, but my walk-through of the camp is a different perspective of an experience than anyone else who has experienced the camp in present day. Not only did I try to re-create an authentic depiction of the physical camp, I employed my takeaways from my experience, putting a Carly Port touch upon my experience.

"Go forth and Always Be Creating. Make your mark on this medium. Make games of "personal and introspective value" that will last for generations to come." (Page 215)

Although the authors of Slay the Dragon obviously didn't realize ABC means Always Be Charging, I believe this is symbolic as well. We live in a pivotal time in VR's lifecycle in that we, as independent developers, have the ability to pave the way of the landscape. With the knowledge I've taken away from this class, I intend to use my experiences to make a difference in the world, utilizing VR as the platform. I want players who experience my simulations to feel, and feel deeply. Furthermore, I want the players who experience Present Day Auschwitz to garner a better understanding of a paramount point in history. Never forget.