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ADRIFT: Learning Consent Without the Trauma

An interview with the developers of the award winning consent game ADRIFT.

In 2017, we had the privilege of bringing one of our more successful games to life – in more ways than one. In ADRIFT, you play as a member of an interstellar salvage crew exploring an abandoned spaceship. Since then, the game has been played and downloaded thousands of times and in 2019, the MOD. museum at the University of South Australia built a life-size version for their patrons to play and experience. As our director, Drew Crecente, has said, one of the best parts of ADRIFT is that people can learn about consent without being traumatized in the process. What Life Love Publishing aims to do is publish pro-social games; these are games that look at positive and constructive messages, with no overt violent imagery.

We recently got to sit down with the original developers, Quinn Crossley (he/him and they/them) and Andrew Connell (he/him), and hear what they’ve been up to. The designers, former roommates, and good friends shared a bit about life post-ADRIFT and their tips for aspiring game developers.

Let’s Talk About Space, Baby

We started off by asking Connell and Crossley what drew them to our Non-Violent Gaming Competition, and if they had experience with prosocial gaming before. They both expressed that, while the term “prosocial gaming” was new to them, they had been working in game development for educational purposes already. The competition gave them a tangible goal to start working towards. “We have the skillset, we have the time . . . both of us want to make things that matter,” Connell said.

Now, why are we talking about consent on a spaceship? Crossley asserts that the choice to be on a spaceship, interacting with computers is very intentional. Who we interact with can influence the direction of a conversation. The conversation isn’t grounded in a familiar reality – unless you’ve been an explorer on an abandoned spaceship, of course. This allows for the discussion of consent to occur in a new light, “symbolism in a different context,” says Connell.

Can you successfully navigate the puzzles in *ADRIFT*?

The two had previously worked on a game called Managing at Home. You play as a cancer patient navigating the first three days of chemotherapy, from what food they eat to how they cope with the side effects. Crossley shared that the game involved a lot of consent-adjacent conversations, like bodily autonomy, decision making, and bigger questions on how we treat ourselves and others.

Bringing ADRIFT to Life

ADRIFT was published in September 2017 and as far as the games’ designers were concerned that was the end of the story. But then “. . . we just get this email at like 3 in the morning, on a random weekday from some museum in Australia . . . we didn’t think this project had any more happening with it!” Crossley shared. “We wanted to make a little change in the world and this got way more attention than we ever anticipated.” They both shared that they were used to working the other way around – an organization would commission them and outline exactly what they needed. This time, someone sought them out. “It was really validating in a way,” says Connell. ADRIFT has had much success, but originally placed fourth in the original competition. “To see that it’s gone this far is really surprising.”

Recreation of the consent game ADRIFT for the Hedonism exhibition at Australia's museum MOD. — *ADRIFT* brought to life at MOD.

The museum exhibit, entitled hedonism, launched in October 2019, exploring themes of healthy sexual relationships and consent. A life-size version of ADRIFT was born, relabeled as F. A. B. L. E.:

“Welcome, Operative, to F.A.B.L.E. – aka the Federated Association of Believers, Leaders, and Explorers. Your mission is simple: teleport on board this foreign spaceship and connect with the alien. As you explore this new world, there are protocols to follow. Make sure you check in with the alien as you go, follow the principles of consent, and achieve a two-way flow of information that will benefit both of our races.”
F.A.B.L.E.

On Being Game Developers

When we asked them what the best and worst parts of being a game developer were, Connell immediately answered, “all of it” while Crossley laughed in agreement. They both agreed that the feedback can be the best and most difficult part of being game developers. Crossley shares that he loves seeing how people emotionally react to their work, even if it’s frustration. It’s wonderful for them to see how games can create bonds between people. “It’s cool to put something out in the word for people to connect over, but at the same time it’s hard to manage all the feedback…You can’t make everyone happy,” he shares. “I like making people feel stuff but also…it’s hard.”

Connell agrees, “we like to make people feel stuff, but we don’t want people’s feedback to make us feel too many things back. It can feel great to help people but since you put so much time and energy into it, it can feel really bad when it doesn’t go well.”

“It’s vulnerable for sure, but it can be really rewarding. You have to harness a lot of strength to share those pieces of yourself,” Crossley adds.

Advice For New Developers

It can take time to develop that strength for newer developers. Crossley says that any time you put your art there, you are being vulnerable. Connell adds that it’s easy to feel vulnerable because you’re opening yourself up to criticism whenever you put yourself on the internet. The gaming industry can be a tough industry for newcomers.

The gaming industry can be a tough industry for newcomers . . . it can be easy to push yourself hard enough to burn out.
Andrew Connell and Quin Crossley, developers of ADRIFT

It can be a competitive fast-paced industry, and when you’re new, it can be easy to push yourself hard enough to burn out. People come in with a lot of passion, but it can come at the expense of their health. Crossley candidly shares that learning boundaries is one way to be successful in life, though it can be hard to apply those boundaries in a work setting.

What tips do these two have for people wanting to break into the industry? Make something and put it out there, says Connell. You’re a game developer by making games, not just thinking about them. It’s a competitive field where success is based on your improvement and your output. Get involved, go to game jams – there is more value in just doing what you love, rather than focusing on what looks good on your resume. However, he adds, work in the environment that works for you. Don’t force yourself to fit somewhere that creates stress for you.

You’re a game developer by making games, not just thinking about them.

“Perfect is the enemy of good,” Crossley adds. If something is worth doing, it’s worth doing even if the outcome isn’t perfect. Successful designers don’t necessarily have the strongest skills, but they put themselves out there and aren’t afraid to jump onto projects and participate. Taking risks is a large part of moving forward in the gaming industry.

Where Are They Now?

“I miss you!” Crossley exclaimed, when asked if they were still working together. Life has changed for these two – distance, the pandemic, and general growth have led to them working in very different careers in different parts of the country, although working together again is certainly not out of the question. Neither is a sequel to ADRIFT!

“We played with that years ago…it is a possibility,” says Connell.

“It sounds like it’s out there, helping people and making an impact, so yeah I’d keep following it,” says Crossley.

Connell is currently working as a simulation engineer for an advanced learning company, and makes educational Youtube videos. He’s even created a learning course for Unity, a game development engine. His long-term goal is to have a life that lets him create in a healthy way – “I’m finally getting to the stage of making things for me, making things that make people feel something, and appeal to me on a deeper level.”

Crossley did a couple of museum projects, and even developed some games for PBS Kids. They took a break during the COVID-19 pandemic and worked as a technical writer in the corporate world. Even more exciting, he is currently traveling and aspires to visit all 50 states. He’s already visited at least 35 with his dog. Crossley and Connell are dreaming of reuniting in Yellowstone, where they can go wolf-watching. As they work in their new roles and make plans to reunite, they can feel confident that somebody, somewhere is learning about the meaning and importance of consent through the clever little game they created.

Support this work by donating online: 

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Or by texting STOPTDV to 707070 

Gaming Against Violence is an award-winning program presented by Jennifer Ann's Group, a 501(c)3 charity [EIN: 20-4618499].

Play now	Play in your browser or download from the AppStore	jag.itch.io/adrift
Development	Quinn Crossley and Andrew Connell
Produced by	Jennifer Ann’s Group	@stopTDV (Mastodon)
Published by	Life Love Publishing	@LifeLovePublish (Mastodon)
RightRating™	Everyone	No ads. No in-app purchases. No loot boxes. No privacy tracking.

April 2024 is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM)

For SAAM 2024, this game is a great way to start conversations about consent and its importance.

Talking about consent with teenagers isn’t always easy. Teaching them about consent can be even more challenging. The right resources can make both of these tasks easier.

Fortunately, the consent games produced by the nonprofit charity Jennifer Ann’s Group are a great way to engage young people about this important, but sensitive, topic. In 2024, as has been the case since 2001, April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, or SAAM. For SAAM 2024 we wanted to share an award-winning video game about consent with you called Crossing Boundaries.

Crossing Boundaries

We will be discussing Crossing Boundaries, a consent game for teenagers that can also be quite resourceful for college-age students. The game allows the player to play through several scenarios through which they learn about various ways that consent is important.

If you are an educator or counselor looking for a great consent resource for the classroom or if you are a parent unsure of how to have a conversation with your child, Crossing Boundaries will be a great help.

Crossing Boundaries combines a travel game with important scenarios about consent.

Travelling the World

Crossing Boundaries is all about three friends who recently got out of school. To celebrate this, they have saved up some money and decided to travel the world together. Eva and Alice bring along their friend Joe who doesn’t always do a good job of thinking his decisions through. Thanks to Joe, and missing a plane flight early on, the friends get into occasional bits of trouble on their adventure across the world. The game also incorporates a cute mini-game with some fun mechanics that drive home the themes of consent even more throughout the game.

*Snog-a-Frog* is the game-within-a-game you will play along with the game’s characters.

The favorite thing about Crossing Boundaries for many players is that it’s about more than just sexual consent. It highlights the fact that every person has their own will and no one has the right to ignore it: it is not okay to make choices for another person’s body.

Even if it’s something like trying to force someone to try a new food, “no means no!”

For example, in one city that the friends visit, Joe decides to sign his friends up for a perfume testing project without consulting them. He decides to do so without asking for their consent because “there weren’t many spots left.”

As the game clearly shows, the issue of consent extends beyond the realm of dating and sex to include anything that affects your personal space, will, or body.

The game offers many destinations, allowing repeat gameplay to experience all locales.

Crossing Boundaries also offers the player choices regarding how they want to respond when various dilemmas pop up. There are multiple choices to each situation and it’s up to you to choose how you react. Every circumstance has multiple paths you can follow, with multiple positive reactions to choose from. And the story reminds us that standing up to someone may not always be received as well as you might have hoped.

Dialogue choices provide different outcomes throughout the game.

People are complicated and so are their emotions. And when they are put into an uncomfortable situation they might not be thinking clearly or know how to properly react to being pressured by a friend or loved one. In Crossing Boundaries we are allowed to see Joe’s growth throughout the game.

Players safely experience situations in the game that might not be safe if they were to experience them in the real world.

You Can’t Script a Real Situation

Crossing Boundaries helps players see that there are many ways to react to a situation and that the “right” or “wrong” way is not always clear. Life is full of unique problems and people have to decide for themselves how they will respond and how that will make them – and others – feel.

Fortunately the decisions that you make in Crossing Boundaries are safe to make because, although they reflect real world situations, they have no real world consequences. Players can safely make a “wrong” decision and experience the outcome of that decision through a game. And they can play the game again, making different decisions and experiencing different outcomes. This is such a helpful way to allow young people to explore situations and decisions that would otherwise be unsafe or unhealthy in the real world.

As you travel the world you will unlock achievements. Will you unlock them all?

The game also makes it clear that silence does not equal agreement. We cannot assume that somebody is okay with a situation merely because they are not objecting. All in all, everyone has a right to decide what they feel comfortable with doing in their life. We all have an obligation to learn about consent and to recognize the impact there might be on ourselves, and on others, when it is not respected.

And remember, even if it’s not about a relationship, consent matters! Even seemingly inconsequential matters like tricking somebody to eat food that they don’t want, “no means no!”

Crossing Boundaries does an excellent job of providing many helpful examples of consent and its importance throughout the game. The dialogue, characters, and even a fun mini-game called Snog-a-Frog make learning about consent a surprisingly enjoyable experience. It’s wonderful that games like Crossing Boundaries exist today.

I wish Crossing Boundaries was available when I was a student!

Support this work by donating online: 

PayPal 
Apple Pay

Or by texting STOPTDV to 707070 

Gaming Against Violence is an award-winning program presented by Jennifer Ann's Group, a 501(c)3 charity [EIN: 20-4618499].

Play Crossing Boundaries

Developed by: Testudo Games
Produced by: Jennifer Ann's Group
Published by: Life Love Publishing
Price: Free (No Ads. No in-app purchases.)
Language: English
Age Rating: Rated 12+

More information about Crossing Boundaries  
► Get Crossing Boundaries on the iTunes Store  
► Crossing Boundaries available at Amazon 
► Play Crossing Boundaries in your browser  
► Watch a video trailer about Crossing Boundaries

Serious Video Games Helping to Tackle Serious Issues

Grace’s Diary is a great example of how intentionally designed video games can be effective at addressing serious issues.

Video games have been found effective at raising awareness and promoting violence prevention.

*Grace’s Diary* has clearly impacted many adolescents who have played it.

“When Grace’s mother tells her to get back in the car… and to not bother telling Natalie’s mother, I was absolutely appalled.”

“By the end I got to really despise Natalie’s boyfriend.”

“...this actually happens, and makes it so much more terrible…”

A broken phone is just one reminder of abusive behavior in *Grace’s Diary*.

These are just some of the comments from players of a game called Grace’s Diary. Unlike many of the more mainstream games, Grace’s Diary doesn’t feature mining, materials, shooting, or random dance moves. Instead, Grace’s Diary follows the protagonist, Grace, as she reflects on and tries to speak with her friend Natalie about Natalie’s relationship with her abusive boyfriend, Ken.

Real quotes from players:

“This game will probably be so helpful for me and my friends later on. I just hope that won’t happen to any of us.”

“…we know or will know a Natalie at some point in our lives, or are/will become a Natalie ourselves.”

“…getting the message out… that violent and controlling relationships are not normal or acceptable is fundamentally important.”

Grace sharing the National Dating Abuse Helpline number with her friend Natalie.

An initiative of the non-profit Jennifer Ann’s Group, Grace’s Diary is one of their many games which are targeted at informing and educating players around issues related to abusive dating behavior. Although most of the group’s serious video games address teen dating violence (TDV), they also cover related subjects like consent, healthy relationships, and the impact of peer pressure and social media.

While Natalie’s story is revealed through a series of observations, dialogue choices and point-and-click-puzzles, the charity is not limited to any one set approach and the games they publish tackle the issues from a variety of genres including dating-sims, lo-fi RPGs, persuasive art, and escape-the-room simulators. Important exceptions however are first-person-shooter and fighting games, which run counter to the non-violent conversation Jennifer Ann’s Group is trying to promote.

Grace writes memos in her diary throughout the game.

With a number of recent studies highlighting the pressing concern of TDV, as well as the difficulties educational institutions have had in successfully addressing it, TDV video games are seen by the group as an effective tool to help tackle the shortfall.

“Abusive dating behaviour is a nuanced and sensitive subject,” Drew Crecente, founder and executive director of Jennifer Ann’s Group explains. “What the research has shown is that traditional learning methods alone aren’t sufficient to address it. Adolescents often don’t feel comfortable discussing dating – especially dating abuse – with their parents, let alone with teachers; if we can’t get the conversation started then raising awareness and promoting prevention is incredibly difficult.”

Lack of Awareness is a Critical Problem

Lack of awareness around the problem is a key issue, with one parental survey finding that 81% of participants either didn’t believe TDV was an issue, or admitting that they didn’t know it was an issue (Women’s Health, 2004). This is despite another study concluding that over 40% of U.S. students have been in an abusive relationship by the time they graduate from college, with nearly 1.5 million high school students physically abused by a dating partner every year (Forke, et al., 2008).

The challenges with tackling abusive dating behaviours unfortunately don’t stop there. Another study found that among teens who had been in an abusive relationship, only 32% confided in a parent. Of those that confided, 78% then went on to stay in the relationship despite the advice of their parent (Liz Claiborne Inc., 2009).

If you play *Grace’s Diary*, be aware that there are three possible endings.

For Educators

As for addressing the issue in a traditional educational setting, fewer than half of state schools in the U.S. are either required or encouraged to include TDV in their curriculum. In addition, even in those states where legislation has been passed requiring the development of safety plans, enforcement of protective orders, and education of students, a lack of funding has proved an issue for some school districts with implementation of these measures hindered as a result.

Even in school systems which have been able to implement TDV programs the results have been disappointing, with a recent review concluding that they were not affecting “to a significant extent” TDV perpetration and victimisation behaviours (De La Rue, et al. 2016).

This is where video games come in. By championing games that explore and dissect abusive dating behaviours, and making them free and readily available, Jennifer Ann’s Group works to draw on some of the powerful features of gaming to turn them to their advantage.

“Gaming plays a significant role in many teenagers’ lives,” says Drew, “and we’ve found that by tapping into that we can effectively help guide and nurture prosocial behaviour. Video games are engaging, they enable players to explore and progress at their own pace, and they present scenarios in a way that is contextually interesting and highly relatable. These are qualities that any educational resource should aspire to and is an objective we thought worth pursuing. The research around TDV video games validates this stance and by providing these as free resources for schools and classrooms we can help encourage TDV programs where there previously weren’t any, as well as strengthen those that already exist.”

Studies investigating the results of TDV video games on educational development have confirmed that compared to control groups TDV game players show a significant improvement in attitude relating to relationship abuse and gender norms, with one study concluding that TDV players were “less accepting of angry behaviours” in relationships compared to control players (Jacobs, 2017).

For Parents Too

The benefits of TDV video games aren’t just limited to the classroom either. Part of the concept that Jennifer Ann’s Group promotes is the ability to nurture and encourage conversations in the home as well.

*Grace’s Diary* challenges game players to “make the call” in this award winning game

“As a parent it can be very awkward trying to start conversations about abusive dating behaviour; even harder than some of the other more well-known ‘difficult talks’ like alcohol, drugs, and sex,” says Drew. “To have that kind of conversation, and at the young ages that we’re now finding it’s required, it can be tough for a parent to even know where to begin.

“With TDV games, parents can first play through a game themselves, get their own education around the subject, then introduce their child to the same game. The dynamic of the conversation subsequently changes. For the child, it doesn’t feel like it’s a talk focused on them and their behavior but instead a talk about the characters and actions in the game; that change in perspective removes a lot of the pressure. This makes it easier for parents and their kids to focus on the problematic issues we are addressing through these games and from there we can encourage a real, constructive dialogue.”

Even if parents aren’t yet ready to engage, if a child is going through their own personal experience of TDV or abuse the games are still beneficial. By demonstrating that what they’re facing is not an isolated issue affecting them and them alone, and that the behaviour is neither healthy nor acceptable, it can help them to understand that they are not powerless in the face of it.

And for Teens

For teenagers who have not experienced TDV or other abusive dating behaviours (equal opportunity problems which affect adolescents regardless of gender, socio-economic status, race, ethnicity, or sexuality) it also helps reduce the chance they ever will.

A poster in Grace’s Diary includes ten warning signs of an abusive relationship

Play now	Download for Windows	jag.itch.io/graces-diary
Development	GP Touch	@himatako (Twitter)
Produced by	Jennifer Ann’s Group	@stopTDV (Mastodon)
Published by	Life Love Publishing	@LifeLovePublish (Mastodon)
RightRating™	Everyone	No ads. No in-app purchases. No loot boxes. No privacy tracking.

* If you or anyone you know is a victim of abusive dating behaviour, at any time, it is urged you seek help at the earliest opportunity. In the U.S., those needing assistance can contact the National Dating Violence Helpline at 1-866-331-9474. February is National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month and April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

Support this work by donating online: 

PayPal 
Apple Pay

Or by texting STOPTDV to 707070 

Gaming Against Violence is an award-winning program presented by Jennifer Ann's Group, a 501(c)3 charity [EIN: 20-4618499].

How to Blorrble Blobble

How to Blorrble-Blobble illustrates how games can be more than mere entertainment as this fun game about learning to dance teaches young people about consent at the same time.

Games are more than mere entertainment

A lot of games try to tell a story using few words. Others, they may tell their story using way too many.

How to Blorrble Blobble is a free game produced by the nonprofit group Jennifer Ann’s Group

With the former, it is not the easiest thing to properly communicate what you want people to take from it. You run the risk of your audience not seeing the point, or worse, getting the wrong point altogether. The former is certainly not good, but the latter can create the wrong (or even perhaps negative) interpretation of your work.

How to Blorbble Blobble handles this kind of game pretty well.

Video games can make you feel a certain way with wordless prowess, making you do things that may make you uncomfortable.

There are several ways to communicate through an interactive medium. The most common is through text and dialogue, unsurprisingly given that most stories are expressed that way. I personally feel that this is not the best way to do this in video games. It is not a bad way to do it, by any means. Most of my favorite video game stories are expressed through this way, after all. But some of my favorites in turn take great advantage of an interactive medium’s inherent advantages.

Video games can make you feel a certain way with wordless prowess, making you do things that may make you uncomfortable. For example, The Walking Dead games, while dealing with a character/dialogue-driven story, also evokes certain emotions by making players make hard decisions, such as whether to spare someone who had “done you wrong.”

So many options … which will Triangle Boy choose?

How to Blorrble Blobble

How to Blorrble Blobble focuses specifically on putting you into a real-world situation. ‘Blorbble-Blobble,’ or ‘Blorrbling‘ as the narrator/instructor calls it, has you following a strict ruleset when initiating the dance with another partner. You get to play as either Triangle Girl or Triangle Boy, and are walked through the game step by step, with the first step straight up having you seek out a partner with whom to dance.

Once you find a partner (Disco Girl or Disco Boy) you then are taught various procedures of Blorbbling. The first proper step is to greet them (after all, it is just polite). Once you greet your new Disco friend, you can ask them if they want to dance. Following this, they will either accept it or reject it. If they do reject it, you then have to respect that and back off.

It’s a delicate balancing act between respecting someone’s agency and respecting that someone under the influence can’t properly consent…

If they do decide to dance with you, you then have different protocols to follow. When you obtain consent, you can then give your partner a high five dance. After this, you then can move onto the fist bump – but not before asking if they want to continue dancing though. Consent may be revoked at any time, and this is both normal and okay.

This rule applies also to belly bumping, the final dance step. However, just because someone appears to consent does not necessarily mean that they are able to consent. At times, you may see that your prospective partner does not actually have the wherewithal to give consent. It’s a delicate balancing act between respecting someone’s agency and respecting that someone under the influence can’t properly consent to things.

Bumping bellies in How to Blorrble Blobble

My thoughts on How to Blorrble Blobble

If this seems like this game is trying to convey something other than dancing, you would be correct. It uses cute styles and cute concepts (high fiving is not exactly the most traditional dance move), but in reality, the basic rules of consent being discussed here correspond to sex and romance as much as it relates to dancing. This fact is conveyed to the player near the end of the game by Orca (although I did not feel that it needed much in the way of explanation).

Lessons like this from Orca are helpful – especially for those who’ve never been taught consent!

The player is also reminded about their own consent. When the player’s Triangle dance partner abruptly leaves Orca reminds the player that they can also disengage from Blorrbling whenever they so choose. If there is one thing that I particularly would like to see however would be to have your choice of character to not be based on a gender binary, and to instead name Triangle Girl/Boy and Disco Girl/Boy as “Triangle” and “Disco.”

The game has an interesting and funky art and musical style, evoking a 70s style. Whenever you initiate actions (such as asking for consent or dancing), you get a special little audio jingle to go along with it that makes the experience a little more active and transformative. The gameplay is simple rule-following, with not too much deviation.

I would have liked to been able to do different dance steps out of order, or even skip certain dance steps altogether, much in the same way that a sexual encounter does not require that you necessarily follow the same steps every time, or the same steps in order. The game conveyed this issue somewhat, as at one point you can choose to put belly bumping as the next step instead of fist bumping, but it resulted in the game soft-locking (thankfully it saves your progress up to that point). An expansion on the concepts to explore consent in a greater degree would be much appreciated, but How to Blorrble Blobble is already an interesting means by which to explore consent as-is.

Play How to Blorrble Blobble

Developed by: Jared Sain
Produced by: Jennifer Ann’s Group
Price: Free
Language: English
Age Rating: Appropriate for all ages

Support this work by donating online: 

PayPal 
Apple Pay

Or by texting STOPTDV to 707070 

Gaming Against Violence is an award-winning program presented by Jennifer Ann's Group, a 501(c)3 charity [EIN: 20-4618499].

More information about How to Blorrble Blobble

Play How to Blorrble-Blobble game about consent in your browser
Helpful information about consent

A video game about consent: Crossing Boundaries

Crossing Boundaries is a travel game for teenagers

When you’re trying to properly teach consent it becomes a little difficult to get the point across without using some form of media to help you. The games produced by Jennifer Ann’s Group are great for forming an easy, and open, source of communication about consent for kids and young adults. Today we will be looking at Crossing Boundaries, a game for teenagers that can also be quite resourceful for college-age students. The game takes you through quite a few situations in which you learn about different approaches to many situations and the various ways that consent is important.

Travelling the World

Crossing Boundaries is all about three friends who recently got out of school. To celebrate this they have saved up some money and decided to travel the world together. The two characters Eva and Alice bring along their friend Joe who doesn’t always think his decisions through. Thanks to Joe, and missing their plane early on, the friends get into quite a bit of trouble on their adventure across the world. The game also incorporates a cute mini-game with some fun mechanics to drive home the themes of consent even more throughout the game.

Even if it’s something like trying to force someone to try a new food, “no means no!”

My very favorite thing about Crossing Boundaries is that it’s about more than just sexual consent. It delves into the fact that every person has their own will and no one has a right to try and go against it. One of the main driving points that popped up in the game is that you can’t make choices for another person’s body. For example, Joe decides on his own to sign his friends up for a perfume testing project that could potentially harm them, because “there weren’t many spots left.” As the game clearly shows, the issue of consent extends beyond the realm of dating and sex to include anything that affects your personal space, will, or body.

The game also had choices you could make for each situation that popped up. There were multiple choices to each situation and it’s up to you to choose how you react. It presented the fact that every circumstance has multiple paths you can follow, with multiple positive reactions to choose from. It also showed that standing up to someone may not always be as well received as you hope.

Humans are complicated in their emotions and when they are put into an uncomfortable situation they may not be thinking straight or know how to properly react to someone that’s trying to pressure them. The game shows Joe’s growth and through his growth shows how positive actions can affect those around you, helping them become better people.

You Can’t Script a Real Situation

I really think that Crossing Boundaries helps prove the point that there’s not always one way to react to a situation. Each problem you encounter in life is unique and you will have to react in a way you feel comfortable with. The game also makes a point that just because someone doesn’t say no or run away, that isn’t ground for assuming they’re okay with a situation. All in all, everyone has a right to decide what they feel comfortable with doing in their life. Even if it’s something like trying to force someone to try a new food, “no means no!”

Support this work by donating online: 

PayPal 
Apple Pay

Or by texting STOPTDV to 707070 

Gaming Against Violence is an award-winning program presented by Jennifer Ann's Group, a 501(c)3 charity [EIN: 20-4618499].

Play Crossing Boundaries

Developed by: Testudo Games
Produced by: Jennifer Ann's Group
Price: Free
Language: English
Age Rating: Rated 12+

More information about Stuck in a Dark Place  
► Get Crossing Boundaries on the iTunes Store  
► Crossing Boundaries available at Amazon 
► Play Crossing Boundaries in your browser  
► Watch a video trailer about Crossing Boundaries

Consent Game ADRIFT Turns Five!

First released in 2017, the beautifully crafted consent game ADRIFT has received several minor updates for its fifth anniversary.

In recognition of its five-year anniversary, ADRIFT receives some updates.

ADRIFT 1.4.0 is now available

First released in 2017, the beautifully crafted ADRIFT has received several minor updates for its fifth anniversary:

Credit screen has been corrected with current information.
Additional resources added to include helpline information access outside of the U.S.
Behind-the-scene changes to support consistent experience across platforms.
Preparation of Apple Pay integration to allow online donations based on platform.
Minor text changes to better support, among other things, classroom use.
Additional soundFX and background music.
Modified splash screen.
Changes to tutorial section to match existing mobile platform experience.
Other minor changes throughout to match existing experience on other platforms.
Incorporation of game fonts into the game to limit tracking in support of user privacy.

Currently, ADRIFT 1.4.0 is only available via itch.io for playing in a web browser.

We are actively working to make this new version available for iOS and Android devices soon. Stay tuned.

More helplines have been added to the new version of *ADRIFT*

Although we have tested this new version we are a very small organization with very limited resources. Please let us know if you encounter any problems.

We are eager to make more changes to ADRIFT based on user feedback. Please share ADRIFT, share your thoughts, and help us help you.

We appreciate the tremendous support and recognition that ADRIFT has received since 2017. We look forward to the future and are excited to explore new ways to engage young people about consent and other important issues.

Visit https://jag.itch.io/adrift to play this new version of ADRIFT.

Thank you!

Thank you to Quinn Crossley, Andrew Connell, and everybody else who has worked on this wonderful game! It has been around the world-and-back in the past five years.

ADRIFT has touched many lives in its ongoing journey.

Support this work by donating online: 

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Apple Pay

Or by texting STOPTDV to 707070 

Gaming Against Violence is an award-winning program presented by Jennifer Ann's Group, a 501(c)3 charity [EIN: 20-4618499].

Consent Game ADRIFT Teaches Consent on itchio

ADRIFT is a sci-fi adventure about consent for kids of all ages.

Consent game ADRIFT makes learning consent easy.

ADRIFT is a sci-fi adventure about consent that engages and entertains kids of all ages. The ADRIFT lessons are presented in an easy-to-understand way. People from all age groups can learn about consent through ADRIFT. ADRIFT is rated for ages 4+ on the App Store. This short, but educational, game is great for a class project about consent.

This award winning consent game is even appropriate for elementary school children because ADRIFT never talks about sex! Let’s talk about some ways ADRIFT makes learning about consent easy in your browser or on iOS devices.

ADRIFT is a prosocial consent game

Listening to Your Partner

An important lesson taught in ADRIFT is the value of listening and communicating with your partner. Many times in this consent game the in-game computer will let the player know what actions to take. And if you want to escape the abandoned space station you will need to have permission for your actions!

Part of the ADRIFT experience is to learn about trust.

As the player, it is up to you whether you listen to your computer “partner” or not. As in real-life, if you decide to listen to your partner then you might have a happier outcome. If you don’t listen to your partner then the ending is not going to be as happy.

Part of the ADRIFT experience is to trust the computer to correctly show you how to proceed without causing harm. For example, if you ignore the computer’s instructions and power the wrong part of the ship then the computer will open the door – but will also experience power surges. These power surges cause the computer “pain.” This harms the computer and also makes it harder for the player to proceed. The computer loses the ability to make the last part of your escape easier by lighting the player’s path through a dark room.

Consent also Applies to Friendships

In the real world you are unlikely to be trapped in a space station with a talking computer! Instead though, you might be in a project with a friend who has needs that are different from yours. By learning to understand each other’s needs and to respect each other’s boundaries children will be better prepared for the future. They will learn how to handle some of the trials and temptations that often appear in adolescence. They will build skills to help deal with problems like peer pressure, romantic relationships, and other common situations.

ADRIFT is not just for young kids, it is also a great way to easily and gradually introduce older students to the topic of consent.

It is important to listen to your partner — this applies to friendships also, not just romantic relationships. ADRIFT helps teach children to respect their peers. While children are learning to respect others they are also learning how to effectively communicate their own needs to others.

ADRIFT is not just for young kids, it is also a great way to easily and gradually introduce older students to the topic of consent. By focusing on consent without any discussions of sex, students will be building a foundation for future learning. They will gradually and organically work their way up to learning about more complex aspects of abusive relationships in the future.

Applying the Consent Game ADRIFT to Real Life

This clever consent game is easily accessible to parents who want to start teaching their child about consent. ADRIFT is a free download in the iOS App Store making it very easy for anyone who wants to try ADRIFT out. The game doesn’t take much space either, making it perfect to fit on iOS devices with less storage space.

ADRIFT can also be played in your browser on itchio. This makes it easy for a parent to test play the game before having their child download ADRIFT at the App Store.

We do recommend that your child have basic reading skills to really enjoy the game as the current version of this story does not have voice-overs, it is text-based. According to the game’s publisher future versions of ADRIFT will offer voice-over acting.

New: Parent Guide for Teaching Consent with ADRIFT

ADRIFT also offers a guide for parents who want to teach their children about consent. The parent guide for ADRIFT provides easy to follow tips and suggestions. In addition to providing helpful ways to use this prosocial game with their child, it also tells parents how the lessons in ADRIFT align with the state standards’ learning goals. The ADRIFT parent guide is designed to download and print at home or work.

Parent Guide for the consent game ADRIFT

We think ADRIFT is the easiest way to teach consent to children we have ever seen! This award winning video game can be played online in your browser at jag.itch.io/adrift. ADRIFT can also be downloaded on the App Store at https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/adrift/id1426208859.

Support this work by donating online: 

PayPal 
Apple Pay

Or by texting STOPTDV to 707070 

Gaming Against Violence is an award-winning program presented by Jennifer Ann's Group, a 501(c)3 charity [EIN: 20-4618499].

About ADRIFT

ADRIFT was developed by Quinn Crossley and Andrew Connell. It is an award-winning consent video game from the Gaming Against Violence program. ADRIFT was produced by Jennifer Ann’s Group and is published by Life Love Publishing. ADRIFT is rated for ages 4+ on the App Store.

More information about ADRIFT and its origins is available at jag.itch.io/adrift.

ADRIFT on iOS Makes Learning About Trust and Consent Easy

ADRIFT is a sci-fi adventure that is both engaging and entertaining for kids of all ages.

ADRIFT: a game about consent, is a sci-fi adventure that is both engaging and entertaining for kids of all ages. The lessons in the game are presented in a way that people from almost any age group can learn the importance of consent. This short, but educational, game is great for a class project about consent beginning with elementary school children without having to directly speak to them about sex. Let’s talk about the ways ADRIFT makes learning about consent easy for all ages on IOS devices.

Listening To Your Partner

One of the most important lessons that are brought up in ADRIFT is the importance of listening and communicating with your partner about what you are both feeling. Many times in this game the in-game computer that the player is interacting with will let you know what actions you can take in order to escape the failing space station; it’s up to you whether you listen or not. If you decide to listen to your partner then you will end up with the good ending but if you don’t choose to listen to your partner the ending will be bad and will leave the main character filled with guilt.

If you decide to listen to your partner then you will end up with the good ending but if you don’t . . .

Part of this experience is trusting the computer “character” to correctly show you how to proceed in the game without doing anything that would harm them. For example, if you ignore the computer’s instructions and power the wrong part of the ship then the computer will open the door – but will also experience a great deal of “pain.” This also lessens the computer’s ability to make the last part of your escape easy by providing a lighted path through a dark room. This reminds the player that consent is not limited to romantic relationships but applies to friendships as well. ADRIFT helps teach children to respect their peers at a fundamental level and to use these skills to effectively communicate their own needs to others.

. . . consent is not limited to romantic relationships but applies to friendships as well . . .

The game is also easily accessible to parents of children who want to start teaching their child about consent. The game is a free download in the iOS App Store making it very easy for anyone who wants to try ADRIFT out. The game also doesn’t take up a ton of space making it perfect to fit on iOS devices with smaller storage space. We do recommend that your child have a decent amount of basic reading skills to really enjoy the game as the story is text-based instead of being voiced-over.

ADRIFT in Real Life

Students: although in the real world you’re likely not going to get trapped in a space station with a talking computer (at least not yet!) but you might be in a project with a friend who has certain needs that are different from yours. By learning to understand each other’s needs and to respect each other’s boundaries students will be better prepared to handle the trials and temptations they might confront in adolescence through peer pressure, romantic relationships, and other situations impacting consent.

Educators: ADRIFT is also a great way to easily introduce an older classroom to the topic of consent without beginning with some of the more serious aspects of consent. This affords educators the opportunity to gradually and organically work with their students on the fundamental issues about consent before moving onto some of its more serious applications like dating abuse. Educators will also appreciate that the game’s publisher, nonprofit charity Jennifer Ann’s Group, has made this game 100% free to provide a free resource to teachers in order to encourage classroom use of this consent game.

Parents: as public discourse about consent becomes more mainstream parents are becoming increasingly aware of the need to talk with their children about consent from an early age. ADRIFT offers a perfect way to begin that first conversation with their child because of the child-friendly treatment of consent in this clever innovative game. ADRIFT is rated as appropriate for players ages 4+.

Developed by: Quinn Crossley and Andrew Connell
Produced by: Jennifer Ann's Group
Price: Free
Language: English
Age Rating: Rated 4+

More information about ADRIFT 
► ADRIFT: a game about consent, on the iTunes Store 
► Play ADRIFT: a game about consent, in your browser 
► Watch a video trailer about ADRIFT: a game about consent

Support this work by donating online: 

PayPal 
Apple Pay

Or by texting STOPTDV to 707070 

Gaming Against Violence is an award-winning program presented by Jennifer Ann's Group, a 501(c)3 charity [EIN: 20-4618499].

Rispek Danis (the Respect Dance) is a Game About Consent

Rispek Danis presents healthy relationship habits to the Bislama speaking community through a culturally relevant video game.

Rispek Danis is a game made by Jennifer Ann’s Group in collaboration with World Vision Vanuatu. This game takes a culturally relatable approach to presenting healthy relationship habits to the Bislama speaking community (Bislama is the primary language of Vanuatu).

The game is simple to use and can run on older smartphones thanks to its limited graphical demands. Although Rispek Danis is not in English even non-native speakers can understand the simple steps this game lays out. The game is available for free through the Google Play store and will only take up around 30mbs of space to fully install on your tablet or smart device.

Rispek Danis was developed collaboratively between World Vision Vanuatu and Jennifer Ann’s Group to produce a culturally relevant video game intended to teach young people about the meaning and importance of consent.

Gameplay

Rispek Danis is a simple-to-play game consisting of small puzzles challenging players to select the proper order of steps. To win the game you have to correctly cards in the proper order in which you should approach your partner and if you choose wrong then you will have to start the process over again. If you choose right though you can move on to the next level.

The game is the perfect length to inject into a class covering the concepts of healthy dating relationships.

The game is very simple and easy to understand making it a wonderful teaching tool for young people. Although the game’s intention is to teach young people about consent through an evolving relationship, the game keeps away from anything more physical than kissing giving it its all-ages feel. In fact, the game is the perfect length to inject into a class covering the concepts of healthy dating relationships.

If you play your cards right you might find yourself in a healthy relationship!

By learning to identify and respect boundaries we can start to build a world with healthier relationships.

To play the game you simply have to choose an avatar to represent you. After you have chosen your avatar the game will prompt you to click the look around button. Once this button is clicked you will be given a choice of partners to choose from, simply click the one you like to start the game. The game will set you up with a scenario in which you must properly approach your partner. At the bottom of the screen will be different actions for you to choose from. Simply click the action that best fits your stage of asking your partner to dance with you in order to reach Level Two.

Rispek Danis prompts the player to select their character’s gender as well as the gender of their crush — a helpful reminder that consent matters in all relationships regardless of gender or sexual orientation.

As the game goes on you will have more choices to choose from. Rispek Danis especially likes to push the concept of asking your partner for permission. If you don’t ask your partner for permission before performing an action then you fail the scenario. This really drives home the point that everyone is an individual with their own thoughts and feelings. You should never assume someone wants to do something based on how you feel, always check with your partner before doing any action that may involve them. The game also points out that if a partner is intoxicated they cannot give consent!

The final scene is on the beach — can you make it that far?

Rispek Danis spans four scenes, all of which are culturally relevant to life on Vanuatu!

Rispek Danis in Practice

The game is a short play that is easy to grasp. By following the lessons taught in the game we can teach young people to respect each other’s wishes at all times. Even if you have previously kissed your partner, you should never assume that they want physical affection just because you do.

By learning to identify and respect boundaries we can start to build a world with healthier relationships.

Support this work by donating online: 

PayPal 
Apple Pay

Or by texting STOPTDV to 707070 

Gaming Against Violence is an award-winning program presented by Jennifer Ann's Group, a 501(c)3 charity [EIN: 20-4618499].

Play Rispek Danis (the Respect Dance)

Developed by: Jared Sain
Produced by: Jennifer Ann's Group and World Vision Vanuatu
Price: Free
Language: Bislama
Age Rating: E for Everyone (ESRB)

More information about Rispek Danis  
► Rispek Danis available at Google Play 
► Play Rispek Danis in your browser  
► Read more about Rispek Danis

A Dance Game about Consent: “How to Blorrble-Blobble”

How to Blorrble-Blobble is a fun dance game that teaches young people about consent using dance as a metaphor!

Talking about sexual consent with youth can be a sticky topic for many parents because many teenagers or young adults are a bit averse to having any conversation involving sex with their parents! In most cases, teens will actually end up talking to their peers about sex more than they will with any adult. Through interactive games you are encouraging teens to learn about consent in private and at their own pace with the end result that they aren’t trying to awkwardly squirm their way out of a conversation with you!

The game uses dance, instead of sex, to teach about consent in a manner that is appropriate for all ages.

How to Blorrble-Blobble is the perfect game for late elementary and middle school age kids. This game forgoes the more mature elements of abusive relationships while still hitting the nail on the head through an entertaining and informative message.

Consent Taught as a Dance Lesson

How to Blorrble Blobble is an easy to load browser game that just about any computer out there can run. The controls are simple and it’s pretty hard to get them confused. The game plays out as a funky disco themed dance lesson with a strange name. The announcer or teacher for the game comes in because he wants to teach you the newest dance craze, the “Blorrble Blobble.” This perfectly parodies all the hot dance crazes young adults are getting into and opens up a familiar line of communication for the player.

The game goes on by giving the player a short tutorial of clicking a card to perform an action. Afterwards, the announcer will teach the player a pattern to click the cards in. They simply have to remember how to properly ask someone to dance. The program teaches them to always greet and ask permission before trying to dance with a partner. The game teaches you a step of the dance and then asks you to repeat the steps in order, starting from finding a partner on the dance floor and introducing yourself.

The game throws in a few curve balls by having the other dancers say no. At this point, the game explains that it is best to leave and that sometimes someone who is already dancing with you can still change their mind. The game even has a test to see if the player will dance with their partner after they have seen they are intoxicated. At the end of it all, the player will have to go through the whole dance while watching out for signs that the other dancers might be changing their mind about the situation.

Real World Usage of this Consent Game

The game teaches about consent in a very simple and easy to understand way with this overarching theme: Don’t assume someone wants to have sex with you! How to Blorrble-Blobble also makes the important point that even though someone is confident at the beginning stages of intimacy, they may change their mind as things progress to more serious deeds.

The games’ host (Orca!) even explains the fact that intoxicated dancers aren’t able to fully give consent and are just best left alone. Consent is very easy to learn and if the actions in this game are followed and understood you will have a perfect example of how to treat your next partner — or the one you are currently with — during times of intimacy.

Support this work by donating online: 

PayPal 
Apple Pay

Or by texting STOPTDV to 707070 

Gaming Against Violence is an award-winning program presented by Jennifer Ann's Group, a 501(c)3 charity [EIN: 20-4618499].

Play How to Blorrble-Blobble

Developed by: Jared Sain
Produced by: Jennifer Ann's Group
Price: Free
Language: English
Age Rating: Appropriate for all ages

More information about Rispek Danis  
► Play How to Blorrble-Blobble in your browser  
► Helpful information about consent