We Are Glaciers
2025
2025
2025
Master's Thesis
Master's Thesis
Master's Thesis
Interative experience
Interative experience
Interative experience
This project explores how embodied interaction in games can mitigate climate anxiety and cognitive overload while fostering informed, collective climate engagement. Building off narrative heavy anti-anxiety games, the project uses speculative climate narratives and custom ball-like controllers to allow players to inhabit roles as non-human agents (such as air currents or cracking ice) where fidgeting, squeezing, and other physical symptoms of anxiety are transformed into cooperative game mechanics. Rather than emphasizing goal-oriented play, the game invites players to feel each other’s interactions with their controllers via small vibrating motors and can respond in kind, using this affective network to influence speculative future environmental scenarios. In doing so, the project investigates how emotional factors, often overlooked in climate education, can be integrated into systems thinking and collaborative exploration.
This project explores how embodied interaction in games can mitigate climate anxiety and cognitive overload while fostering informed, collective climate engagement. Building off narrative heavy anti-anxiety games, the project uses speculative climate narratives and custom ball-like controllers to allow players to inhabit roles as non-human agents (such as air currents or cracking ice) where fidgeting, squeezing, and other physical symptoms of anxiety are transformed into cooperative game mechanics. Rather than emphasizing goal-oriented play, the game invites players to feel each other’s interactions with their controllers via small vibrating motors and can respond in kind, using this affective network to influence speculative future environmental scenarios. In doing so, the project investigates how emotional factors, often overlooked in climate education, can be integrated into systems thinking and collaborative exploration.
Demo of final playable experience
Exhibition at V&A
User Interacting with Custom Controlle
Exhibition at Orleans House Gallery
Users interacting with the piece at the Graduate Showcase
Anxiety at the End of the World
Anxiety at the End of the World
Western society has long been shaped by a belief in rational decision-making, underpinned by Enlightenment-era values of logic and rhetoric. In this model of the world, emotional responses belong to a secondary, lesser class of primitive rhetoric. Climate change, however, disrupts this model. Despite decades of climate education, nations like the UK, where environmental issues have been woven into school curricula since the early 2000s, continue to see insufficient action from the public. Even though people are acutely aware of the risk the climate crisis poses, they simply cannot rationally make decisions about climate change.
This disruption is most felt when looking at climate change conspiracy theorists. My initial research involved sending surveys to various climate denial Facebook groups. The responses were hugely emotional and widely showed distrust, and fear of change, and anger as the main driving forces behind their refusal to engage with climate change.
Western society has long been shaped by a belief in rational decision-making, underpinned by Enlightenment-era values of logic and rhetoric. In this model of the world, emotional responses belong to a secondary, lesser class of primitive rhetoric. Climate change, however, disrupts this model. Despite decades of climate education, nations like the UK, where environmental issues have been woven into school curricula since the early 2000s, continue to see insufficient action from the public. Even though people are acutely aware of the risk the climate crisis poses, they simply cannot rationally make decisions about climate change.
This disruption is most felt when looking at climate change conspiracy theorists. My initial research involved sending surveys to various climate denial Facebook groups. The responses were hugely emotional and widely showed distrust, and fear of change, and anger as the main driving forces behind their refusal to engage with climate change.
Overall, my research identified two interlocking causes for this gap in action v.s knowledge: First, a hyper-individualistic framing of climate education that prioritizes personal action (e.g., recycling, reducing consumption) over structural critique or collective effort. Second, the psychological paralysis caused by climate anxiety, a growing but under-addressed affective response to the scale and complexity of environmental collapse.
Climate anxiety is not just a background condition; it actively shapes how people make decisions, or avoid making them.
This pushed my initial exploration into embodied interaction and it's potential to work with new models of education to address the affective factors influence climate change decision making.
Abundance (pictured below) was collaborative experience made as part of this early exploration. Using custom built breathing sensors fastened with vibrating motors allowing users to feel each other's breaths, users were encourged to partice mindfulness while listening to educational vignettes about the climate crisis.
Overall, my research identified two interlocking causes for this gap in action v.s knowledge: First, a hyper-individualistic framing of climate education that prioritizes personal action (e.g., recycling, reducing consumption) over structural critique or collective effort. Second, the psychological paralysis caused by climate anxiety, a growing but under-addressed affective response to the scale and complexity of environmental collapse.
Climate anxiety is not just a background condition; it actively shapes how people make decisions, or avoid making them.
This pushed my initial exploration into embodied interaction and it's potential to work with new models of education to address the affective factors influence climate change decision making.
Abundance (pictured below) was collaborative experience made as part of this early exploration. Using custom built breathing sensors fastened with vibrating motors allowing users to feel each other's breaths, users were encourged to partice mindfulness while listening to educational vignettes about the climate crisis.
Pictured above is the custom built breathing sensor and two people participating in the experience at an exhibition.
Pictured above is the custom built breathing sensor and two people participating in the experience at an exhibition.
Designing the Experience
Designing the Experience
My initial research demonstrated the potential of embodied interaction and collaboration as a tool to address climate anxiety. I wanted to combine this methodology with serious or simulation game styles.
Serious or simulation games are games that use simulations or discussion of climate events as tools to educate various stakeholders about their role in the climate crisis. These games have proven to be very effective. While these games have proven to be useful pedagogical tools they are limited in affective scope. They tend to assume that if players understand the mechanics of ecological systems, they will make logical, prosocial choices. However this is not reflected in real world decision making. By introducing an affective system into these games we can address the underlying anxiety and overwhelm responsible for the mismatch between in-game behaviours and real life decision making.
My initial research demonstrated the potential of embodied interaction and collaboration as a tool to address climate anxiety. I wanted to combine this methodology with serious or simulation game styles.
Serious or simulation games are games that use simulations or discussion of climate events as tools to educate various stakeholders about their role in the climate crisis. These games have proven to be very effective. While these games have proven to be useful pedagogical tools they are limited in affective scope. They tend to assume that if players understand the mechanics of ecological systems, they will make logical, prosocial choices. However this is not reflected in real world decision making. By introducing an affective system into these games we can address the underlying anxiety and overwhelm responsible for the mismatch between in-game behaviours and real life decision making.
The final game is a multiplayer documentary that exists as both a single player and multiplayer version depending on the scale of the exhibition and context. Players use custom built controllers fitted with pressure sensors, gyroscopes and vibrating motors to move through the space and chose both physical and paths for the documentary to follow.
In the multiplayer version, players’ interactions with their stress-ball controllers create a shared network of vibrations that alter the unfolding narrative, while in the single player version, your actions communicate directly with the game elements and the feedback is based entirely on the narrative context of the game. The game does not assign “objectives” in the conventional sense but invites players to affect one another’s experience through cooperative, sensory communication. In doing so, We Are Glaciers challenges the extractive logics of conventional gameplay and instead offers an ambient, relational form of interaction.
The final game is a multiplayer documentary that exists as both a single player and multiplayer version depending on the scale of the exhibition and context. Players use custom built controllers fitted with pressure sensors, gyroscopes and vibrating motors to move through the space and chose both physical and paths for the documentary to follow.
In the multiplayer version, players’ interactions with their stress-ball controllers create a shared network of vibrations that alter the unfolding narrative, while in the single player version, your actions communicate directly with the game elements and the feedback is based entirely on the narrative context of the game. The game does not assign “objectives” in the conventional sense but invites players to affect one another’s experience through cooperative, sensory communication. In doing so, We Are Glaciers challenges the extractive logics of conventional gameplay and instead offers an ambient, relational form of interaction.
It was important that the game have very realistic sections to reinforce the reality of the scenarios being discusses. Scans of trees as well sounds of real glaciers and satellite scans were used to create accurate interactive simulations of the Theodule pass in Switzerland.
These very realistic scenes were contrasted with abstract and surrealist representations of atoms fusing, glacial mummification and cracking ice. These abstract moments were designed to help reinforce the meditative and calming nature of the experience. These more dream-like sequences also serve to illustrate more abstract frameworks contributing to climate change, like capitalism or overconsumption.
It was important that the game have very realistic sections to reinforce the reality of the scenarios being discusses. Scans of trees as well sounds of real glaciers and satellite scans were used to create accurate interactive simulations of the Theodule pass in Switzerland.
These very realistic scenes were contrasted with abstract and surrealist representations of atoms fusing, glacial mummification and cracking ice. These abstract moments were designed to help reinforce the meditative and calming nature of the experience. These more dream-like sequences also serve to illustrate more abstract frameworks contributing to climate change, like capitalism or overconsumption.
In one levels players play as ice cracks
In one levels players play as ice cracks
Interaction Design
Interaction Design
Tactility is at the heard of this project. The aim being to create a physical tool through which players can manifest and explore feelings of stress meant that I needed to develop highly precise and sensitive controllers. Initial versions of the controller (pictured to the left) featured only a single pressure sensor connected to an Arduino. While early players reported this single mode of interaction helping to place them in a space of relaxed reflection, there were concerns over the ability to collaborate and chose paths with simply one interaction. Players also expressed wanting more connection to other players beyond just visual feedback.
Tactility is at the heard of this project. The aim being to create a physical tool through which players can manifest and explore feelings of stress meant that I needed to develop highly precise and sensitive controllers. Initial versions of the controller (pictured to the left) featured only a single pressure sensor connected to an Arduino. While early players reported this single mode of interaction helping to place them in a space of relaxed reflection, there were concerns over the ability to collaborate and chose paths with simply one interaction. Players also expressed wanting more connection to other players beyond just visual feedback.
In the final version, three key interaction mechanism were integrated:a pressure sensor, a gyroscope and a vibrating motor all connected to ESP-32 allowing for wireless connection. The final controller system was compactly connected and inserted into a wool knit ball. This final controller designed allowed for more controlled and movements and richer interaction and connection while continuing to embrace tactility and repetitive movements as a way to manifest and explore affective decision making in games.
In the final version, three key interaction mechanism were integrated:a pressure sensor, a gyroscope and a vibrating motor all connected to ESP-32 allowing for wireless connection. The final controller system was compactly connected and inserted into a wool knit ball. This final controller designed allowed for more controlled and movements and richer interaction and connection while continuing to embrace tactility and repetitive movements as a way to manifest and explore affective decision making in games.
Demo of wireless rotation and squeezing functions of final controller
Demo of wireless rotation and squeezing functions of final controller
Testing and Assessing
Testing and Assessing
Multiple phases of testing were involved in both the narrative elements of the games as well as the interaction systems. Early prototypes of the interactions were tested primarily using semi-structured interviews. Players were asked what they felt like they were doing in a specific scene, for example players would play a sequence involving ice cracking with their eyes closed receiving only physical feedback through the vibration and audio feedback, they were then asked what it felt like they were doing and what could influence that feeling.
Multiple phases of testing were involved in both the narrative elements of the games as well as the interaction systems. Early prototypes of the interactions were tested primarily using semi-structured interviews. Players were asked what they felt like they were doing in a specific scene, for example players would play a sequence involving ice cracking with their eyes closed receiving only physical feedback through the vibration and audio feedback, they were then asked what it felt like they were doing and what could influence that feeling.
Later stages of development involved more nuance playtesting experiences. To assess the efficiency of the affectiive systems heart rate measuring was used in a variety of playtesting scenarios. Players were also asked to asses whether the experience felt more collaborative or competitive.
In the final stages of development I help a workshop where I had players play the game in groups of two. I then asked these players to design their own speculative policies and worlds in response to specific climate issues. After playing the game players were much more inclined to engage critically and collaboratively with complex political and scientific questions about climate change.
Later stages of development involved more nuance playtesting experiences. To assess the efficiency of the affectiive systems heart rate measuring was used in a variety of playtesting scenarios. Players were also asked to asses whether the experience felt more collaborative or competitive.
In the final stages of development I help a workshop where I had players play the game in groups of two. I then asked these players to design their own speculative policies and worlds in response to specific climate issues. After playing the game players were much more inclined to engage critically and collaboratively with complex political and scientific questions about climate change.
Testing sessions were conducted during the Orleans House gallery exhibition
Reflection
This project stretched my capabilities across several domains: game development, physical computing, narrative design, ethnographic research, and critical theory. It also revealed the immense difficulty of designing for emotion, especially one as diffuse and context-sensitive as anxiety. Translating internal states into interactive systems requires both technical finesse and deep sensitivity to player variability.
However, some users expressed confusion about the lack of objectives. While this was intentional, it highlighted the challenge of designing against dominant game conventions. Future iterations might include clearer onboarding or framing devices to help players reorient their expectations.
This project reinforced my convictions that there is an important space in climate education for affective components of climate change decision making to be embedded into educational experiences, and there are many avenues through which this could be explored further. From an interaction perspective, I think there is a lot of potential to iterate on the kinds of embodied interactions I used. It would be interesting to incorporate different kinds of physical interactive elements and have those interactions be more refined. In particular, I would be interested in intertwining affective manifestations of stress (such a squeezing of breathing or heart rate) more seamlessly with digital interfaces, especially by experimenting with projection or XR technologies. Additionally, expanding haptic feedback options, such as temperature variation or directional vibration, could deepen the embodied experience.