A game for non-gamers.
As game designers, we dreamed up a game about Physics that would intrigue Humanists. We strove to include narrative features missing in many games: Rich characterization, witty dialogue, realistically-drawn figures from history, and complex interpersonal relationships - design elements that are known to appeal to diverse audiences (See Cassell & Jenkins, 1998).

Leveraging the appeal of Architectural Engineering
Many non-scientists studying science ask: When will I ever have to use this knowledge? DreamHaus presents students with a compelling way to apply and expand their physics knowledge for an imaginative and creative purpose: The design of innovative buildings. This game also addresses a growing concern in engineering education that students are graduating without the ability to synthesize material or think creatively with physics and engineering concepts (Sheperdson, 1999).

One metaphor for thinking about how physics and engineering can be learned through the study of architecture is through the role of the Architectural Engineer. Architectural Engineers review blueprints for factors such as structural soundness, electrical engineering systems, ventilation systems, and heating and cooling systems. DreamHaus sits in the nexus between these two fields.

Witty Camp Aesthetic
The main character, Bobbi, bears an uncanny resemblance to another blonde woman raised in a pink dream house. This allows us to explore a feminist theme within the game: Bobbi is a woman who has transcended society's limited notions about who she is and what she can do. Once a mere plaything, Bobbi is now a formidable player in the high-powered world of architecture and design. The sassy, camp aesthetic DreamHaus employs provide potential paths of resonance for a sophisticated, media-savvy demographic that is coming to terms with gender roles and value wry sarcastic humor. Similar approaches have been tried recently with great critical and commercial success in properties like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Legally Blonde (See game philosophy). Of course, players are free to solve the physics-based puzzles and tackle the architectural engineering design challenges without necessarily appreciating the critical sub-text running through the game.

Copyright 2002, MIT.