Building Bridges
The Online LGBTQ+ Game that Builds Community
Creating a game that creates space for personal and community growth
The mission of the Building Bridges game is to alleviate the isolation and communal disconnect that LGBTQ+ people face. Building Bridges uses the spirit of game nights to create a virtual space for conversation, community, and connection.
What started out as general research into agency and adultism led myself and a fellow researcher to consider the compounding effects of these concepts on the LGBTQ+ community, a population that faces added bias and stigma.
Learn how that brought us to co-creating an online game and what that taught us.
A Timeline of Progress, in Pictures:
It started by using a power tree to explore social power dynamics.
Before Covid-19 moved us online, we were developing a physical game and practicing with improptu game pieces.
A website concept where everything about Building Bridges can live—the game, the community, and the social engagement.
Before we knew what we were doing, we knew we wanted it to be co-created by members of the LGBTQ+ community, and for it to be a tool of empowerment. This was our process plan.
Participants beta test an in-person version of the game…
Our Twitter feed, as part of a transmedia approach to engage people on varying levels and build a robust sharing space. We post game questions here —follow us!
Initial game questions posed by participants. This is where the game all started!
…and then give us lots to work on!
The current version of the game can be played by YOU!
Working through the compiled potential questions—the game questions continue to grow based on player input!
First stab at focusing the game online. We considered this a learning lesson and ultimately moved to another platform.