Area of Effect

AoE, or “Area of Effect”, is a conceptual computer application that helps gamers reduce their playtime to help promote a healthy balance between gaming and life. The program is set on a timer that, when set off, pixelates the computer screen before presenting a screen telling the user to take a break (as shown in the mock video). While reducing game and screen time is important, not many people with heavy screen time use will go out of their way to seek such programs. To increase visibility and awareness, the idea to integrate an advertisement into the popular video game streaming  website Twitch came to be. AoE would disguise itself as an indie game with the many game titles people are streaming. The idea here is that some viewers curious enough to check it out would be greeted with an informational page about the effects of too much screen time as well as what AoE can provide to combat it.