NKBL VR Game now Launched!

Over three years ago we had the idea to create a virtual reality game that explore the issue of youth violence and the circumstances that can lead young people to pick up and use a weapon

“ I really enjoyed the game, it was loads of fun mini games, thought provoking and made you realise how people can end up in situations they didn’t mean to be in, I encourage everyone to watch it…my voice is in it and I made me enjoy it even more!” 

Full game review Ashley Mayer- Young Person- Youth Just Us

Virtual Reality & Knife Crime- How did we get here?

Over three years ago we had the idea to create a virtual reality game that explore the issue of youth violence and the circumstances that can lead young people to pick up and use a weapon and importantly how we can empower young people to stand up, speak out and get help if a friend or someone they know is carrying a knife.

This has been a very exciting project that we developed with the help and input from ‘Youth Just Us’- the youth-led steering group behind Staf (Scottish Throughcare Aftercare Forum) and CYCJ (Children’s and Young People’s Centre for Justice).

We are delighted to announce that the game premiered with the ‘Youth Just Us’ Group and staff and was extremely well received…and is now being rolled out across Scotland!

3 Things We’ve Learnt About Developing a VR Game

For the past three years since we came up with the idea of developing a virtual reality (VR) game to support our prevention work, we’ve learnt A LOT. Gamers we are not. Luckily, we joined forces with awesome Dundee-based game developers, Pocket Sized Hands, who helped to translate our ideas into reality.

The VR game, Nae Danger VR, follows Katie as she supports her friend Darren through a difficult time. The game aims to empower young people to stand up, speak out and get help if a friend or someone they know is carrying a knife.

1.It's crucial to work with young people from the start

In making this unique game, we worked alongside young people from Youth Just Us, a Staf and CYCJ group for care and justice experienced young people. They generously shared their ideas, opinions and experiences of youth violence to shape the storyline and the look of the game. You can even hear some of them in the game as the voices for the main characters. Their support and feedback was invaluable to shaping the game.

2. There’s endless possibilities

Who knew there were so many types of game play? Ahem, well not us. You know that saying about known unknowns and unknown unknowns? Well it was most definitely the latter for us. The team at PSH had hundreds of ideas about how we could bring the game to life and make it engaging and fun, whilst also conveying an important message. You can see the result of these ideas in the mini games during the VR game, like basketball hoops, a whack-a-mole style game, fruit ninja, quizzes and more.

3. People are really excited by VR

During the two years of development, we’ve seen and played the game hundreds of times that we’d almost forgotten the excitement and novelty of first having the VR headset on and playing VR for the first time. We were reminded of it this week when we premiered the game with Youth Just Us.

“ Thanks so much to the NKBL team for giving Youth Just Us members a premier of the virtual reality version of Nae Danger. They loved the experience - getting a chance to revisit the game they helped to create in a whole new way. We can’t wait to see how other people react to the game and hope that young people enjoy playing the game and find it both fun and impactful. We think NKBL and Pocket Sized hands and Youth Just Us have really brought the game to life and hope it helps children and young people to think about the choices they can make and it helps others consider the harm that carrying a knife can have on victims, young people and their families.”

Ruth Kerracher, Youth Justice Participation Lead (Staf/CYCJ)

“I really enjoyed the game and a good match with the educational activities…a lot of fun as well”…..Full Testimonial Ross Gibson, CYCJ, Practice Worker

We would like to extend a special thank you to the young people and workers of the Youth Just Us group for their contagious enthusiasm, awesome ideas and patience when recording the voices and navigating the tech AND to Pocket Sized Hands for all the expertise, suggestions and interpreting our ideas into an amazing game.

Nae Danger VR is now being rolled out across Scotland. There is limited number of sessions we can deliver, but If you would like to enquire about a session with our team, please contact nkbl@youthlinkscotland.org. If your youth group or school have their own VR headsets, get in touch with us for access to the game.

NKBL Delivery Team

Orielle, Emily, Vicki & Nadine.

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