A.L.A.R.A.- a video game on conquering mankind’s consequences one act of kindness at a time
By: Lindsay Domaradzki and Tucker Eskridge
“Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.”
― Marie Curie
I often harken back to Marie Curie’s words when I find myself in an anxious, doomscrolling spiral. During my art school years, I’d go for walks in Union Square Park. The climate countdown clock always loomed over me heavily. It felt like an ominous shadow that lived exclusively in the corner of my eye. Impossible to confront or resolve, but always present. We’re all children who are still afraid of the monster under the bed. We may have grown taller and more articulate, but we still find fear in things we cannot understand enough to control. A.L.A.R.A. is my attempt to control those fears.
Aptly named after the core radiation exposure protocol, A.L.A.R.A. follows a nuclear-powered robotic cat (of the same name) and her journey in understanding herself and mankind. It’s an exploration of humanity’s achievements and consequences told from the varying perspectives of our creations. What if nuclear power could talk? What would it think of us, I wonder?
A.L.A.R.A. is not merely a stand in for the players to project their own anxieties onto, either. She’s a unique opportunity for players to understand the world from an entirely different, almost alien-like perspective. I wholeheartedly believe that there’s something quite beautiful that lives within that perspective. It’s been an honor seeing her grow into a truly special character, and she’s one I look forward to sharing with the world when the time comes.
The game starts when A.L.A.R.A. suddenly powers back on for the first time in a long time. Her memory chip has been scattered across the world and she finds herself in a quaint desert town called “Tomorrow”. She does not recall any of the inhabitants, yet, they all seem to remember her. After finding a letter from her unknown creator, she sets off on a journey to form an opinion on mankind and to hopefully be reunited with her scattered memories. Along the way, she learns from and defeats the sentient beings referred to as “Wardens”. These beings represent the different consequences of industry, for example, fossil fuels, landfills, deforestation, and so on!
In A.L.A.R.A., where there is trouble, there is also vast knowledge to be gained. She learns from humanity, from the mundane beauties of our lives, and also from the cruel actions we have inflicted upon the land. The more she learns, the more powerful she will become. It is often easier to seek out the negatives and to allow yourself to slip into dread. However, A.L.A.R.A. is teaching us that optimism is around every single corner; you just have to put a little bit of effort into seeing it!
Funnily enough, this also goes for me. I went into early development with an anxious, overwhelmingly negative mindset towards our current environmental issues. I happen to be a big fan of a lot of media that are arguably critiquing nuclear power and weaponry. I’d say Godzilla, Fallout, and Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind are the big ones that currently come to mind. It just wasn’t until I went past the surface that I realized how nuanced everything truly is. I used to be terrified of some sort of nuclear disaster wiping us all out as recently as six months ago. Now I can confidently say that anxiety is gone.
This change in attitude completely changed my perspective on A.L.A.R.A. There’s something quite beautiful about finding peace and optimism about the environment throughout the game’s development process. I hope more than anything to be able to bring that same feeling of optimism to our future players! We’re still early into development but we look forward to the day we’re able to share our finished project with the world!
About the Authors
Lindsay Domaradzki: My name is Lindsay Domaradzki, and I am the programmer, artist, and author behind A.L.A.R.A. I attended and graduated from the School of Visual Arts in NYC. I have an extensive history of storytelling, character design, and several years of coding experience under my belt. I hope to tell a story that isn’t just about climate awareness but also brings a feeling of climate optimism. Positive change starts within our own mindsets and our mindsets can change with what media we interact with. I like to call our project “extraordinarily human”, balancing activism, humor, and storytelling.
Tucker Eskridge: My name is Tucker Eskridge and I am making the music for A.L.A.R.A. When Lindsay first told me about the project I knew it was something that I wanted to be a part of. I think in today’s climate, stories about environmentalism need to be told; and I’m so happy to be involved in bringing those stories into the world. I plan on blending sounds from the real world with the sounds of digital degradation in order to emphasize technologies’ role in our climate crisis. I have a long background in audio production and am excited to use my skills to bring this game to life!
