Fiximupim is a game about fixing problematic men. The game is inspired by values of respect, self-growth, and improvement. On a meta level, this game values women’s perspectives and prioritizes creating elements that speak to women’s experiences, providing catharsis for all of the insane experiences women have experienced while dating. In the gameplay itself, the loops and arcs speak to the values of change and second chances. The systems we model of dating and personal growth only work on the principle that people are always capable of growing and evolving into better versions of themselves.
The core gameplay loop centers around improving the man you are dating by doing activities and talking with him. Each man has a score on 6 different scales, and the player is tasked to get the man’s traits into the “good” or “ok” range, avoiding the extremes on either end of the scales. Each loop, the player can choose from a set of available activities/interactions, which then have a few dialogue options. Based on the player’s dialogue choice, their current partner adds or removes points from the traits associated with the event. Through this loop, players are actively learning about what types of decisions lead to what effects, and then can update their understanding of the game and try again, making a new decision based on their new learnings.
The main arc of this game encompasses the loop. The player then repeats the loop until they run out of time/chances, which means their partner must be released back to the dating pool. If the player has successfully “fixed” him, they get feedback on their success through short story content, and if they have not, they receive similar content giving them feedback on the work they still have to do, cycling the man back into the pool of fixer uppers the player must fix.
Through these arcs and loops, the player learns how to help their partner’s improve themselves and the kinds of traits it takes to make a good partner. The player engages in creating meaningful change in these characters through managing the resources of the traits of each datable character, getting feedback on their work and continuing to have an opportunity to improve their man-management skills as they go.
