Playing the Impostor: Translating Impostor Syndrome into Dynamic Game Physics - A Research-through-Design Exploration of Mechanical Metaphor in High-Intensity Games

Abstract

This thesis explores how mechanical metaphor can translate the experience of Impostor Syndrome (IS) into a playable game system. While existing research has demonstrated that game mechanics can express psychological states, few studies have achieved this by modulating core motion physics parameters in real time. This research first collected embodied descriptions of the experience from students with IS tendencies through a questionnaire, from which somatic markers were extracted as design basis. An automated parkour and track-grinding game prototype, Sugar Gloss, was then developed in Unreal Engine 5. Its core mechanic is a sugar shell that thickens continuously during skating, driving dynamic changes in steering inertia, lateral drift, and friction, forming a loop of trade-offs between "collapse caused by an overly thick mask" and "exposure caused by an overly thin mask". The prototype was evaluated through two iterative rounds of testing. The results indicate that the prototype successfully conveyed the somatic dimensions of IS, with participants generally reporting persistent feelings of pressure, loss of control, and being pushed forward. However, the symbolic dimensions of the metaphor, such as the fear of being found out and the accumulation of external success, were not adequately perceived. Based on these findings, the thesis identifies several research directions for mechanical metaphor targeting psychological states and discusses directions for future work.