Door: TC Zhou : Game design, concept, visuals, and programming
“Fantastic STIs 2022 From 18 to 81 is a game about sex education, the HIV/AIDS pandemic, and other STIs, which is a topic rarely discussed in games. I created this piece because HIV and other STIs devastated the gay community and beyond since its onset in the 1980s, and frustrated me in my journey of finding love and dealing with loneliness. Getting tested for HIV is probably a common experience for gay men, of which I am one. The goal of the piece is to celebrate the progress we have made so far, highlighting the role of science and activism. Though the game deals with a grave topic, I want players to feel a cheerful mood. It’s my hope that with the advancement of science, one day we will be able to clear the virus from infected bodies, and free people living with the virus from stigmatization.”
