Jayce Ono

Hello!

My name is Jayce. I was born and raised in Mililani, and I attended Mililani High School. If I were an artist's tool, I would be a reference board. As I design games, I pull inspiration from my life experiences, the media I've consumed, and the perspectives I've formed as a result. Like a reference board, I take these inspirations and form them into new ideas.

Research Topic: Ethics in Video Games

Research Question: How can game developers effectively incorporate ethical dilemmas in video games in a way that engages the player?

Abstract:

This project explored the design and impact of moral dilemmas in video games, shaping narrative development, player agency, and ethical reflection. By looking at good and flawed examples of the implementation of moral choices in specific video games such as Spec Ops: The Line and Fallout 3, this essay aims to analyze the effect that moral choices have in video games and how developers can implement them effectively. Throughout the process of researching for this essay, sources such as interviews and academic articles which focused on the design process of moral choices were primarily chosen, alongside case study examples of video games which used moral choices in gameplay. Discoveries during this research process include design principles intended to facilitate meaningful moral reflection, pitfalls in design and how to avoid them, and a deeper understanding of player reaction and reception to moral choices with varying degrees of effectiveness. This paper concludes that video games possess the ability to present impactful moral dilemmas to the player and encourages them to interact with and reflect upon these mechanics in meaningful ways.

Capstone Project: Video Game

Project Title: The Journey of C1R4

Capstone Proposal:

CREATIVE PROCESS:

The concept of creativity has come a long way. The Old Greeks would call those creative forces muses, other religions referred to them as God. Today people still mostly treat creativity as an aha moment outside the area of influence. However, just by looking at the creative process one can tell, that creativity and creative work is more than just that one "Aha-Moment" (insight). It is clear that generating ideas demands planning and preparation, identifying something of interest like a problem, an opportunity or a challenge, doing research. This then leads to thinking of a solution, allowing time to incubate and iterations before arriving at something “complete.” Students learn that hard work is what makes their ideas come to life and sticktuiveness is what helps them get better.

DELIVERABLE:

For his senior capstone, Jayce designed an original video game to test whether ethics can be meaningfully embedded into gameplay. Building on his research into moral dilemmas in games—drawing from titles like Spec Ops: The Line and Fallout 3—he examined how player choice, narrative design, and decision-making systems influence ethical reflection. His study identified both successful strategies and common pitfalls in integrating moral mechanics, based on developer interviews, academic articles, and case studies. By creating his own game prototype, Jayce applied these principles firsthand, exploring how design can prompt players to confront choices with real narrative and emotional weight. His project demonstrates that video games can serve as powerful spaces for ethical engagement, encouraging players to think critically about the consequences of their actions.

Go and check it out!

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