We Become What We Behold

We Become What We Behold is a short interactive game that explores how media influences human behavior and perception. The player observes a small community through the lens of a camera and decides which moments to capture. Each snapshot affects how the people in the world react and behave, creating a continuous cycle of cause and effect. The game uses a simple loop of watching, recording, and observing change to demonstrate how attention shapes social patterns.

Gameplay Structure

The player begins with a calm group of characters moving around a park. By aiming the camera and clicking on individuals, the player captures small events that are shown on a screen for everyone in the world to see. The population then changes behavior based on what is highlighted. Peaceful moments get ignored, while conflict or tension spreads faster and influences the entire crowd. The process repeats until the cycle escalates.

Main gameplay actions include:

·         Moving the camera to observe different scenes

·         Capturing short interactions between characters

·         Displaying chosen images on the public screen

·         Watching the community’s response to the selected content

·         Repeating the loop as reactions grow stronger

Cause and Effect Design

The structure of We Become What We Behold focuses on observation and feedback. Every photo creates a small change that grows over time. If the player chooses to show fear or aggression, others begin to copy it. If moments of calm are ignored, they disappear from the social space. The gameplay has no traditional goals or scoring system; instead, it forms a chain of reactions that illustrate how repetition builds trends. The player learns through watching how the smallest choice can reshape the world’s collective mood.

Player Experience

The game requires minimal input but constant attention. There are no levels or timers; progress is measured by how much the world changes with each action. Players often experiment with different photo choices to see which behaviors emerge. The visual cycle becomes predictable over time, showing that once negativity or conflict becomes a focus, it tends to grow uncontrollably. The experience is built around understanding this pattern rather than winning or losing.

We Become What We Behold uses simple interaction to demonstrate how selective focus drives group behavior. The player’s decisions about what to capture act as a mirror for how information spreads. Each cycle reinforces the message that attention has consequences, and that even passive observation can change outcomes. The game ends once the community reaches a breaking point, completing the loop between observer, subject, and reaction — showing that every choice contributes to what the world becomes.