Beyond 'Game Over': Engineering a Failure-Free FSM Architecture for Emotion Regulation in Serious Games

Abstract

The increasing prevalence of stress and anxiety among adolescents has highlighted the need for digital learning environments that support emotion regulation and psychological safety. However, many existing serious games still inherit performance-oriented mechanics, including scoring systems and game-over states, which may conflict with reflective and supportive interaction goals. To address this architectural gap, this study presents the design and development of Logisense: Fractured Mind, a narrative-driven serious game that employs consequence-driven interactions rather than punitive failure mechanisms. Using a Design and Development (D&D) framework, the system was implemented in RPG Maker MV through an Event-Driven Finite State Machine (FSM) architecture that manages dialogue progression and environmental transitions. Instead of conventional scoring, player choices dynamically modify a hidden psychological pressure parameter that controls shifts between the stable Virtual Real World and the distorted Logisphere environment. Internal alpha validation through structured scenario walkthroughs confirmed that the architecture correctly executed state transitions, reflective breathing events, and alternative narrative endings without triggering system-enforced game-over conditions. The results demonstrate the technical feasibility of implementing a failure-free interaction model while maintaining logical narrative progression and gameplay continuity. Consequently, the proposed architecture provides a reproducible blueprint for developing psychologically safe serious games and establishes a foundation for future empirical investigations concerning emotion regulation and digital learning environments.