Thesis: Keystone Crusaders

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Thesis Statement: Despite their ferocious representation in the media, sharks are actually more often the victim than the humans they supposedly attack. My research topic focused on shark finning. I delved deep into its origins, the process of shark finning, and its impact on the environment. I found that about 100 million sharks are killed per year, and those subject to finning are often thrown back into the ocean alive, unable to swim and doomed to suffocate and perish. The decrease in shark populations also comes with the cost of oceanic environments, where a boom in prey animals throws off the balance of the ecosystem.

My thesis is a Twine game called Keystone Crusaders. It is a text-based game in which three sharks named Alo, Bon, and Phyra fight back against fishermen by systematically taking down their boat. You play as Alo, a young thresher shark who witnessed a shark finning very early in his life, and who wishes to seek revenge on humans. The player must make choices to navigate the story and participate in battles against the humans. However, every choice matters, and they can affect the outcome of the story.

I chose to present the concept of shark finning in a Twine game because I want to shed light on how vulnerable sharks are in the hands of humans. They are vital in keeping balance in the environment, and the more sharks that are killed, the more unstable marine ecosystems become. I want people to put themselves in the shark’s perspective, and to recognize how resilient and important they are and have been for millions of years.

Portfolio link: here