The virtual reality game "Trapped: A VR Detective Story" aims to generate radical empathy in players to change perceptions of sex trafficking victims. Players experience the story from the first-person perspectives of both a trafficking victim and a detective investigating her murder. By exploring interactive crime scenes and clues, players help solve the mystery while learning about the recruitment tactics, control methods, and dangers faced by victims. The game is designed to be an immersive educational tool to raise awareness of trafficking among professionals and the public.

1. The Search for Radical Empathy

2. Can A Game
Make You Feel?

3. TRAPPED: A VR DETECTIVE STORY
An immersive virtual reality experience
that aims to change the way the world
perceives the victims of sex trafficking
by generating “Radical Empathy” in its
players.

4. OUR PURPOSE
• The purpose of this product is to persuade people to open their minds
about the dangers and reality of sex trafficking.
• The result of this experience can open minds in healthcare, policing,
politics, training and more to see that the victims are unwillingly forced
to do this.
• Users will be captivated by the amazing level of immersion made
available through the virtual reality experience.
• When a user is finished with the experience, we expect their first
comment to be “I had no idea.” Then we want them to get involved.

5. GAME DESIGN
• At its heart, TRAPPED: A VR Detective Story is a Police Detective Storytelling
Game experienced through Virtual Reality.
• To create total immersion, players experience the story from the first-person
perspective of the victim as well as the detective.
• Players move and interact with the world at their own pace and interest
level. Find and analyze clues to progress the story and open new locations.
• To create a compelling story, we are working with victim advocates and
legal experts to ensure that we create an accurate portrayal of how people
are victimized.
• Players discover a young girl’s body, find clues to her killer, and then find
evidence to locate and prosecute the victim’s pimp.

6. STORY
• The story revolves around a young woman that was brought into the sex
trafficking industry at 14 years old. She was living with her parents and she
met her “boyfriend” online who, after secretly dating for some time,
convinces her to have sex for money.
• He eventually convinces her that her parents wouldn’t want her back at
home, so she leaves with him.
• She is left at a “date” at a local motel by her pimp and is murdered by the
John.
• As the detective, you collect clues to convict her killer and her pimp.
• In the third Act, the Detective’s personal survival story from sex trafficking is
shown through PTSD flashbacks.

7. ART OVERVIEW
• We wanted a visual style that helps
people relate to the real world and
allow players to move and examine
objects from any angle, selecting and
interacting with clues at their leisure.
• The style best suited for that is three-
dimensional modeling, with high-
resolution textures.

8. TECHNOLOGY
• Designed specifically for Virtual Reality
• Unity 3D game engine
• Quantum Interface’s Patented Virtual
Reality Interface.
We currently support Google Cardboard and HTC VIVE

9. AUDIO
• Realism is very important, so the characters in the story are to narrate the
story as much as possible. Hearing the thoughts and reactions of the people
involved truly takes the player into the experience like nothing else.
• Sound effects are based upon real world sounds to continue the immersion.
• We want to create a cinematic experience, so music is used at key
moments to enhance the user's emotional journey through the story.

10. MARKET
• We want to provide this experience for young adults and parents as well as
anyone that needs to learn more about human trafficking.
• There are almost no gaming experiences that highlight sex trafficking. There
is a significant need to raise public awareness of this issue.
• While there is no sex or violence in the game experience, the topic of sex
and prostitution is likely to receive a Teen rating (13+), although there is a
case to be made that it will receive a Mature (17+) rating.

11. Features

12. Solve a Murder Mystery
o Plot driven story
o Multiple locations
o Multiple clues

13. Explore Multiple Locations in VR
o High Rise Condo
o Victim’s Childhood Bedroom
o Motel
o Police Office

14. Learn More About Sex Trafficking
o How to Recognize Warning
Signs
o Children are Victims; not
Criminals
o Provide Educational Materials

15. Play Experience

16. “I hope you got a good night’s sleep because there was
a homicide last night at the Grand Rock Motel. Victim is
a young girl, maybe 16 years old. She was very likely a
victim of sex trafficking. There appears to have been a
struggle. We need you down here to process the scene.
This one is going to be tough. We’re classifying her as
Jane Doe until we have a positive ID. Let me know what
you find once you’re there.”
Solve Mystery as a Detective

17. “Yesterday started like any other day. I was getting
ready for dates. When I get a call, my boyfriend takes
me to meet my clients at their hotel rooms. It was my
birthday and since my boyfriend was out running
errands, I was feeling particularly lonely, so I spent some
time looking around and thinking about how I got here.”
Explore The World As The Victim

18. Manolo Blahnik Shoes: These were the
first gift Roger gave me. He said they
made me look older. When I met Roger
online, he was nice and polite. He
complimented me and told me how
special I was. Now I know I was an easy
mark. We started dating and then he
convinced me to start having sex for
money.
The Story Unfolds as you Interact
Cherry Red lipstick: Before I got pulled
into the life, I thought lipstick was
glamorous. Now it kind of makes me
think about things I never wanted to
think about. Ever.
Smartphone: My pimp wouldn’t let me
make calls to anyone I knew. I had to
use it to market myself online on
websites like www.backpage.com. I
wanted to call my parents so badly, but
my boyfriend convinced me that they
would never accept me back at home.

19. Explore The World As A Detective
Victim is a young girl, maybe 16
years old, likely a victim of sex
trafficking. Appears to have been a
struggle. This one is going to be
tough. We’re classifying her as
Jane Doe until we have a positive
ID. Let me know what you find
once you’re there processing the
scene.

20. “Check for identifying marks or tattoos
on her body. Many gangs and pimps
mark their victims with special tattoos to
show that they are their property.
Maybe we can find a match.”
Surveillance Video. “The manager left a
flash drive on the desk.” “I hope they
got footage from the right angles to get
a look at the killer.”
The Story Unfolds As You Interact

21. The Search for Radical Empathy