Apiqhuqtauyuktut Apiqhuutit
We have a list of frequently asked questions about the research project AND a lot of frequently asked questions about the VQ game down below. If you can’t find your answer here, send us an email at virtualqaggiq@gmail.com!
Questions on Research project
The Virtual Qaggiq is a research project that involves testing and providing feedback on an Inuit mental wellness game, created by Inuit youth, Elders, and cultural advisors from 9 communities in Nunavut – Arctic Bay, Baker Lake, Cambridge Bay, Iqaluit, Kimmirut, Kinngait, Pangnirtung, Pond Inlet, and Taloyoak! As a participant in the project, you will be asked to play one or two games, including the Virtual Qaggiq – a 7-level mobile game that teaches skills for helping with low mood and negative thoughts. You will be asked to share your thoughts and feedback on the game through surveys!
This game was designed by Inuit youth, community members, and Elders to support Inuit youth mental wellness. While participating in this research project, we hope that you feel connected to your culture and community as your feedback will help us determine if this tool is helpful, and whether to make it available to other youth throughout Nunavut.
- Short group (3 days): $150 total
- Long group (5 days): $300 total
You can participate if you are Inuk and between the ages of 12 and 24. If you are under 16, you will need an adult caregiver’s permission to participate. If none of this applies to you but you still want to be involved, email us at virtualqaggiq@gmail.com and we will see what we can do!
The length of your participation will vary based on what type of group you are randomly assigned to!
| Short Group | Long Workshop |
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No problem! There are some alternatives we can try! Reach out to us at virtualqaggiq@gmail.com and we’ll see what we can arrange so that you can participate in VQ.
Absolutely! As long as they meet the eligibility criteria mentioned above!
We have a short and long group to compare different experiences of playing games. Everyone is randomly assigned (that means by chance) and both groups are equally important! All participants will be given payment no matter what. Additional paid opportunities may come up in the future – contact the research team to learn more!
That is totally okay! The game was designed for people with all levels of game playing experience and it is very straightforward. The research team will help you if you run into any problems.
At this time, the Virtual Qaggiq game and surveys are available in Inuktitut and English. Unfortunately, the game itself is not yet available in Inuinnaqtun. While we cannot make the game available in Inuinnaqtun, if you would like to complete the surveys in Inuinnaqtun, please contact the research team – we would be happy to make that option available for you.
You can stop at any time for any reason. This will not affect your relationship with the research team or any mental health services you use. Any data you’ve shared will be destroyed, and you’ll still be paid for the time you participated.
Questions on game play
Q: When I click the welcome button, something weird happens or the app closes down. What should I do?
A: Close the app entirely, reopen the game app, this time click on the little button on the bottom right corner that says ‘Reset save data’. This will reset the game and your app will open normally now.
Q: What is the ‘export analytics’ button?
A: When you play the game, analytics will be recorded in the system. It will record data on when and how you play the game. This will help us understand what parts of the game you liked more and what parts you liked less. This button must only be used at the end of the game. Once you’re done playing ALL 7 quests, you can click this button to share the analytics with us. Wait for your community facilitator to give you the signal to complete this step.
Q: What is text language and audio language?
A: The text language is the language you’ll SEE the dialogue in! The audio language is the language you’ll HEAR the dialogue in.
Q: What is the participant ID? Do I write anything here?
A: The participant ID is the 4 digit number that the research team gave you. It’s very important that you write this correctly. Double check that you entered the number correctly before you continue!
Q: Why do I need to put my date of birth in?
A: That’s a great question! We need some unique information that we can use to identify that this game session was played by you. The analytics we collect from the game has to be linked with the feedback you give us. To keep your participation confidential, we won’t ask for your name, we’ll use the participant ID! But we’re all only human, and sometimes we make typing mistakes. If you enter your participant ID wrong by mistake, we’ll lose all your analytics :( and to avoid that, we ask for your date of birth as a little double check point to make sure we connect your gameplay data with your feedback correctly!
Q: My character’s feet look like they are inside the ground. Is that normal?
A: Yes, that’s totally normal. This happens in video games all the time. It won’t cause any problems in your gameplay. Keep on going.
Q: What happens if my game stops working or gets frozen at any time while I’m playing?
A: That’s alright! Just close the app and open it again. You will come back to the last event in the game. You might have to repeat just a few minutes of gameplay that you already completed the first time but most of the progress will be saved.
Q: Is there anything I should know before I begin the game?
You’ll have to be patient! If you click on the screen too much, then the dialogue will skip. If you skip the dialogue, you’ll miss out on all the fun (and – shhh – the secrets that are going to be spilled). Play with patience and have fun!!
Q: What is the white thing on the screen that looks like a muskox tusk with some coloured rings on it?
A: That’s Alaasua’s distress meter. A distress meter is a great tool. It can help you find out how distressed you are feeling at any moment. When the distress gets too high, that’s when you know it’s time to take a pause and calm down. As you continue on this adventurous journey with Alaasua, keep an eye on the meter.
Q: I keep falling down in the gaps. How do I jump across?
A: It’s time to problem solve! Try to go back just a little bit. Now go straight towards the gap, and when you are at the very edge of the gap, that’s when you jump! Don’t forget, practice makes perfect! Try a few times, and you’ll be a jump expert.
Q: My backpack icon keeps flashing. What should I do?
A: The backpack flashing means there’s something inside your backpack waiting to be found by you ;)
Q: The items in my backpack are flashing! Is that supposed to happen?
A: Once you click on them, the flashing will stop.
Q: After I met with Atiqtalaaa, I jumped up a rock, now I don’t know how to jump on the other one?
A: That was a tricky jump we had up our sleeves. Look to the left, there’s a small hanging rock there. Once you’re on the first rock, jump to the rock on the left, then jump to the final rock on the right. You’ll be on your way before you know it!
Q: After meeting Aqsarniit, I came up to a wall. How do I move ahead?
A: When you can’t go straight ahead, you might have to go up! Climb on the wall. Shift your movement button from the right to the top and you’ll start making your way up that rock wall.
Q: After Hunter Asarmik made me an illuuq, I used it but it’s flying backwards. Why is that happening and what should I do?
A: That’s supposed to happen. Keep going! You’re about to find out the reason.
Q: Something happened to my game, the screen looks weird and all grey and frozen.
A: Sounds like you’re caught in a blizzard. A blizzard of hopelessness is upon you. Keep playing, the Tulugaq will guide you through it!
Q: I was brought back to the Qaggiq. Auntie Aasivak told me to learn wisdom from the Qaggiq. I don’t know what to do next?
A: Look around, you’ll notice a part of the Qaggiq wall has some drawings on it. Click on the blue drawing. It will open up the wall. You’ll be able to click on the drawings to learn some wisdom that’ll help you on your journey ahead!
Q: I played one game but the screen is still frozen on the wall. What do I need to do?
A: You’ll need to learn skills from both the drawings that are shown in blue light! Only when you’ve learned and played both games, Auntie Aasivak will teach you how to continue on your quest.
Q: All the ptarmigan are flying away. How can I even catch them?
A: Hunting is not easy! Great hunters will tell you tales of the patience and stillness needed to be successful. Go slow and keep an eye out! Going fast will scare the ptarmigan away.
Q: I am stuck in front of the frozen icicle, how can I move forward?
A: Think! You now have an illuuq. Maybe with the help of an illuuq, you can knock down those giant icicles and move ahead!
Q: The screen is frozen with the blizzard again but this time I wasn’t sent back to the qaggiq. The screen is stuck.
A: You were sent to the qaggiq to learn wisdom. You have already learned the skills, they are now in your backpack! It’s time to practice what you learned. Click on the backpack and practice any one of the two skills you want. Once you practice the skill and calm down, you’ll be able to continue!
Q: There’s a wall in front of me and a white rope and an ice block over my head. What should I do?
A: Another place where your illuuq will be handy. You illuuq can knock down the ice block. The rope will come. You can use the rope to climb your way up to the rock wall.
Q: There’s a very tall wall in front of me. I see the rope but I can’t reach the rope even if I jump. How do I proceed?
A: Use your illuuq! You can bring the rope down. When the rope is on the ground, you can climb up the wall!
Q: Auntie Aasivak told me to go to the cultural library. But I don’t know where to go?
A: Look around, you’ll see a doorway that is flashing with red lines. Click on the door and you’ll be sent to the cultural library.
Q: I am inside the cultural library. But I don’t know where the elder’s videos are!
A: See those beautiful tapestries? They hold more than you know. Click on any of those tapestries and you’ll see the two elder videos unlocked in the quest. As you play more quests, more videos will appear here. See the two little tabs at the bottom right corner, you can click on them to change the view and learn about some important items and tools used across Nunavut.
Q: I am done watching the videos and viewing the icons. I don’t know how to start the next quest?
A: Let’s remember what Auntie Aasivak said. She said “Return to me when you want your next quest”. Go to the qaggiq and click on Auntie Aasivak. She’ll send you on your next quest.
A: Look at the buttons, the action button is flashing. Click on it and see what happens.
Q: Auntie Aasivak told me to learn wisdom from the qaggiq. I am clicking on the drawing blocks but it’s not opening! What should I do?
A: Look at all the blocks. They have two different coloured lights on them. The skills that you’ve already mastered have a purple light on them. You don’t need to learn them again. Only the drawings with the blue lights can be opened and explored. Remember this for all the quests to follow!
Q: I keep falling in the water, I can’t jump on to the next iceberg!
A: Patience is key! Notice the icebergs are moving. Wait for the iceberg to float close to you and then jump on it.
Q: How do I collect ice?
A: Whenever you see a block of ice on the ground, click on the action button to pick it! Be aware of those tricky Ijiraq!!
Q: I see a giant wall of ice in front of me. How do I proceed?
A: Remember your tool from your previous quest – the Illuuq is still with you! Use it to knock down the ice.
Q: I broke the ice and moved forward but there was a dead end. Where do I go now?
A: Jump back up. Now look up. You’ll see a rope. We’ll use the same tricks we did in the previous quest. Use your illuuq to bring the rope down and get on with your quest!
Q: Ahh I am stuck inside an ice block! Is that supposed to happen?
A: You are so scared of the Ijiraq that it feels like you’re frozen in ice! Look, your backpack must be flashing to remind you to use one of those skills you learned in the qaggiq to calm down and break out of this ice
Q: I keep getting squished between the rock and the iceberg. How do I get out?
A: The icebergs move up and down as the water moves. Run across exactly when the iceberg lowers. Time it right and you’ll make it through!
Q: How many times do I have to keep playing the skill games and beating the Ijiraq?!
A: Remember Auntie Aasivak’s words, skills can only be mastered with practice. You’ll have to practice three times to master the skill! If you make a mistake, you’ll have to try again.
Q: I see the rope and I’m using my illuuq to bring it down but it won’t work!!
A: The Ijiraq isn’t the only one with tricks!! We tricked you. You don’t need to bring the rope down for this jump. Just making a simple jump will get you on the higher platform.
Q: I keep getting squished between the icebergs again and again. I get sent back every time. What should I do?
A: You have to pass through a series of moving icebergs. Hint: don’t cross more than one iceberg in a go. Take your time and run through slowly. You’ll pass by all the icebergs one by one. Slow and steady wins the race.
Q: I am stuck, I can’t continue. What should I do?
A: Look at your water count. If you don’t have enough you won’t be able to finish the quest. Go back and collect some more ice. You need to bring them back to Auntie Aasivak.
Q: Why is my character moving weird? Did something go wrong?
A: No, don’t worry! Everything is okay. In the previous quests, your character moved sideways, now they can move in all directions. This is an exciting change, you’ll soon find out why!
Q: What do I have to do? I don’t even know how to play this.
A: Start exploring. You’ll see spots where you can make breathing holes for the seals to pop up. Walk near a spot, if you’re close enough, the hole will open up and you’ll find out if there’s a seal nearby. If no seals appear, move on and find another one. Hint!! – Notice where the Tulugaq flies, she’ll guide you in the direction of the seal.
Q: Why does the game keep resetting?
A: The breathing holes reset for two reasons:
Reason 1: You successfully dealt with the Bad Shaman bully and are now onto your next catch!
Reason 2: You got caught by the Bad Shaman bully – be careful, try to avoid getting caught!
Q: When I was talking to Auntie Aasivak, there was one dialogue where the audio didn’t match what was written on the screen!
A: You’ve got a hunter’s sharp observation! That’s a game bug where the audio is wrong. Don’t worry, we’re working on fixing it!
Q: I am at the docks talking to Whaler Anugaa and the phone screen keeps going up and down. What is happening?
A: Feel those motions, those are the waves making the docks move.
Q: How do I move the boats?
A: Using the same button! But this time, instead of moving your character, you’re in control of the entire rings of boats.
Q: The boats keep touching the narwhals but I can’t catch them?
A: Remember Whaler Anugaa’s teachings, the narwhal must be surrounded by the boats for a few seconds. When it comes up for air – you’ll see a red target on the narwhal. That’s when you tap on it to throw your harpoon at the narwhal!
Q: What does the action button do?
A: The action button has no use in this quest!! The quests are getting challenging, so we also had to switch some things up to make it more interesting for you!
Q: The boats all went in separate directions! Was that supposed to happen?
A: Yes! When you’re in a conflict – you’ll find it hard to control your ring of boats! It will feel almost like the ring of boats is broken. Practice a skill to calm down, that’ll help you regain control of the boats.
Q: How do I move the sled?
A: Using the same button! But this time, instead of moving your character, you’re in control of the sled.
Q: How do I deliver ice?
A: The action button is back in use!! As you get closer to a community member, click on the action button to throw a block of freshwater ice their way!! They’ll be grateful for the help.
Q: I keep crashing my sled!! How do I cross this part of the game?
A: There are so many obstacles around you, if only you knew the secret tricks! Don’t tell anyone we told you this – your dogs can jump over rocks, but your sled can’t and if you keep your sled to the left side of the path, you’ll find lesser obstacles in your way! ;)
Q: Why are rocks falling on top of my sled?
A: Those are grief rocks! Like Widow Qumangaapik said, grief can be heavy like big rocks, making it hard for you to move. Practice some skills to get rid of those rocks so you can move ahead!
Q: The movement button is gone from the screen! How can I move now?
A: This quest is slightly different! You’ll have to use taps! Tap on the part of the screen where you want to move and your character will walk to that spot. Keep on exploring!
Q: The level keeps resetting, what should I do?
A: The creature must be catching you! Be sneakier. Try to collect a few resources before the creature gets to you.
Q: I picked an option in the dialogue choice and now I’m all the way back to the start of the quest!!
A: We’re really sorry! This isn’t supposed to happen. The choice you picked was not assigning meaning to the task and so you have to try again. But sadly, there’s a bug in the game that brings you back to the very start of the quest instead of putting you just a few seconds back in the game. We’re working on fixing that as soon as possible.
Q: How do I pick heather, berries or cotton?
A: Tap on the screen to explore your surroundings. When you see a bush, tap near it. When Alaasua is very close to the bush, tap on the bush and they will sit and start collecting!
Q: I am collecting the resources but nothing is happening!
A: Keep at it! You’re dealing with boredom. Make sure you are collecting all different types of resources and not just one!
Q: Why did the screen go grey?
A: Ahh you’re stuck in a boredom fog! You can’t see the opportunities around you. Practice skills to break free from this fog!
Q: I am inside the Qaggiq and I see an old man’s portrait. But on the screen I only see Auntie Aasivak?
A: That’s a game bug! We’re on top of fixing it! For now, let’s see if you can use your imagination – imagine that you’re talking to Grandfather!
Q: The sister’s asked me to tell a story but I don’t know which story is the correct one?
A: Be creative! Choose the option that you like and see how a unique story comes out of it! There’s no right or wrong way to tell stores!
Q: What do I have to do in this quest? I don’t have to move?
A: No you don’t need to move! Give your kamiks a rest as your most trusted friend, the Tulugaq, takes you on a journey of memories since you moved to this community!
Q: There are two videos on the screen, what should I do now?
A: Those two videos are the skills you learned in that quest! Click on the skill you think will be more helpful in the future.
Q: There are two videos on the screen, what should I do now?
A: Those two are the skills you learned in that quest! Click on the skill you think will be more helpful in the future.
Q: After revisiting Quest 1, I’m back on the land! Nothing is happening.
A: Look! Your movement button is back! It’s time to move. Walk ahead and find out what awaits you!