Inspiration

I wanted to make something that helps kids feel more prepared for what they see online. A message can sound like a friend, and an AI answer can seem believable even when it is wrong. Simply telling kids to “be careful” doesn’t give them much to work with. I made RealityQuest so they could practice making those decisions themselves.

What it does

RealityQuest is a game for ages 10–14 with six short missions about online safety. Players look for clues and decide how to respond to situations involving fake messages, privacy, misleading information, and AI chatbots. Their choices affect what happens next, and each decision comes with an explanation. They can replay missions, earn XP, and track their progress without creating an account.

How we built it

I built the app with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript and published it through GitHub Pages. Progress is saved in the player’s browser using localStorage. I used AI assistance to help write code and draft scenarios. The game itself uses prewritten situations and responses, so it doesn’t need a live AI service or access to anyone’s private messages.

Challenges we ran into

The hardest part was making the missions feel like situations kids might actually encounter. I also wanted the feedback to be helpful without sounding like a lecture or making someone feel bad for choosing the wrong answer. Some situations aren’t as simple as spotting an obvious fake. I tried to make checking a source, slowing down, or asking someone for help feel like useful choices.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

I’m proud that I turned the idea into a working game that people can use. It includes six missions, choices that change the story, saved progress, and a field guide players can return to. I also kept it simple to access: no signup, no personal details, and no downloads.

What we learned

I learned how to connect different story paths, save progress, and publish a browser app. Working on the missions also made me think more carefully about how to explain online safety. Giving someone a chance to make a choice and understand the result can be more useful than just giving them a list of rules.

What's next for RealityQuest

I’d like students and teachers to try it and tell me what feels useful, confusing, or too obvious. Their feedback would help me improve the missions before adding more situations, reading levels, and languages.