Introducing Pillars of Persuasion

Team up with Susan B. Anthony in the fight for voting rights! But instead of using swords, magic, or tactical ballistic missiles; you’ll have to use persuasion and rhetoric to defeat your opponents.

Pillars of Persuasion is a top-down action game with bite-sized levels inspired by the 2D Zelda games. In between levels you’ll learn about the fight for voting rights in researched cutscenes with historical figures.

Here, you’ll find the world is not so cleanly divided into right and wrong. Many of the philosophical opponents to universal suffrage were not inherently malicious. Rather, they held different opinions for persuasive reasons. One must understand the web of their opponents’ beliefs first to provide a counter argument.

Why focus on women’s suffrage? We’re not simply interested in reviewing history for its own sake. Rather, this game is intended to be a tool for modern citizens; looking at the woman’s suffrage movement can provide a wealth of information about how to enact change today.

Enfranchising women was a massive undertaking. People took sides for very different reasons, requiring arguments tailored to the individual. People who stood to benefit the most were often opposed to it, requiring diligent advocacy. Hard decisions were needed on whether to push for it at the same time as the vote for black men, or proceed incrementally. And different strategies were considered from getting a legislative amendment for the vote, or pursuing a judicial ruling on the matter.

Players should walk way from the game with an improved knowledge for enacting change through government, as well as learning 3 of Aristotle’s pillars of persuasion.

So what are you waiting for?

Controls:

• W – Move character up
• S – Move character down
• A – Move character left
• D – Move character right
• Space - Dash

• Left Mouse Button Click – Use persuasion action against opponents
• 1 – Equip Logical Persuasion
• 2 – Equip Credible Sources Persuasion (Unlocked in Chapter 6)
• 3 – Equip Emotional Persuasion (Unlocked in Chapter 9)

• P – Pause Game. Press again to Resume Game
• N – Proceed to the next text in a cutscene.

If you do not have a mouse you can use the following keys to move the on-screen mouse in the Keyboard Only version, allowing you to aim your persuasion methods.

• O – Move mouse cursor up
• L – Move mouse cursor down
• K – Move mouse cursor left
• ; – Move mouse cursor right
• Shift key – Use Persuasion Action