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Although it's easier than it's ever been to connect with people with the advent of social media; social anxiety is more prevalent than ever before. People are forgetting to live in the moment; when everything has to be filtered through our devices before we can appreciate them in person. The current social media giants are abusing their influence with predatory algorithms which encourages some of our worst thoughts and behaviors. ProQuest is attempting to do the opposite.
The gist of the app's purpose is to encourage people to be directly and positively connected with each other. You do this by embarking on "quests" posted by real people that may need real-life assistance running errands or doing chores, or could just use a helping hand — and you would earn in-app rewards for your efforts.
The idea was to make it seem like you were playing an old-school, turn-based RPG; referencing the tropes you would typically expect in games like Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy and Pokemon. However, instead of living vicariously via an imaginary hero on a screen, YOU would be the hero.
The crux of most RPGs and the sentiment that drives their stories can be typically boiled down to CONQUEST. You’re often meant to conquer kingdoms and land; conquer evil monsters and enemies — and it often involves violence. The app is meant to encourage people to help and be good to one another so it was important to reconcile this sentiment of conquest. Hence ProQuest, which relies on the charity and kindness of others' to eradicate the evil plaguing the world.
