Did I Just Say That Out Loud? Appropriate or Not?
You’re at your best friend’s grandma’s funeral and say, “This would be a cool setting for a horror movie.”
Not appropriate – While it’s a creative thought, people at a funeral are grieving, and humor about death might upset them.
You’re talking to a friend, and they suddenly start looking at their phone, nodding, and saying “Mhm” without making eye contact. What’s happening?
They might be bored, distracted, or ready to end the conversation. You could check in by saying, “Am I talking too much?” or “Do you need to go?”
Caine constantly throws unexpected chaos at the characters in The Amazing Digital Circus. If your brain was acting like Caine, what’s a good way to handle all the random intrusive thoughts it throws at you?
Just like the characters try to adapt to Caine’s nonsense, you don’t have to take every thought seriously. You can acknowledge it (“Oh, that’s weird”) and let it pass instead of getting stuck on it.
I have cities, but no buildings. I have forests, but no trees. I have rivers, but no water. What am I?
A map!
You find a thread with disturbing stories about non-consensual stuff. What should you do?
Close it. Talk to Mom and Brooke. These posts can mess with your brain even if you don’t realize it.
During class, you randomly announce, “I can’t wait to be a professional stripper when I grow up."
Not appropriate – Teachers and classmates might take this seriously, and it could cause unnecessary concern.
You walk up to a group of classmates talking and they go silent when you arrive. What do you do?
They might’ve been discussing something private. You could say, “Hey, did I interrupt something?” or ask if they need some space at that time.
In Murder Drones, Uzi is often sarcastic and defensive. How can sarcasm be a useful coping skill, and when can it backfire in conversations?
Sarcasm can be a great way to cope with stress or make things funny, but if people don’t get the joke or if it’s used too much, it might push others away. Reading the room helps!
Would you rather live in a haunted house with a friendly ghost or a normal house with a neighbor who always stares into your windows?
Both sound scary.
Someone online asks for your address because they want to send you a “surprise.” Do you give it to them?
NOPE. Even if they seem nice, strangers shouldn’t have your location.
At lunch, your friend says they don’t like a certain YouTuber, and you respond, “I hope their house burns down.”
Not appropriate – Even if you don’t mean it, saying violent things can make people uncomfortable or think you’re serious.
You’re telling a joke, but no one is laughing. How do you handle it?
Try to read the room! If they seem confused, you can say, “Okay, bad joke!” and move on instead of pushing for a reaction.
The characters in The Amazing Digital Circus are trapped in a weird reality they don’t fully understand. If you were stuck in a situation you couldn’t control, what are three things you could do to stay sane?
1) Focus on what you can control, 2) Find humor in the situation, and 3) Connect with others who might be feeling the same way.
You’re stuck in a haunted house with three doors. Behind one is a bloodthirsty vampire, behind the second is a room filled with deadly gas, and behind the third is a room on fire. Which door do you choose, and why?
The vampire—because as long as you don’t invite them in, they can’t attack you! The trick is knowing the rules of the situation before making a move—just like in real life, where thinking things through can keep you out of trouble.
A friend vents online about wanting to disappear forever. How do you handle it?
Check-in and encourage them to talk to someone. Tell an adult such as Mom or Brooke about what you read online.
You’re meeting your friend’s parents for the first time and say, “So, how much do you make a year?”
Not appropriate – Money is a personal topic, and some adults don’t like discussing finances with kids.
You want to start a conversation but don’t know what to say. What’s a solid go-to opener?
Ask something about them! “What’s the weirdest thing you’ve seen today?” or “What did you do this weekend?” can be a better conversation starter than “Hi.”
In Murder Drones, some characters suppress their emotions, while others let them explode in dramatic ways. What’s a healthier middle ground between bottling up feelings and having a meltdown?
A good balance is expressing feelings in small doses before they build up, kind of like letting steam out of a pressure cooker instead of waiting for it to explode.
You have to commit one crime and get away with it. What’s your best strategy?
I assume your answer will be... tax evasion (Disclaimer: This is a entertainment purposes, we don’t commit crimes.)
What are some red flags in an online friendship?
If they push for personal info fast or guilt-trip you into talking 24/7.
In a group chat with friends, you text, “What would you guys do if I just disappeared tomorrow?”
Needs more context – If you mean “run away to an island,” it’s fine. If it sounds dark, it might worry them, so phrasing matters.
A friend seems annoyed and keeps giving one-word answers. What do you do?
Try asking “Are you okay, or do you just not feel like talking?” If they say “I’m fine,” you can say “Okay I'm here if you want to talk.”
If you were designing a new character for The Amazing Digital Circus who struggles with social anxiety, what quirks or coping strategies would they have?
Maybe they glitch when nervous, have a hard time making eye contact, or overthink everything—but they find little hacks, like practicing conversations in their head or using humor to ease tension.
A man is found murdered on a Sunday morning. His wife says she was sleeping, the chef says he was cooking breakfast, the gardener says he was planting seeds, and the butler says he was getting the mail. Who’s lying?
The butler—there’s no mail on Sundays!
What’s a digital “ick” that should make you block someone immediately?
If they keep making creepy comments after you say stop, or if they ask for pictures.