Games Studies / Final Project: Tabletop game

4.5.2023 - 6.7.2023 (Week 5 - Week 14)

Takuto Hozumi / 0354047 / Bachelor Of Design (Hons) In Creative Media

Games Studies

Final Project: Tabletop game

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LECTURE

All lectures were completed in Exercises (Series of investigations).

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INSTRUCTION

Project Outline

Students are to develop the proposed game design based on the findings/data from Project 2 playtest cycles.

• WK 8: Students will conduct analysis of findings and develop rough prototype for further playtest.
• Wk 9: playtests and feedback
• Wk 10: playtests and feedback
• Wk 11: playtests and feedback
• Wk 12: Prototype final changes
• Wk 13: Presentation (Powerpoint/Google slides) and Tabletop gameplay data (recording)
• Wk 14: Submit Game Design Document with Prototype

Design production

To be honest, the design process encountered many obstacles as a group effort. Here is a history of the process from W8 to 14 for each of the design tasks.

Fig.1: Simplified Design Regulation

1. Character Design

Various character designs were considered, including the following However, we could not authorize them because the member in charge of character design had proposed AI-generated illustrations many times.

Fig.2: First Mood Board

We have been briefed that we are not allowed to use AI-generated illustrations directly, but only as a reference. The use of AI-generated illustrations is contrary to the purpose of this module as a university module, which is to provide students with learning opportunities. Accordingly, we will not reach the requirement with AI Illustrations, so I was against using it. Here the group split, but we had no choice but to proceed with our character design task.

Fig.3: New Character Design Reference

The leader suggested a new design style. This was determined based on our deadlines and in consideration of the styles that could be produced.

Fig.4: Sketch 1

Fig.5: Sketch 2

Fig.6: Sketch 3

First, we divided the work of creating the character drafts. Items in the illustrations are based on a Greek mythological god. (Like the hammer and javelin)

Fig.7: Character Digitization

I was in charge of all the digitization of the character designs excluding the boss's initial proposal.

Fig.8: Initial Design by another member

I unified the drawing style from the boss design that the other members had done to match the character design. The final set of seven character designs to be used in the game is shown below.

Fig.9: Final Character Design

Fig.10: Edited Boss Design

2. Map Design

The design of the map has been the subject of much discussion within the group.

Fig.11: Map Design Draft 1

Fig.10 is the first draft design that incorporates design elements into the first game rule draft. However, the space is still confusing. Design elements were taken from Greek mythology designs such as The direction of the design is to improve on this.

Fig.12: Design Reference of Greek Mythology 1

Fig.13: Design Reference of Greek Mythology 2

Fig.14: Design Reference of Greek Mythology 3

The boards used during the final playtest phase were as follows in Fig.14.

Fig.15: Map Design Draft 2

The problem was that the route was difficult to find. To remedy this, a clockwise arrow was added.

Fig.16: Map Design Draft 3

Then it occurred to me that the arrows on this map could also be used to indicate element compatibility. The characters were placed on the map as a trial, as well as a background representing the elements.

Fig.17: Final Map Design

In Fig.17, the direction line is easier to follow, and the design has grown to reflect feedback from the W12 playtest. Still very looks flat and digital feel. When printing, this can be effected in Photoshop to show the Greek mythology, the noise makes it look a little old-fashioned.

3. Other Component Design

We came up with a design for the bridge.

Fig.18: Bridge Design Draft

This is the design of the bridge as seen from the side. I was consulted on how the bridge should be.

Fig.19: Sketch & Final Bridge Design

I proposed this in one sketch. If it is difficult to compose the bridge directly above, the idea is to distort it slightly, as in perspective.

4. Card Design

Fig.20: Card Design Draft

Several people worked on the design of the cards as well. I made a few alterations from the draft I received to be consistent with the board design.

Fig.21: Card Design Draft 2

Fig.22: Character Card Draft 1

Fig.23: Character Card Draft 2

Fig.24: Character Card Draft 3

Fig.25: Character Card Draft 4

I created the front design of battle cards accordingly. The design, integrated with power cards and other cards designed by other members and laid out for printing, is shown below.

Fig.26: Power Cards Front Design

Fig.27: Power Cards Back Design

Fig.28: Power Cards & Character Cards Front Design

Fig.29: Power Cards & Character Cards Back Design

Fig.30: Battle Cards Front Design

Fig.31: Battle Cards Back Design

5. Package Design

Fig.32: Package Development View

I designed it with a development drawing, assuming that actually assemble the box. On the side of the box is a section explaining the components and the rules of the game, which serves as the rulebook.

Fig.33: Package Main

Fig.34: Package Side 1

Fig.35: Package Side 2

In addition, a Photoshop composite image was prepared for use in the presentation slides.

Fig.36: Package Design Final

Fig.37: Use in the Slide

6. Printing & Cutting

At first I tried printing on plastic sheets to make player units. I thought I bought a printable sheet, but it was fail.

Fig.37: Unreliable Product

Fig.38: Printing Failure

So I gave up on printing directly and printed on a sticker I had and stuck it to the sheet.

Fig.39: Player Unit Draft

Fig.40: Player Unit

Large format printing of cards and boards was in charge of an other member of the team, but a last minute incident occurred when the printing store stopped responding to the request.

I contacted a printing company I had worked with in the past and managed to get it the night before. With the help of our leader, I was able to complete the entire cutting process at midnight the day before the presentation.

Fig.41: All Components are Ready to Play

Final Presentation

Due to morning classes, I was unable to participate in the filming of the demonstration video. Therefore, I handed all the cut components to the leader the night before and met up with the group at noon on the day of the event.

Fig.42: Presentation Slides (6/7/2023)

Fig.43: Demo Video (6/7/2023)

Final Outcome

*The editable design data is submitted by the leader.

Fig.43: Final Board Design (6/7/2023)

Fig.44: Final Card Design 1 (6/7/2023)

Fig.45: Final Card Design 2 (6/7/2023)

Fig.46: Final Card Design 3 (6/7/2023)

Fig.46: Final Presentation Slides (6/7/2023)

Fig.47: Final Game Design Overview (6/7/2023)

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REFLECTIONS

Experiences

We learned the basics of game production through individual exercises to deepen our knowledge of games and group projects to reflect this knowledge in actual games. Not only aesthetic visual design, the rules of the game must control the player's behavior and provide a positive experience. Nowadays, tens of thousands of games are actually produced a year, and most of them never become popular. Even games made by professionals have difficulty being recognized. This was a great challenge for us.

Observation

Although a slight departure from the content of the module content, group assignments are always fraught with problems. Of course, we know that learning is not the goal of many students. Maybe some students just wants to graduate, thinking that an extension of high school, or comes for no purpose. I am fine with that, but as long as we are working as a group, we should move with consideration so as not to overburden the other students. I believe that not only design sense and thinking ability, but also such cooperative skills are important in actual work. And those who are unable to do so tend to be less capable as well. This may be difficult for students who have never actually worked in the field. But they will be sorely disappointed about themselves later.

Findings

What I have learned through this module is that even fictional experiences should have an element of reality. Most of the games analyzed in the individual projects incorporated elements of reality. For example, board games such as chess are warfare, and in the digital game Pokemon, the theme would be hunting and domestication. Fire is weak against water. This is also realistic. There are games that use myths as a backdrop or even create fictional myths based on real myths. This sprinkling of realistic elements would make the setting more compelling and create a more immersive game for the player. I can't say that our game has reached that point, but I think it has provided enough learning to understand the theory of a game. From the fundamental question of why people play games, the lecture on the history of actual game development was very interesting. Thank you for the module.