Game studies - Group project (Group 4)

Khansa Raudlatus Syahiidah / 0374511

Advanced Typography / Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media

Module: Game Studies

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Table of Contents:

1. Lecture

2. Introduction

3. Table top: Catch me if you can

4. Feedback

5. Reflection

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1. Lecture

Game studies is on of our specialization module for those taking UI/UX

In this module, our main project is a group work where we must create table top game. We were to gather ideas / inspirations of existing games to be able to come up with a new / unique table top invention. This module focuses on how we can make our game 

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2. Introduction

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3. Table top game

Week 1:

During the first week of game studies, we were briefly explained about our module as well as what we will be doing throughout this class. We were also told to group in 5 people for our group project. We also started of the week by playing a little bit of board games.

Week 2:

During this week, we started discussing our initial game design ideation. We all shared our ideas and thoughts. We ended up with a couple game ideas we thought would be interesting. Our inspiration vary from Among Us, Deceit, and other games that came to mind. Initially, we had maze as our first idea, however, after further discussions made, we finalized our raw idea with "cops & prisoners".

Week 3:

We had no physical class for this week, instead, we were assigned to visit any board game places where we can further ideate our group table top game. We chose Meeples in Ss15 as our spot and spend the couple hours there playing their board game.

 

While switching a couple times on which board fame to play, we came across a table top game which interest us. As we have discussed a little on what we want our game to be like, "Ricochet Rocket" which was the name of the board game, had a very interesting board layout. Through that inspiration, we tried to refined a little and use it as our board layout of our own game.

Week 4:

After we have gotten a better ideation of what we want our game to look like and play as, we further discuss on the mechanics, players, rules, and other aspects. Through the ideas of all members, we manage to come up with interesting game play of our table top idea. However, as it was still the beginning process of our game, mechanics and rules were too confusing and not very clear. Therefore, we still had to continuously discuss about the game play back and forth in order to achieve a more refined and clear version.

However, during this week's class, we had to show our draft table top. As it was still very raw, our table top game was done through Ipad (as our gameboard), phone (to play as the dice and color shuffle), lippies (for prisoners), and Mofusand (as the police).

Week 5:

We had it online for this week's class, we were given the time to continue working on our game, as well as finalizing it. Personally, I do think that my group and I moved fast and consistent with the process of our table top game. As we had to finalize our proposed table top game, we decided on meeting up physically to personally do a playtest on the game. We finalized our board, players, cards, resulting in a draft look of our game. As we did a playtest, we played a couple rounds, both cop and peisoners. We had so much fun playing the game, not only was it very entertaining but also allows us to understand better how our game actually feels when being played.

Week 6:

Week 6 was where we had our group presentation for our proposed idea. Majority of what needs to be presented was done during our week 5. We were all given our own parts on which slides to present. On the other hand, we also did an unofficial playtest with one of the group in our class.

Feedbacks from them:

• The game can get a bit boring without the hazard cards.
• Maybe implement adding specific tiles where players can get a hazard card if they landed on them.
• The hazard card instructions were not clear enough, some hazard card power can be confusing.

• But overall, the game was fun.

Week 7: 

Week 7 was when we started with our official playtesting. 

Own playtest:

Feedback summary: Click me

Video Documentary: Click me

Overall, we didn’t spot anything odd, most likely because we already had many own playtesting before this official one.

New player's playtest: (Madeline's group)

Key feedbacks:

• The prisoners’ starting point(safe zone) is only applicable for players with the same colour, making them applicable for all players would be better?
• Some hazard cards are only applicable for late rounds, wasteful if the players are eliminated early.

Feedback summary: Click me

Video Documentary: Click me 

Week 8:

During this week, one of the group member was not here, but was replaced with a friend of our own. Surprisingly, she won the game being a cop despite its her first time playing.

Feedback summary: Click me

Video Documentary: Click me

New Players Playtest: (Mei Yee’s Group)

Key feedback:

• Some instructions need to be more clear, especially for new players.

Feedback summary: Click me

Video Documentary: Click me

Week 9:

This week we had a minor group discussion, to see what should we do for this week. We decided to complete and finalize the overall visual design for the board, components and the gaming mechanism on Week 10.

Week 10:

Prototype design check & preparation for Beta playtest

What we did ?

• Refine the board design.
• Refine the hazard card design and instructions.
• Refine the dice and player miniature designs.
• Adding instruction booklet (in progress)

Week 11:

Finalizing the instruction booklet

Instruction booklet: Click me

Week 12: 

Final Playtest

New players playtest: (Chang wing's Group)

• Safety zones allowing only one prisoner felt confusing
• Hazard cards took a while to obtain in certain situations
• Prisoners could still be eliminated quickly in some rounds

Week 13 & 14:

During the last 2 weeks of this module, we had to compile our playtest analysis, as well as tge given time to prepare before our final onling group presentation.

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4. Feedback

We received many feedbacks after going throung the first and second playtest. As we let other groups play our table top game, we manage to understand their thought, opinions, and further improvements that could be made in our game. From the first to second game playtest, we manage to refine and make better our game mechanics and rules through feedbacks received. For example, the mention of players turn, more use of hazard cards, and many other allowed us to come up with a great finalization of our table top game.

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5. Reflection

Experience:

Through the process on working together as groupmates, I manage to learn the importance of ones participation. This module felt like something new to me as most classes we've had never really required us to invent something physically, a table top game on that hand. 

Observation:

On the overall process of accomplishing this task, I come to understand and realize the importance of being consistent towards your research and constant testing in order to have a satisfied end result.

Finding:

Through this module, I come to understand how game works not only through the thoughts on whether it is fun or not. As we are grouped to come up with our own table top game, we also learn to look through deeper on the aspects and reasons as to why and how can the game be exciting and both clear and not easily boring for players to play.