The Game 1 Prototype (G1P) project requires you to design and produce a prototype of a tabletop card/board game based on simple game concepts that already exist. The G1P project is challenging because it requires you to reimagine something familiar to bring a fresh design perspective to it, and then to create the physical components necessary to facilitate play.
The G1P develops through multiple iterative design cycles. I will monitor your progress through prototype and final submission stages, each of which requires you to submit one or more deliverables. The core content of your submissions at each stage is 3 documents.
For the full list of core and supporting documents/files and specifications, see Submission Requirements.
The Game 1 Prototype (G1P) project challenges you to draw on your knowledge and experience of information architecture, experience architecture, uxd, design thinking, game play and game design, and more. One of the most meaningful teaching advantages of building the course around concepts of game design is that doing so highlights the way that curated experiences have the potential to tap into human emotions. That in turn helps us consider what it means to engage in empathetic design when the emotional stakes are lower than in more-serious contexts, but are nonetheless very present.
The key to your success with this project lies in your ability to conceptualize and apply elements of information architecture and experience architecture during the design of your game. Keep in mind that IA represents the blending of meaningful content with meaningful structure. When we also consider how design shapes experiences, then we are practicing experience architecture--curating meaningful experiences for people through deliberate design. That added experiential element brings together strategies for information design with awareness of peoples' knowledge, problem-solving and thinking processes, patterns of emotional engagement, and more.
Deliverables: memo, game prototype
Document scope: 250 words (memo), see below (prototype)
Project value: 500 points (100 points for V1.0; 400 points for V2.0)
Evaluation rubric: _Eval_G1Prototype.pdf
Recommended tool(s): Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop or their open-source equivalents for design elements; Techsmith Camtasia (or equivalent) for video elements; scanner/scanning app; smart phone w. digital camera/digital video capabilities
The G1P requires you to construct a functioning prototype for a tabletop game (i.e., card game, board game). Your game must be built on the foundation of one or more simple, existing games, such as Tic Tac Toe, Rock Paper Scissors, or Blackjack. You may combine elements of multiple games, transform a game from one context to another (e.g., card to board), or add new elements to the game. Whatever alterations you make must reimagine the game, and must result in the construction of the physical components necessary to learn and play the game.
Although I do not specifically require you to work in teams to complete this project, I strongly recommend that you do so. Because this project links to 2 others (i.e., the other projects identified in the Game 1 set), there are many things to manage in a relatively brief timeframe.
The G1P project requires planning and execution through 3 phases.
The daily working reality of the design process means that these 3 design phases will repeat over and over again throughout each of the larger game design phases of the course. That is, while you work on designing and refining this G1 prototype, you'll complete many cycles where you design, then test, then reflect, and then refine your game. Teams will have a lot of in-class time to collaborate.
This is self explanatory, even if the process itself is somewhat complex. Again, think about this as a series of design cycles, each of which is likely to include all of the following moments: generate ideas - develop game components - play test - assess design & refine ideas - revise game components.
The game you reimagine should include the following design and content elements.
A note on the word prototype in this context. For the purpose of this project, interpret prototype to mean complete and playable, but perhaps not market ready. The follow-up project (i.e., the Game 2 Prototype) will be more refined. The primary purpose of this project is to create proof of concept for game design and information architecture.
Whatever medium or media (e.g., print, pdf, video) you choose for distribution of this design component, your game play documentation should include the following design and content elements.
The course calendar dedicates a full week of class time to conducting playability studies of your V1.0 prototype. Your goal is to test the game with 4 different groups, at least one of which includes participants who are not enrolled in this course (if possible).
The total number of participants should be determined by the number of players your game is designed to accommodate. That is, if you create a 2 player game, you'll need to draw in 8 play test participants. If you create a 4 player game, you'll draw in 16 test players.
Use the feedback you acquire through play testing in combination with your own evolving insights to refine the design of your prototype. Although your final submission need not be ready for market release, it should represent your best design strategies and the most refined versions of game components that you can manage during the dedicated project period.
Again, this should be a continuous process that evolves cyclically throughout the design period.
At each stage, there are 2 components of my review of your game prototypes: a design meeting with your team; and a video demonstration of game play.
These meetings will last approximately 10 minutes. They are not meant to be formal occasions.
Post your video to Screencast.com. You'll use the SHARE link in your submission memo.
A memo of transmittal introduces the accompanying document to its audience(s). Your memos should be addressed from you to me, and should introduce the accompanying project. Each memo should incorporate the following content elements.
This section offers guidance for how to interpret the project and how to proceed with your work on it. Consider the following strategies.
Think about how to build a useful, effective game that will engage players. Draw on the strategic knowledge you have acquired and honed this semester for thinking about how people experience design to develop a quality game play experience. Remember that this is a course about information architecture, and that your designs are meant to reflect your knowledge of how to curate information and experiences for others.
Learn from other game designs. Play similar games. Play different games. Draw inspiration from others' successes. Avoid others' failures. Challenge your thinking through consideration of other designs. Challenge others' thinking through the construction of your own game.
One of the greatest mistakes designers can make is to get trapped in their own vision for a project. As you talk about your project with peers and play testers, open yourself to advice, to questions, to input from others about how to craft, refine, and revise your game.
Remember that communication in professional and technical contexts values highly the ability to write and speak with economy, directness, and professionalism. Another way of saying this is to make every word count.
Details matter in effective information design. Be as specific and concrete as you can throughout as you write and design your content.
Focus on the little and big details. Proofread your project content carefully. Hold your work to a high standard so it reflects the best work you can achieve.
Continue to examine games and game components in multiple formats and media for delivery during the project. Learn from those designs, and apply what you can from them into your own work. Pay particular attention to the standards those designs establish and maintain for layout, for editorial quality, for playability. When you see examples of designs that could be improved, apply that awareness as you build and refine your prototype.
Once you have begun to construct your prototype, review all components for quality and consistency of writing and design, and continue to play your evolving game as often as you are able, especially after you make refinements to the design. Tweak as you work.
I also recommend that you compare designs, decisions, strategic thinking, playability study plans, and anything else relevant to your work on this project with others. Peers in the class understand what you are trying to accomplish, and can assist with refining your approach and execution. People outside of the class can offer fresh perspective on your design thinking that you might lose sight of because you are deeply immersed in professional examination of designs like these. Sharing your work and seeking feedback, even in small ways or regarding very specific details, is often a useful venture in a variety of ways. It is also a good professional habit to develop.
Read and attend carefully to these submission guidelines. Failure to do so may result in points lost on the final evaluation of your project.
Create a project folder inside your shared class folder on Dropbox.com. Remember, I can only view files that you place inside the shared folder. Until you place files in that space, you have not in practice submitted them.
Name the folder G1Prototype.
Make sure your teams' memo is available to me in the project folder by the V1.0 deadline. Model your filename on this example:
Note. Do not share the memo with me. By placing it in your project folder, you have already shared it by default.
Make sure your teams' final memo is available to me in the project folder by the V1.0 deadline. Model your filename on this example:
Note. Do not share the memo with me. By placing it in your project folder, you have already shared it by default.
There are 100 possible points for this project stage. You will earn points according to the following standard.
The final project submission is worth 400 possible points. You will earn points according to the standard described on the policies page (see Policies for a description of these categories).
The specific areas of emphasis for this project are drawn from the description and discussion of the project, and are detailed in the evaluation rubric (_Eval_G1Prototype.pdf).
Remember that I will only post the point values for projects on the Grades page in SVSU Canvas. I will post the details relevant to that evaluation in your class folder in a project-specific file.
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