Story
My best friend Miya’s birthday was coming up soon and I had been scratching my head about what to get her as a present. She was away with her family on vacation, so my plan was to send her something by snail mail. I knew that when her family all got together they enjoyed playing board games until super late at night. Although they were all gamers, they sometimes had trouble understanding the world of Gamestar and what Miya’s job as a game mechanic involved. Right then, the puzzle was solved in my head. I thought to myself, “Why don’t I combine Miya’s two favorite things and make her and her family a board game using Gamestar Mechanic?” The game elements I had to think about were the same—goal, core mechanic, challenge, surprise, and narrative. I decided to design the board and the pieces in Gamestar, print them and maybe buy a dice or spinner to make it playable as a board game. That way she could play a new game with her family and also it could help them understand more about her activity as a mechanic. I got started immediately. I launched Gamestar Mechanic and brought out some blank sheets of paper to sketch out my ideas as I was designing the game. I decided to make her a game that was about resolving conflicts, like an argument or disagreement. The goal of the game was to help the four schools, which were in constant disagreement, resolve their differences and learn to coexist peacefully. I designed a huge fancy board using the vertical and horizontal scrolling level parameters and many of the colored block sprites. Then, in order to turn my digital game into a board game I printed each section of the scrolling space separately and taped it together. I then printed the sprites from each district, cut the sections out and mounted them on cardboard so they could work as board game pieces. To customize the dice for the game, I printed six different block sprites and glued one each to the six sides of the dice. For each type of block sprite, I also designed corresponding cards in Gamestar. Finally, I used the game label to detail the rules of the game. The game turned out really well. Now I can’t wait for this game to reach my friend. |
Class Activity
Ask students to bring in examples of their favorite board games. If they don’t have the actual game, they can search the Internet for images of the game, which are widely available. Challenge the students to recreate the game board in Gamestar Mechanic and add game play to the space. Discuss the results and reinforce the idea that the same principles of game design apply to board games and digital games alike.
Next, have the students think of a person they want to create a board game for and have them begin by creating a digital game in Gamestar Mechanic as the base. Once they have a design they are happy with, they can begin printing out their game pieces and assembling their board game. Provide students with access to a printer, scissors and tape. Encourage the students to use the game label to detail the rules of the game and print it out as well. Give them a home assignment to playtest the game with the friend or family member they designed it for.
Variations
This could end as a Game Night. Each student can set up their game with the materials and rules printed out. Have students go around and play each other’s games and give feedback.
How did it go?
Ask students to describe how they approached the design of their digital game, knowing it was going to be turned into a board game.
Ask the students to reflect on a specific design choice they made in customizing the game for its
intended audience.
Ask the students to discuss the similarities and differences between the design of a digital game and that of a board game.
Ask students to bring in examples of their favorite board games. If they don’t have the actual game, they can search the Internet for images of the game, which are widely available. Challenge the students to recreate the game board in Gamestar Mechanic and add game play to the space. Discuss the results and reinforce the idea that the same principles of game design apply to board games and digital games alike.
Next, have the students think of a person they want to create a board game for and have them begin by creating a digital game in Gamestar Mechanic as the base. Once they have a design they are happy with, they can begin printing out their game pieces and assembling their board game. Provide students with access to a printer, scissors and tape. Encourage the students to use the game label to detail the rules of the game and print it out as well. Give them a home assignment to playtest the game with the friend or family member they designed it for.
Variations
This could end as a Game Night. Each student can set up their game with the materials and rules printed out. Have students go around and play each other’s games and give feedback.
How did it go?
Ask students to describe how they approached the design of their digital game, knowing it was going to be turned into a board game.
Ask the students to reflect on a specific design choice they made in customizing the game for its
intended audience.
Ask the students to discuss the similarities and differences between the design of a digital game and that of a board game.