dreamteam4climate

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Week 14 - Final Prototype Development Progress

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With all components of our physical game prototype now finalised and printed, the team dedicated Week 14 to documenting the project and finalising all digital components such as the ClimACTic website and ‘How to Play’ video that will be displayed at the exhibition. As shown in Images 1-3, all components of our game arrived back from the printers on time (phew!) and we were extremely pleased with the final product when we put everything together! We are all very proud of the project and the fact that we were able to produce a realistic, fully-functioning prototype with such a high degree of fidelity. In saying this, we did have to return to our local printer and ask them to re-print our character card deck as it was incorrectly trimmed. Thankfully they acknowledged the problem and were happy to reprint this component for us free of charge, however this experience reinforced the importance of quality-checking the final product, as it is possible for professional companies to make mistakes.

The majority of our prototype development work this week concentrated on the ClimACTic website. While the majority of the site’s content had been written in advance, we refined the wording for each page to ensure it was child-friendly, well explained and apolitical - just like the board game itself. We also formatted the site to correspond with the font, colour scheme, art direction and brand image used across all other project assets and added additional content such as the ‘Did You Know’ facts at the bottom of each page and gameplay FAQs. The site’s design was also optimised for desktop, mobile and tablet, which will ensure it will be user-friendly for visitors at the exhibition. These changes, while minimal, worked collectively to ensure that our project’s digital component aligned with the professional, highly polished standard of the board game itself and coherently conveyed ClimACTic’s overall brand message.  

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Week 14 - Final Meeting with Teaching Team 

Completing the final prototype and improving digital assets

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Week 13 - Prototype Development Progress

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Week 13 began with great excitement for the Dream Team 4 Climate as our shipment of board game prototype components arrived from America (see Image 1)!! We were all thrilled with the result and the high standard to which they had been printed. The fact that they arrived on time and without defect enabled the team to collectively take a big sigh of relief and has bolstered our confidence ahead of the final exhibition.

As we are approaching the end of our prototype development process, key tasks this week involved finalising and sending any remaining game components to print locally and creating content for the exhibition. Significant progress was made on the following elements; 

Rule Booklet (Image 2): After test printing a high-fidelity prototype of our rule booklet and giving it to our tutors in class, we realised we needed to make some changes to our original page order. We had initially designed the booklet to be read in the order that users would open it, however player and tutor feedback identified that people would be more likely to open the brochure fully and read the contenton the inside, before turning it over and reading the information on the back. While this was a simple change to make, it will hopefully ensure that the booklet is much more user friendly for anyone trying to learn the rules of the game. 

Exhibition Collateral (Image 3 and 4): Given that the Nexus Showcase will be held over multiple days, during which team members will not be on hand to explain our project to visitors, signage and marketing collateral will be an essential component of our prototype display. We therefore created two A2 posters (the design of which matches the game box) for our display plinth along with a large 1.5m long laminated ‘ClimACTic’ logo for placement on one of the walls to act as signage. We also created three A4 posters that explain the game’s narrative, relevance to the provocation and interactive Impact Wall, which will be positioned in relevant locations within our ‘mock living room’. Finally, in order to succinctly communicate the ClimACTic narrative and core game mechanics to visitors who may not sit down to play the game during the exhibition, we created a simple video that will be displayed on a wide-screen television to explain key rules and concepts. 

Thermometer Indicator (Image 5): To create our thermometer indicator, we painted plain wooden triangles which we had sourced from Taylor’s Mum (a primary school resource librarian) to match the colour and design of our custom die. The indicators feature the same fire symbol as the die and thermometer in order to reinforce to players that these components are all associated with raising the temperature during the game. We also painted the wooden ‘people’ playing tokens which we had ordered from America to match the four playing colours featured in the game (pink, orange, blue and purple). 

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Week 12 - Prototype Development Progress

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Having sent half of our prototype off to be manufactured in America last week, our attention turned to finalising the components that would be printed locally and ensuring the game’s rule booklet successfully conveyed all required information for users. Our prototype develop progress this week subsequently included;

Thermometer (Image 1): Although we created a high-fidelity version of the thermometer last week and were satisfied with the design, we had to make alterations during the week after realising it would be too big to fit in the game box we’d ordered (whoops!). To fix this dilemma, we had to scale it down and reduce the amount of white space that surrounded it; all while ensuring that our ‘Thermometer Indicator’ (which we will be creating in the coming weeks) will still fit within each increment. 

Rule Booklet (Image 2): Having created a low-fidelity prototype of the rule booklet in Microsoft Word the previous week, our focus shifted to creating a high-fidelity version in Illustrator and adding the figures and images required to enhance the reader’s understanding. We quickly realised that adding the images meant that the content would no longer fit on a standard DL 3-panel brochure. After testing and discussing multiple alternatives as a group, we decided to create our own custom-sized 4-panel brochure as this solution proved to be the most cost effective and best-suited to the content we needed to include. Once the high-fidelity version of the booklet was complete, we distributed it to family and friends (some of whom had played the game before, but not all of them) for feedback. This proved invaluable as we were able to correct any spelling mistakes they identified and determine which ones required further explanation. 

Action Cards (Image 3): We dedicated a significant portion of our group meeting this week to reviewing each Action Card individually and correcting any grammatical errors or wording inconsistencies we identified. We also added additional information to some of the cards to help clarify what action players should take in the event that the situation does not directly apply (see Image 3 for an example). Once we had finished reviewing the cards as a group, we gave the deck to family and friends to ensure the content read well and could be readily understood by a variety of audiences. 

Custom Die (Image 4): To create our custom die, we sourced a standard white 10-sided die, covered the sides marked with a ‘0′ and a ‘9′ with white nail polish and adhered a printed fire symbol over the top. We then used paint to add colour to each symbol before covering them with a coat of clear varnish to ensure durability. 

Website (Image 5): Although we have been progressively planning and writing the content for our accompanying ‘ClimACTic’ website for several weeks, Joelle and Justin dedicated a significant portion of their time this week towards the site’s preliminary layout and visual design. Particular focus was given towards finalising the informational pages that link to the QR Codes on the game’s Action Cards and ensuring that the content adequately explains how each topic (i.e. composting) has either a positive or negative impact on climate change. 

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Week 13 - Meeting with Teaching Team 

Final assets are coming in and we’re putting all the pieces together

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Week 12 - Project Workshop 9

Printing has begun, Action Card and Rule Book refinements, exhibition space

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Week 11 - Prototype Development Progress

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We finalised the design of our Game Board, Box, Impact Tiles and Climate Credits this week and submitted them to be printed by online American board game company, BoardGamesMaker.com. Key progress made during the week included;

Game Board (Image 1): While no changes to the basic design was required, we had to make a few minor alterations based upon the user feedback we’d received during the week. This included removing the word ‘ACT’ from all of the yellow action squares (as players can also pick up Action Cards when they land on other squares), adding the words ‘Collect 2 CC’ to the Town Centre to remind players to collect bonus Climate Credits as they pass, adding a 24th Impact Tile space and creating icons for key landmarks on the board (i.e. the supermarket) to help players identify these spaces as required during the game.

Home Boards (Image 2): Again, user feedback indicated that very few changes were required which enabled the design to largely remain the same as the high-fidelity prototype (shown left). We did create a new icon to represent a ‘rainwater tank’ after the existing tap icon caused confusion and changed the square shape used in the Impact Tile collection key to circles, in order to match the shape of the actual Impact Tiles. 

Thermometer (Image 3): The design of the thermometer was updated to reflect the game’s colour palette and art direction as well as re-sized to suit the wooden ‘Thermometer Indicator’ we’d chosen during the week. The use of gradient to colour the inner spaces of the thermometer is designed to heighten player’s engagement in the game as the temperature rises and reinforce the urgency with which the climate crisis must be addressed.  

Playing Guide (Image 4): User feedback highlighted that these additional cards proved extremely useful when playing the game for the first time, as they remind players what action is required when landing on each coloured square. The final design was kept similar to the mid-fidelity prototype and was simply updated to align with the game’s branding. 

Character Card (Image 5): Aside from being updated to visually align with the remainder of the game’s components, coloured houses were added to each character card to help reinforce their character’s identity and assist them in locating their house on the game board (something users were having difficulty doing during our test games). 

Action Card (Image 6): These cards were altered to align with the rest of the game’s components and branding. The content of the Action Card deck itself was also updated in line with the user feedback we received, which called for greater variety in the types of cards it contained and more cards that players can use to strategically change the progression of the game (i.e. Steal Impact Tiles from other players or move other players to certain squares on the board).  

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Weeks 10 + Break - Prototype Development Progress

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Here at the Dream Team 4 Climate, we have spent the past two weeks advancing various game assets from mid fidelity prototypes to high fidelity prototypes in preparation for production. As we will need to submit the game board, box, Impact Tiles and Climate Credit tokens to printers in America by the beginning of Week 12, it was essential that these components were developed first.

Image 1 (Game Board): While the basic mechanics of the board’s squares and design of the pathway has virtually remained the same throughout the project, the high-fidelity prototype included all illustrations required to convey the game’s ‘town’ narrative. This enabled us to test print the high-fidelity prototype to scale and adjust sizing and colours as required.

Image 2 (Game Box): Inspiration for the box design was drawn from the pre-existing aesthetic (of the board and final logo design) and the type of information contained on the boxes of popular commercial board games. 

Image 3 (House Boards): When creating the high-fidelity prototype, changes were made to reflect the feedback gathered from players during user testing. This included colouring each house to reflect the player’s colour, personalising the houses to each character and specifying what combination of Impact Tiles each player must collect directly on the board itself to aid comprehension. The colour scheme was also updated to align with the game board and box.   

Image 4 (Logo): The final logo features a thermometer in place of the letter ‘L’ to visually connect the logo with the game’s core objective and a revised colour palette that aligns with the game board and box. 

Images 5 + 6 (Climate Credits and Impact Tiles): The shape of these components was changed from square to round in order to differentiate them from the squares on the board and align with the size and shape options provided by our selected printing company. The icons used to represent each Impact Tile were also revised according to the feedback we received from users, as some users felt that a couple were a little ambiguous.

All high fidelity components shown above were then used to conduct a final round of user testing (both over the mid-semester break and during class in Wk 11) prior to print production. 

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Week 11 - Project Workshop 8

Integrating playtest feedback, finalising prototypes, refining rules and balancing the game.

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Week 10 - Project Workshop 7

We talk about the exhibition and playtest the game. Also manufacturing.

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Week 9 - Project Workshop 6

thanks for your feedback we’ve got a game to make k bye

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Week 8 - Project Workshop 5

Feedback, Research + Further Refinement

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Week 8 - Feedback, Research + Further Refinement

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In order to prepare for our meeting with Provocateur, Dr Heidi Edmonds, we refined our chosen game concept ahead of the Week 8 workshop and created a more refined, low-mid fidelity prototype. Having further developed the game’s narrative during the week, this prototype features a new-and-improved game board, a more refined thermometer as the game’s temperature gauge and a complete set of initial action cards. We then utilised this prototype to further test and refine the game’s mechanics, making alterations to the rules and components as required throughout the week. 

As it currently stands, the premise of the game is as follows: Aimed at ages 8 and up, the game invites players to assume the role of a family living in a fictional, environmentally friendly town where the townsfolk are collectively striving to combat climate change and live a more eco-friendly lifestyle. The game’s objective is for each player to purchase ‘Impact Tiles’ (i.e. a solar panel, a recycling bin) that to convert their conventional family home into one that is more environmentally friendly, reducing their carbon footprint and helping to mitigate climate change before the Earth’s temperature rises to a catastrophic level. Players collect Climate Credits, the town’s form of currency, as they navigate their way around the board and partake in environmentally friendly activities, which they use to then purchase their Impact Tiles. They can also loose Climate Credits for behaviours that will harm the environment.

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Week 7 - Independent Work

Playing our Prototypes

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We had a busy week creating low-fidelity prototypes for each of the potential board games ideas we identified in Week 6 and test playing them all as a group. As shown in the images above, some of these ideas included: A board game where players navigate their way around the board collecting the components required to build an environmentally-friendly home (Images 1 & 2), a game where players have to build a path across to desert that allows their animal to seek refuge in a protected, healthy forest before the sea level rises (Image 3) and a card game where players race to buy ‘climate dreams’ and become more environmentally friendly than their opponents (Image 4). Although each game showed potential, we decided to adopt the first game as our project idea because we felt it was the easiest concept for players of all ages to grasp and the game that best aligned with the provocation provided by AP4CA.

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Week 7 - Independent Work

Playing our Prototypes

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Week 6 - Project Workshop 4

Prototyping for Our Future

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Research into Top Rated and Best Selling Board Games