Board Game Development and Design

Due:
Exam Day

Project:
Create the design for a board game. Include the directions sheet, the board, playing pieces, cards (optional), and any other pieces necessary to play the game. Print and construct the game so that it can be played.

Objectives

• Select and use the best tools for the job
• Incorporate multiple elements into a sophisticated, unified design
• Visualize a digital artwork in three dimensions

Parameters

• Design all parts in their actual size
• All Photoshop work must be made in 300 ppi (pixels per inch) in actual printing size.

When complete:

• Save as “gameboard lastname.eps” in “graphicdesign” server folder
• Print to be scored, folded, and constructed

Steps

​1. Develop a theme/concept for an original game (Due June 6)

2. Write (Type) a sheet of directions that would be placed inside the game box (Email to or share with Mr. Ratkevich by June 6.). Include:

• Game Title
• Ages
• Contents
• Set Up
• Objective
• Playing the Games (Steps, Rules, Directions)

3. DESIGN the sheet of directions to be placed in the game box. You may use Photoshop, Illustrator and/or InDesign to create this document.

4. Develop the board and game pieces. Be sure to consider the principles of good design to maximize the visual appeal of your game.


GRADING CRITERIA

COMPLETION OF ALL PARTS (40 points)

• The directions sheet (designed for presentability) that includes:
  • Game Title
  • Ages
  • Contents
  • Set Up
  • Objective
  • Playing the Games (Steps, Rules, Directions)
• The board itself
• A sample of cards
• Playing pieces (if necessary to play the game)
• Other parts as necessary

FORMATTING (10 points)

• All parts have been designed in their actual dimensions
• All Photoshop work of original files is in 300 ppi in actual printing size.
• All parts have been saved in three formats and turned in:
  • EPS or PSD (original files in either Illustrator or Photoshop)
  • TIF (flattened, 300 ppi at actual size)
  • JPG (72 ppi, no more than 12 inches high)
• Place all parts in a new folder called: “game yourlastname”
• Place folder in the graphicdesign server

PRINTING AND CONSTRUCTION (5 points)
Printed (If it is overly large, parts can be scaled-down mock-ups), then scored, folded, and constructed for presentation/play

PRESENTATION (5 points)
Presentation of your game to an audience (us). During the last twenty minutes of exam day, we will view the finished works. You will succinctly (in a minute or two) describe gameplay to the class using your printed visuals.

CONCEPT AND CREATIVITY (10 points)

• Inventiveness/Originality/Novelty
• Clear and interesting theme
• Inclusion of all important information
• Clarity in conveying information about the game and how to play it; gets the player interested in or excited about the game through clarity of directions and visual engagement strategies
• Playability -- Does it make sense? Is it fun? Is it challenging enough for the age level

DESIGN / VISUAL IMPACT (10 points)

• Logo -
  • Name is designed in a visual graphic that has been designed, not just typed.
  • Logo is integrated into the design of the gameboard, and maybe the cards and other pieces as well.
• Board and pieces have a cohesive color scheme (Similar to the typographic squares you created a few months ago)
• Well-chosen, appropriate typefaces that are easy to read and add to the visual impact
  • Good leading/tracking/kerning (spacing between letters and lines)
  • Consistency of style and spacing
• Skillful application of these and other design concepts:
  • Contrast
  • Repetition/Pattern
  • Alignment
  • Unity through color, style, visual elements
• Overall visual impact
• Refinement -- Looks professional and  “ready for the market”

TECHNICAL SKILL (10 points)

• Skillful use of Illustrator and Photoshop (type tools, layer styles, rasterize, transform)
• Use of guidelines for alignment
• In Photoshop, use of Layer Styles
• Inclusion of gradients, textures, lighting effects, and interesting details
• Uses transparencies and color modes as necessary to enrich the overall impact

WORK HABITS / PERSONAL INVESTMENT / ARTISTIC BEHAVIORS (10 points​)

• Experimentation / Exploration -- Taking risks - willingness to try new things
• Engaging and Persisting -- Dedication of time to the project
• Seeking answers -- Asking questions as necessary, of yourself and of others

These are the tools we use to measure your success:

• Creativity Rubric
• General Art Rubric
• Studio Habits of Mind Rubric
• Writing Rubric

Ask yourself these questions for your final execution:

• Is the concept clear?
• It is visually unique and interesting? Does it have visual impact?
• Does it give the viewer a sense of what the game is about?
• Is the text clear and READABLE?
• Is the spacing between letters, words, and lines comfortable, or jammed, tight, too far apart, etc?
• Have you used VISUAL HIERARCHY to bring attention to the most important element first, the next most important element next, etc.?
• Is the spacing CONSISTENT?
• Have you ALIGNED the text?
• Is the typography EXPRESSIVE where appropriate?
• Have you visually EMPHASIZED the more important words and phrases?
• Have you designed the entire PICTURE PLANE?
• Is it a unified, cohesive DESIGN (Is it visually impressive when you see it from a distance?).
• Does it apply both VARIETY and UNITY? (For example, different fonts, sizes, etc, but all used more than once throughout the design)
• Does the color scheme (more than two or three colors) convey a sense of mood appropriate for the content of the movie?
• Have you experimented with styles and arrangements?
• Have you considered and tried out different elements and techniques for the background? (textures, design elements, gradients, etc.)
• Are you ABSOLUTELY sure this is the very best you can do with what you know about design?

Some things to address in your design:

• Alignment (left, right, centered, justified)
• Leading
• Kerning and Tracking
• Readability
• Expressiveness
• Unity / Cohesion
• Space between the text and the edge of the artboard/page.

Reminder: before turning in your project:

• Convert all type to outline.
• Save as EPS, TIF (flattened, 300 ppi at actual size), and JPG (72 ppi, 12" high).
• Print parts to scale