Devlog 8: Cards of ages past

Hello everyone! This past week has been all about creating, play-testing and  finalizing our card games.

But first, readings!

This week we read Jesse Schell’s 10 tips for better prototyping. We utilized for our game, Magellans Mission, tip #3: “Don’t get too attached.” Our project had to go through multiple re-works in order to finally end up on a game we believed would work in the parameters. Not being too attached to any one idea allowed to go through this process smoothly and easily. We also used Tip #2, and “forgot quality”, our first prototype of our game was just pen on sticky notes for cards and that was it. If we had spent too much time making the prototype pretty, we wouldn’t have had enough time for the final product.

The 2nd reading we had was Ch. 4 Sociality of Unboxed. The chapter focuses on the social aspect of gaming, and how board games are an amazing medium to get to know those around you. In practice, during play tests I was able to get to know so many more people in class. At first just through playing the game and it’s already present social elements, cooperating or competing in the game, but later on just enjoying the company of those around me. 

Onwards to classwork.

If I am being completely honest, I did not pull my weight as much as I could have last week. I had to take a mental health day and did not help over the weekend. I apologized to my team-mates and asked what I could do to help. Together we constructed all the cards and finalized the game. It was amazing getting to know Savanna, Logan and Craig and I hope to work with them again in the future. In class we also play tested other games. I was so impressed by the artwork and overall game quality from the class as a whole, my favorite being Billion-air. The experience of creating, play-testing and improving our games is one I won’t soon forget.

tune in next week as we learn what a “Battle Battle” game is.