In this project, I worked with one other person to create a non-digital interactive product: a board game designed to help people learn about the cooking community. The game involved recipe cards that players needed to complete by purchasing ingredients from the market. Once a player successfully completed a recipe, they could build a restaurant. Other players who entered their restaurant would pay them, simulating the process of running a cooking business. This game was designed to engage players in a fun, hands-on way while teaching them about the culinary world and the dynamics of cooking and running a restaurant.
process
When my teammate and I started this project, we quickly agreed on making a board game as our non-digital interactive product. We felt it would be an engaging and fun way to help people learn about the cooking community. From there, we focused on prototyping, experimenting with various game mechanics to find what worked best. We created several prototypes, testing different rules and structures until we found a version that was both enjoyable and educational.
Once we had a solid game concept, we shifted our focus to the look and feel of the game. We wanted the design to be vibrant and inviting, creating a positive and engaging atmosphere for players. We aimed for a style that would appeal to a wide audience, making the game feel fun and approachable.
After refining both the gameplay and design, we decided to take the project a step further and have the game professionally produced. This allowed us to ensure a high-quality final product that was not only functional but also visually appealing and durable for repeated use. The process of prototyping, refining, and professionally producing the game helped us create a finished product that we were truly proud of.
Part of our delivery requirements was a video explaining our product and the process we went through. I uploaded the video underneath for those interested (note: the video is in dutch).
After completing the development of our board game, we had the exciting opportunity to visit a board game shop that was interested in reviewing our game. We were thrilled to present our creation and get feedback from industry experts. The meeting was promising, and we were hopeful that the game would get positive attention.
However, after the meeting, we discovered something unexpected. We found out that there was a board game with mechanics very similar to ours that we had never heard of before. This was a bit of a setback, as the similarity in gameplay could make it difficult for our game to stand out in the market. Despite this, the experience of getting professional feedback and presenting our game to a potential reviewer was valuable. It also encouraged us to continue exploring new ideas and innovations for future projects.
reflection
This project was incredibly refreshing, largely because it allowed me to step away from the digital world and apply the design skills I had learned to something non-digital. I really enjoyed the freedom it gave us to create something that matched our vision and ideas. The project was also very visual design-focused, which made it an especially enjoyable experience for me. I loved the process of designing an experience and all the details that come with it. Overall, this was my favorite project to date, as it combined creativity, freedom, and hands-on design in a way that was both challenging and fulfilling.
Grade: 8.6