Building my own game!

Research

We started out researching communities we resonated with, after which we finalised on one we could potentially build a game for. I decided to create a game for people who care about building empathy.

I chose people who care about empathy for a few reasons:

• Empathy is a very valuable skill to have - affects one’s personal life, social life and now, even one’s work process.

• Building empathy requires training and practice and isn’t something one can build overnight.

• It’s becoming more important in the workplace and is increasing in popularity to follow a more user-focused approach when building products.

The game!

Goal

All players try to team up and escape from the unforeseen event in the jungle. In order for players to team up, they must successfully solve a problem together.

All the game parts!

The game requires 4 or more players

The game begins with the players placing themselves at random squares on the game board

Next, any player picks up a crisis card which reveals the overarching problem and the escape spot.

All players draw 3 tools each to keep to use later.

Players roll the die one by one and try to land on the same square to team up.

Once two or more players land on the same square, they pick up a challenge card to solve together. If they come to a consensus on their solution within a minute using their tools, they successfully become a team.

How it works

1. The game begins with the players placing themselves on any random square on the game board.

2. Next, any player picks up a misfortune card which reveals the unforeseen event and where the players can escape from.

3. All players draw 3 tools each from the tools pile and keep to use later.

4. Each takes turns to roll the die and try to team up by landing on the same square.

5. Once two or more players land on the same square, they pick up a challenge card to solve together. If they come to a consensus on their solution within 60 seconds using their tools, they successfully become a team.

6. Once a team is made, players pick up a challenge card every time they move.

7. The game finishes when each player is on the same square and reaches the escape spot.

Play tests

I did play tests and iterated the game each time. The first version approached building empathy through reducing biases which later evolved into being about building empathy through collaborative problem solving.

Reflections

Surprises

• How hard it was for me. Damn.

• Writing succinct and short instructions is a whole other skill set. 

• Funnier than I imagined.

In hindsight...

• I would narrow down on a target audience within the community first.

• Try to stay away from the world of animals to create greater “empathy” impact.

• Think of ways outside of a game board.

Next steps

• Rethink the animal/jungle setting.

• Come up with a way to evaluate creative problem solving, since there’s no right or wrong OR, change the approach. 

• Decide on the age group and refine accordingly.

• Evolve on the challenge cards and tools.

• Add properties to the tools to make it a more stimulating experience  (for adults). Evolve more on game mechanics.

• Make it possibly funnier to play.