Explore the concepts of games: Sketchnote collection

1. Sketchnote this article

Learning Game Design: Game Mechanics

2. List ten games you played as a child

3. Sketchnote the classic boardgame Sorry

4. Sketch the boards

Here are the boards of the 10 boardgames I sketched, either from memory or online resource. I came up with 4 categories that can distinguish them:

1. Matrix: Chess, Checkers, Backgammon. This kind of boards consists of geometric areas that can be represented by a set of arrays. For example, grid (B, 5) on the chess board.

2. Narrative Journey: Monopoly, Game of Life, Candyland. This kind of boards features a step-by-step journey map that has some kind of narrative, where all players start from the start point head toward the finish line.

3. Abstract Journey: Sorry, Trivial. The difference between Narrative Journey and Abstract Journey is that the later one emphasized more on the game rules than the narrative content on the board. It contains fewer metaphors of the real world.

4. Open Map: Risk. Unlike a journey map, an open map has no start or end point and resembles the real-life concept of "map": a 2D plotting of objects and their proximity.

5. Describe the formal elements of the game Twister

• Players: Twister can involve > 2 players, kids or adults. The more players attend, the more crowded the playground gets.

• Objectives/Rules: Place matching hand or foot on the required color spots according to the random results of a spinner, without falling and avoid your elbow or knee from touching the mat. Players take turns to pose on the mat. Those who fall or whose elbow or knee touches the mat will leave the mat and the game continues among the rest of the players.

• Procedures:

1. Place the playing mat and spinner. Players will decide their turn.

2. The first player or a moderator will spin the spinner.

3. Call out the result of the spinner: a combination of body part + color.

4. The first player moves his/her hand/feet according to this combination.

5. The next player repeats this procedure.

6. Players will leave the mat if they fall or when their elbow or knee touches the mat.

• Boundaries: The playground is restrained into a grid of 4 x 6 = 24 color spots, while the size and gutter of spots are designed to create moderate distance, so the place where you can reach is limited. The type of body parts that can touch the mat is also limited to 4 (left/right hand/foot). Players will also face the boundaries created by their own body: those who are taller and softer take natural advantages in the game.

• Conflict: Since the number of spots and allowed body parts is limited, players will have to overcome three kinds of conflict:

1. Your designated spots are either difficult or unlikely to reach.

2. You have to get around the body of other players.

3. You have to maintain your pose, which requires physical strengths, flexibility, and perseverance.

• Outcome: The last person stays on the mat is the winner of Twister, who is usually offered a prize that's been announced at the beginning of the game. Whereas as a popular family game, ice-breaker, and party booster, another outcome of Twister can just be the players leaving the game with a closer bound (friendship? or something else...🤔)

6. Concept map of my favorite game Machinarium