Game Design #1
Game Idea:
'Smitherbord the Game' connects two juxtaposing ideas. Smithereens and Smorgasbord. Smorgasbord has to do with mixture and assemblage of different parts while smithereens means bits or fragments, broken or scattered. The game evokes memories of heroic tales and epic heroes brought together through the vagaries and fractals of time and space only to be catapulted into the inevitability of the present and the possibility of the future.
For this project, I got two dictionary pages from the "S" section. I typed the entirety of the word list and then color coded them by the letters, namely, sl, sm, sn. The two that stood out for me after analysing the rest of the words on the pages, were SMORGASBORD and SMITHEREENS.
l used the concept of smithereens when designing the game board. I printed several miniature illustrations in black and white, tore them up randomly ( the idea of smithereens) and brought them back together as a collage.
This way I retained the patterns, illustrations and characters but in a new way which adds intrigue and mystery to the idea of ‘smitherbord' which is sort of the theme of the whole game.
I made the cards bilingual and translated some of the dictionary content to persian to create a sense of mystery and awe. The characters are also in gold silhouette, retaining the mysterious aura, with the collage like patterns using traditional motifs, merging the old with the new. I used gold accents to make the game look fit to be played by kings and queens!
I arrived at Backgammon, and began researching its gameplay and history. I discovered that Backgammon has its origins in an ancient Persian game called Nard se on Noshin. I discovered, that both the ancient and modern version of the board of backgammon have 12 long triangles on each side of the board called points. The Nard version of Backgammon embedded more spiritual meanings within the gameplay.
The box was designed using collage to represent the coexistence of the concept of smithereens and smorgasbord, with the center holding space for the name. I used a manuscript illustration to depict the old charging forward (representing destruction, war, and smithereens), and at the other end I added the silhouettes of the characters to depict the emergence of a new world (where different elements come together.
Game Prototype
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Game Prototype 〰️
Game Design #2
Birds of Paradise: Scavenger Hunt Game
This game design is based on my thesis project. In this game designed for 6-8 year olds, children search for the 7 objects representing 7 different valleys from the story. Once they have collected the items, they return them to the story box where story cards are slid through as the narrative is expanded and unfolds! Learn more about Birds of Paradise’s story here
Objects designed for the game
Story cards that serve as final entertainment for children after they have hunted down all the objects within the story of the game.
Game Design #3
Oops and Ladders is a game that pokes fun at South Asian matchmaking Aunties! This game design is loosely based on the board game snakes and ladders. The snake analogy captures the themes of the ever curious and persistent matchmaking aunty whose all set to match eligible bachelorettes in an often unwanted proposal and the ladders symbolise the many opportunities women have today and want to experience, but are often not given the freedom to do so sometimes due to this societal pressure.
I designed four strong female characters, to represent today’s modern south asian women. From globe trotters, to career women, from academics to artists, these four characters represent them all and more!
The Gossiping aunties!!
The game board’s aesthetic was inspired by the vibrant truck art of Pakistan and South Asia. I decided to make the board design bilingual to appeal to a wider audience. I also took inspiration from the witty verses often found on these trucks and translated the sarcasm through the game stops in Urdu language. I made use of my illustrations and emojis to add another layer of playfulness.
The entire set of funny and witty verses used on the Urdu game board