Guardian
Home Wars
Home Wars was my Master's Thesis project. It began with an entirely open brief which I decided to focus on designing for play.
Home Wars is a unique, real-time board game designed for students, by students. Despite its lighthearted dynamics, Home Wars is the result of in-depth sociological research undertaken in response to the mental health struggles of today’s youth.
The game’s active and collaborative mechanics tap into the shared values of this generation — fulfilling their emotional and social needs by evoking feelings of accomplishment, belonging, happiness and involvement, as well as promoting open and regular communication amongst players.
Read the full thesis here.
Individual
1 year
Board Game
2020
1.
Intro
Setting the scene
Known as the iGen, Generation Z or the Post-Millennials today’s kids, teenagers and young adults were born in or after 1995. Recent data suggests they are more depressed, anxious and unhappy than any other preceding generation.
At the same time, another trend has become apparent: board games. In what is termed by many as a board game renaissance, those young people struggling with mental health issues all around the world are getting increasingly drawn back to analogue and social playing environments, be it at newly popular Board Game Cafes or at home.
This begs a variety questions: how can these two vastly different trends be coexisting? What characteristics of board games are appealing to a generation of particularly unhappy, tech-focused individuals and why? Could board games hold the key to solving – or at least aiding – the issues today’s youth is facing? And if so, how?
2.
Literature Review
Games and the iGen
In the project's literature review several research works on this generation were studied and in turn compared against a series of academic resources on the study of board game design and its impact on human behaviour. Findings from both were juxtaposed, in hopes of yielding a better understanding of the trends presented in the Introduction.
This allowed the identification of a series of defining psychological and social traits/deficits affecting this age group. Furthermore, while comparing these with Game Design sources, a promising and almost direct response to each of these traits and deficits surfaced. Based on these findings alone, it seems possible that board games may indeed have the potential of not only interesting the iGen, but also engaging them and fulfilling them in ways real life does not, while equipping them with the tools to cope with the issues they are currently facing.
3.
Aim & Objectives
Setting a mission statement
Counting with this initial insight into the topic at hand, the aim and objectives for this thesis were synthesized as follows:
To design a board game for late Post-Millennials (aged 18-25) that brings social and psychological value to their lives.
Objectives:
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To understand the patterns of today’s youth and their behaviour.
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To understand the way games can be beneficial to young adults.
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To understand how games are designed, their different mechanics and how they affect the players.
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To get an insight of the board game market, regulations and trends.
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To develop a game following the game design methodology chosen.
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To create a game that meets the project's aim.
4.
Methodology
Game Design Model for Critical Play
Critical Play was defined by Mary Flanagan as play that occupies activities and scenarios that represent questions about aspects of human life. The methodology she proposes expands and elevates the usual iterative design process by making it more open: it incorporates a deeper level of reflection on play, human values and culture, as well as embraces the social discourse achieved as a result of such reflection.
As explained by the author herself: “instead of compliance to a pattern whereby the usual designers develop the usual ideas through the usual stages for the usual players, what is needed now is a model that will augment these practical but limited stages of the design process in a way that addresses intervention, disruption, and social issues and goals alongside of, or even as, design goals embedded into the mechanic and game elements”.
5.
Further
Academic Research
Game Design Theory and Case Studies
From previous chapters, a list of desired emotions and values for the purpose of aiding today’s youth was gathered. Through the targeted study of game design theory and psychology the issue of how these emotions can be produced within the realm of a game was explored.
Whereas board games can indeed help the issues the new generation is facing, there are other industries that also succeed in achieving similar goals. Two examples of these, Pokémon Go and Love Island were used as case studies.
This was done in an attempt to remain open to the possible innovative and revolutionizing ways the game could become better equipped at connecting with young adults today, through incorporating influences from other areas of knowledge and life.
6.
Personas
User and situational profiling
At this stage, the researcher was to study the target audience first hand, validating and delving into previous findings through primary research methods such as:
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Observation Exercises: during which members of the iGen were observed while playing board games in different settings.
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Survey: distributed online, to explore some of the aspects noted during the observation exercises and to obtain direct thoughts and personal opinions.
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Interviews: to further understand the role of other forms of play in young adults’ lives and to obtain a more comprehensive picture of the target audience’s lives and routines.
7.
Market Study& Trend Analysis
8. Product Spec
Defining the constraints
In order to gather all the findings reached so far a Product Specification was produced, which would then be used to guide the development and creation stages that followed.
It is worth noting this product specification was informed by extensive regulatory and statutory research of the board game industry.
9.
Ideation & Evaluation
Figuring out the game's theme
The main ideation stage to take place was that of the games’ theme. A series of prompts were extracted from the research undertaken to guide this process. These were then followed by a series of brainstorming exercises which, in turn, inspired the creation of 16 different concept ideas.
These were evaluated internally, through a Pugh Matrix, and externally, through an online survey which was distributed amongst members of the target audience and professional game designers.
10.
Playtesting & Refinement
11.
Visual Detailing
12.
Prototyping
13.
Game App Development in Xd
14.
Branding, Costing & Reflection
Home Wars as a business opportunity
Besides the game's physical components and the complimentary app, a futuristic, bold and consistent branding around the product was created following the Trend Analysis research undertaken previously.
A seven-year business projection for the game was also drafted, supported by a detailed costing prediction and a marketing strategy. Sustainability aspects of the game's production were also taken into account when planning.
Lastly, a thorough evaluation of the project was carried out, comparing hte final product against the initial aim and objectives.
Final product
Are you ready to make the most out of your shared accommodation? Grab your flatmates, get into teams and complete secret dares, challenges and missions that will spice up your routine and make your time at university that much better.
Home Wars: shared accommodation has never been more fun!