Goals
Brainfood applies basic design thinking fundamentals and structures brainstorming in a fun and playful manner. With thorough research and user testing Brainfood breaks creative blocks and challenges players to think quickly not worrying about an idea being good or bad. This board game uses steps and principles of gamification in order to create a social game for friends, co-workers and family to enjoy. Brainfood's expansion packs extends to different target audiences and allows for players to come up with ideas that they best relate to.
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Gamification provides an effective form of learning and motivates users with fun and exciting experiences.
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How can we gamify a learning experience? After understanding and researching how gamification positively affects classroom and work settings, deciding on what Brainfood will teach became the next step. With a wide variety of subjects to choose from, I chose the initial design ideation period as a starting point to further breakdown and explore.
Table of Contents
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How might we jumpstart the design process through gamifying brainstorming experience
Preliminary Research
Some key notes taken out from my research and trying to figure out what I want to do with this information.
More findings on gamification principles and casual vs serious gaming.
Exploring the potential of using an app to teach basic design fundamentals.
Some key notes taken out from my research and trying to figure out what I want to do with this information.
Focusing on the idea that gamification is an effective form of learning, I explored various platforms before deciding that a board game would be the best means of gamification for users and players to have fun while efficiently implementing key aspects of the design process.
Brainstorms
During research development students were challenged to explore three major platforms to apply our research towards. The main three starting points were semiotics, infographics, and digital based platforms. Below is a series of brainstorms developing towards a semiotic approach.
Possible routes to explore using an infographic driven approach.
Early brainstorm of possible ways to gamify teaching design fundamentals
A brainstorm on the potential of exploring gamestorming more in depth and the benefits that come with it.
Possible routes to explore using an infographic driven approach.
Board Development
After each user testing, the boards to the game continue progress and develop displaying more possibilities to change gameplay for Brainfood's other editions. The final boards use two boards and locks all cards in place using magnets on each corner and centre attached to the boards. A single set of boards holds up to four cards and the entire board expands as a new set of boards is added to increase difficulty of the game.
Each board shown is made up of two boards that lock using magnets attached in each corner and the centre of the boards
This is the initial look of Brainfood. Using a random generator I explored how a user can create semiotic relationships between two cards. However in this prototype a motivator to jumpstart the process was missing. https://www.randomlists.com/things
A look at the back etching of the laser cutter document.
Each board shown is made up of two boards that lock using magnets attached in each corner and the centre of the boards
User Testing 1
For user testing I tried playing in big group settings to see how the game plays when players are split into teams and how it differs to when players play individually. After observing the gameplay of this user test, I found that the game was straightforward and needed more of a challenge. Brain Teaser Cards were added in the next versions moving forward.
The random generator prototype was projected on the screen to let both teams have an equal view of the 'board'
Brand Development
Brainfood's logo development starts early from an initial brainstorm sketch on the topic of gamifying learning experiences. The idea always involves a brain made up of two characters that represent both the left and right brain. It can also be seen as a crumb which enhances the play on of the name Brainfood.
In this approach I explored different parts of my research on 'gamifying learning experiences' by creating subcategories of icons and later merging them to create a potential logo.
From these two logos the mouths were added back in except this time to face each other with the intention to show discussion among one another. Simple dotted eyes were added back in to keep the brands energy light and upbeat.
Card Development
During the developing stages of the cards, ten random categories were brainstormed to keep the cards as random as possible but maintaining a sense of structure for me to follow. Under each category five cards were illustrated to total a deck up to 50 cards. However outsourcing the printing for the cards, the company required decks to hold 52 so an extra two were added.
52 Cards are needed in order to outsource a deck.
User Testing 2
During the second major user testing, I challenged players to draw what they see on the boards to see how the mind creates under pressure. Including a time limit and drawing under pressure jumpstarts the creative process knowing that you do not want to be the only one left without anything on paper. After this user testing, Brain Crumbs were implemented as a reward players can use on each other within the first three rounds.
In this user test, players were challenged to play individually and use the featured board to draw any cards that were displayed. Later players were challenged to write down their ideas and get them approved by a selected judge from within the group.
The gameplay was much smoother and exciting however a rewarding system for players to appreciate each other's ideas were needed. This user test later inspired the idea to include Brain Crumbs, little tokens that players can give each other to enhance another player's idea in points.
In this user test, players were challenged to play individually and use the featured board to draw any cards that were displayed. Later players were challenged to write down their ideas and get them approved by a selected judge from within the group.
Rules Development
The game began to play smoothly but it was time to solidify the rules by creating a rulebook. This rulebook contains in depth instructions on how to play and also has a quick video version for users who do not want to read the book in its entirety.
To view the official rulebook click here. https://drive.google.com/file/d/17JCPuuXoqH-rsJKTO0q_mL0Ga3rZYJK_/view
Initial draft on how to play.
Self-user testing to help create a basis for the rules and time limit for players.
To view the official rulebook click here. https://drive.google.com/file/d/17JCPuuXoqH-rsJKTO0q_mL0Ga3rZYJK_/view
Packaging Development
With all these items and features for the game the biggest challenge I encountered was how to package everything together. I drew inspiration from lunch boxes but also strived to maintain a board game look. The laser cut available to me also restricted my net designs to stay within a max width of 17". The end product switches from illustration boards to thin cardboard with vinyl stuck directly on top.
Starting with paper, I made nets to test out what type of box I wanted to make.
A shot of the insides of the box using illustrations to explain where each item goes inside the box.
Video Development
Understanding the day we live in, it is apparent that most people do not enjoy reading and rather jump into the game before learning how to play. This video serves to be a quick two minute video explaining all the rules you need to know and was inspired by other rule videos by Bears vs Babies. The current rule video for Brainfood can be found here.
Gradshow Testing
Upon completing the project, I let my game out for visitors, family, and friends to interact with my game to see what kind of results I would get. Some left encouraging messages, many drew, and some left their ideas seen on the display board. Overall it was enjoyable to see how creative participants were using the display board for direction.
