The inception
What started off as sort of a mental exercise evolved into some work I’m particularly proud of. Basically, the challenge was to create a concept for a loot box subscription-based service that involved board games. There have been a couple out there I could find but they mostly dealt with failed and overstocked crowdfunded projects.
Producing a board game can be very expensive. If you plan on providing subscribers with a new game every few months how do you keep the price at a point that doesn’t drive players away? How can you create an overarching theme that can support varying game mechanics, visual styles and unique experiences?
The concept & Title Designs
The solution I ended up with was the How to Survive Board Games series. A collection of games about surviving stereotypical or cliché scenarios, called “chapters”, each with unique narratives, visual styles and mechanics. Each chapter uses the same base set of components that would come with the initial box: dice, wooden cubes, meeple, etc.
Every couple of months new chapters could be released. These new chapters would utilize the base components from the initial box to create new scenarios and mechanics with additional printed materials, such as boards and cards. These chapters could be expanded further by adding in a new physical piece, such as a spinner, that can then be used in additional chapters released down the road.
From escaping a deserted island to navigating an episodic sci-fi show, the initial chapters vary in play time, mechanics and themes while increasing in complexity. I wanted each title to have its own unique feel that really captured what the chapter would entail, drawing on the stereotypical design aesthetics of a certain era and pop culture trope.
The Player Mats, Event & Tool Cards
To further explore this concept (and expand my portfolio) I decided to flesh out a few of the designs for Deserted Island which was heavily inspired by ‘60s Tiki culture and Gilligan’s Island. Since this was the introductory chapter, and therefore having the least complex ruleset, I wanted the design style to be simple as well. I kept the text as limited as possible, conveying information primarily through symbols and illustration.
The Play Space
Like the cards and mats I wanted the game board to convey information mainly through visual design rather than text. I also wanted to include the necessary trackers and reminders to keep things centralized on the board itself thereby lowering the need for additional printed materials.