DESIGN GOAL
TEACHING YOUNG ADULTS LASTING CONSEQUENCES THROUGH EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCES
I led a team in creating a fully functional board game called Tidy. I developed the narrative, and together we crafted an impactful gameplay that conveys consequences and encourages players to empathise with differing perspectives. Inspired by decision-based storytelling from RPG video games, we drew upon real life relationship dynamics to deliver a unique, emotionally engaging and thought-provoking experience.
We told the story of a mother and child's relationship through their conflict over an untidy bedroom, as the child prepares to leave for university.
GAME MECHANICS
BRANCHING NARRATIVE
We first developed the game mechanics to create a decision-branching narrative for our board game. This approach gives players agency over their characters' fates, making the consequences of their decisions more impactful and encouraging reflection on the perspectives shaping those choices.
We used a "closeness scale" to quantify the characters' relationships at key moments. The score players achieve on this scale determines the next card drawn, influencing the narrative's direction. Inspired by campaign video games, we combined scripted events—like "cut scenes"—with unscripted roleplaying to develop the story and relationships dynamically.
CONTEXT CARDS
Each character has their own context card. Players read their card in private at the start of the game, using it to influence how they choose to interact
It is only at the end of the game, before the epilogue, do players reveal their context cards to each other, learning of the other's perspective and gaining a deeper insight into why someone might act the way they do.
Mum
Sam
ROLEPLAYING
Each chapter starts with a setting card to establish the scene. Players then draw prompt cards based on their closeness scale score, guiding a brief roleplaying discussion as their characters. These prompts reflect the characters' current relationship and perspectives.
At the end of each scene, players adjust the closeness scale within a limited range, based on how they've portrayed their characters' evolving relationship. This adjustment influences both their closeness and the narrative progression, driven by the players' interpretation of their characters.
STORY PROTOTYPING
FINAL GAME STRUCTURE
