IAT 210 Board Game
A turn-based board game project exploring player decision-making, feedback, and balance through applied game design theory.
Overview
This project was developed as part of IAT 210 (Game Studies) and focuses on the design and analysis of a turn-based board game. The goal was to translate theoretical concepts from game studies into a playable system, examining how rules, mechanics, and feedback structures shape player behavior and experience.
The project emphasizes iterative design, playtesting, and critical reflection grounded in formal game design theory.
Key Features
- •Turn-based board game with clearly defined rules, objectives, and win conditions
- •Strategic decision-making driven by risk, reward, and information availability
- •Systems designed to encourage meaningful player choices rather than dominant strategies
- •Iterative balancing informed by structured playtesting and observation
- •Documentation and reflection linking theory to design outcomes
Tech Stack
Graphics
Three.js, WebGL, GLSL
Frontend
React, TypeScript, Canvas API
Build Tools
Vite, Webpack
Libraries
Perlin Noise, Math.js
Performance
RequestAnimationFrame
Testing
Jest, Vitest
Technical Deep Dive
Preventing dominant strategies that reduce meaningful decision-making
Adjusted resource constraints, turn structure, and risk-reward tradeoffs to encourage diverse strategies and emergent play.
Aligning abstract theory with concrete gameplay mechanics
Used formal frameworks (MDA, feedback analysis) to evaluate each rule change and its effect on player experience.
Balancing accessibility for new players with strategic depth
Simplified core rules while preserving layered decision-making through secondary mechanics and player interaction.
Learning Outcomes
- ✓Applied core game design theories such as mechanics-dynamics-aesthetics (MDA) to analyze how rules and systems shape player experience and emotional response.
- ✓Developed an understanding of player decision-making and feedback loops, examining how information, risk, and reward influence strategic choices over multiple turns.
- ✓Analyzed balance, dominant strategies, and emergent gameplay, iterating on rules to prevent degenerate strategies and encourage meaningful player agency.
- ✓Explored the role of conflict, uncertainty, and goals in sustaining engagement, drawing connections between theoretical models and observed playtest behavior.
- ✓Strengthened critical reflection skills by evaluating the game through formal analysis and playtesting data, linking theoretical concepts to concrete design revisions.