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3D rendered themed board - boosting ambient or distracting players?

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Sun, 01/02/2011 - 07:02
kornelijepetak
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Joined: 11/14/2010
board_small.jpg

I've been designing a game with a small board of 4x4 squares. This is some kind of an abstract game. For most abstract games (Chess, Checkers, etc.) you have a very simple, no-theme board. Just simple squares (or hexagons) but no theme whatsoever. Then the squares can actually be any color, as long as the two different colors differ.

In my game, there is no difference between squares, but I've been thinking about how much does the theme add to the ambient of an abstract game. The game itself is about two players that play different kind of moves with their pieces trying to occupy as many full lines (in a 4x4 board) while trying to push the other player off the board. The movement is really constricted since the board is really small (hence the name Confinement). Then I've rendered the 3D board to be used as a table. (See attached picture)

Most games today have some kind of artistic artwork (cartoonish or such). Very rarely you can see photographic artwork. Since my 3D rendered board looks more photographic than cartoonish, I was wondering whether this kind of graphics can be used to boost the ambient. Or would it simply distract the player?

The board represents an open box, simply the 4x4 squares surrounded by 4 high walls having a notion of a really confined space in which the game is taking place. The squares are of varied heights, even though this does not have any influence on the game. To the sides are the two scoring tracks, one for each players (intentionally not numbered). As you can see, the scoring tracks are not a 2D overlay on the board, but a part of the box in the 3D world. How does this affect the ambient of the game? What do you prefer?

I want some of your (personal) critical insight into the quality of this board, how does the 3D rendered board affect the idea of an abstract game, how it does (or does not) boost the ambient of the game, and would you rather have a cartoonish (simple lines forming squares) feel to this kind of the game. Also, since the board is rendered from a top-down perspective, how much distortion would a player feel to the board since he is not sitting directly above it but a bit to the side (sitting at the side of the table)? How much of this perspective distortion would you tolerate (since it can create a bit unnatural feel)?

Any opinions or comments?

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Sun, 01/02/2011 - 15:52
#1
truekid games
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Joined: 10/29/2008
I really like the boxed in

I really like the boxed in view, and think that's a great addition to the ambiance of the game's "theme". Serious probably works better than cartoony for the same reason. If I was going to criticize one thing, it would be that i think the first question people will ask when you're trying to explain is how the height differences affect gameplay. since they don't, I would be tempted to make the individual surfaces non-level, so that you can't consistently tell which space is higher overall. i think that would curtail that particular question.

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Mon, 01/03/2011 - 04:11
#2
R1773R
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Joined: 03/18/2010
Agreed

I like the art too and I don't even think it's confusing or anything. You should print both and see what some friends tell you.

Congrats on the game :)

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Mon, 01/03/2011 - 11:38
#3
InvisibleJon
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Joined: 07/27/2008
Pretty nice...

I feel similarly to Truekid – Overall it works well, but you're likely to get questions from players asking how square "height" affects play (even though it does not). I understand why you have different heights (to add visual interest to the board), but because the board is so simple, it's likely that new players will pick up on that (tiny) visual variance and assume that it's game-relevant information.

I'd stay away from applying cartoon-style redering to your model (unless it just happens to make it really "pop", visually).

Regarding perspective distortion, you're probably going to be pretty safe. For perspective to be a big issue, you have to be sitting pretty far from the game. Since it's a two-player game, players are likely to be pretty close to the board, and to each other. Odds are it won't be much of an issue.

Best of luck with your game!

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Mon, 01/03/2011 - 12:23
#4
KaiseanGames
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Joined: 01/02/2011
Disclaimer: Replying from a

Disclaimer: Replying from a 'designer' account. I've posted this as kornelijepetak, but have since changed the account to represent my designer name, not me as a person.

InvisibleJon wrote:
I feel similarly to Truekid – Overall it works well, but you're likely to get questions from players asking how square "height" affects play (even though it does not). I understand why you have different heights (to add visual interest to the board), but because the board is so simple, it's likely that new players will pick up on that (tiny) visual variance and assume that it's game-relevant information.

I guess that's ok. The rules clarify that the squares' height does not affect the play. When I play a new game, I often wonder about visual details that have nothing to do with the gameplay, but if the rules are clear and unambigous on the subject, I don't really mind. Also, I've tried to vary the heights only a little so this does not provoke this question too much. Maybe during production, I'll just level them all to the same height if it will not look too "boring".

InvisibleJon wrote:

I'd stay away from applying cartoon-style redering to your model (unless it just happens to make it really "pop", visually).

I've been rethinking this (maybe I'll do a blog post about it)... how the theme affects the game? If I create a board that has only simple thick line grid without any theming, the player may become frustrated that the board is too small. But if I add a theme to the game (Confinement) then the player knows he is purposefully limited to the confined space, making it easier for a player to accept the mechanics. Having an additional graphical representation of the confined space, I guess it makes the point even stronger.

InvisibleJon wrote:

Regarding perspective distortion, you're probably going to be pretty safe. For perspective to be a big issue, you have to be sitting pretty far from the game. Since it's a two-player game, players are likely to be pretty close to the board, and to each other. Odds are it won't be much of an issue.

I'll have it printed on a paper sheet, just to check it out... It will then replace my testing paper grid :)

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

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