Gameplay from PacMan, (by Chuck Backus, 2021)
Final Product – Link to play the games
Project Statement
All this project gave me as a description was to use digital and analogous methods to create a gift for an upperclassman. From there I went in multiple directions, first I had to meet my mentor. At first glance, he was extremely nice but seemed like someone who was pretty reserved when first meeting someone. So, the more we talked, the more I got to know him. Once knowing about him he is someone that loves his family and friends, his memories of being in the OSU marching band, and classic arcade games. Eventually, I ended up learning how he values memories over physical objects. So, I experimented with new things as I learned more about him. First, I made a sketch of a picture he liked, then a 3D model of the marching band hat, then an OSU-themed board game. In the end, I eventually ended up creating a combination of classic arcade games, and random OSU trivia catered to him. It was a great way to incorporate memories from the past and things that still exist in his life today. This was better than all of my previous options because he could physically interact with this website rather than just looking at something. This ended up matching my chosen quote which in short described how objects may not hold monetary value in society, but they can hold a lot of value through the eyes of the right person which is what I encapsulated in my gift.
Process
View detailed project process at Gifting Design: Process
Reflection
Firstly, I think this project is a great way to pay homage to the people ahead of me and that have gone through the process I intend of going through. The intuitiveness involved with this project was amazing it was an open-ended free for all. Go scour the internet and see what you can find to use in the process of creating a gift. I learned how to use many new applications throughout this project including Notability, Shapr3D, and Classtools. The only obstacle really in this project was creating a bond with my mentor to open up and then after that I was able to home in on what kind of gift I could make. If I wasn’t able to know him it would be impossible to create a gift catered to him so I’m glad I was able to break his shell and get close enough for him to open up. Overall, throughout the entire fundamentals program, I learned and struggled way more in my transition of becoming a designer than I expected and some projects came out much better than others, but I’m still excited because I know this is just the beginning and I can’t wait for what lies ahead.