Project Statement
Durability is a key objective in this design. These chess pieces are meant to be used, and enjoyed as a chess set; they are not solely for presentation. I produced my pieces with chipboard and cardstock to ensure they will resist the wear and tear of play. Although I prioritized the presentation of my pieces in order to relay the narrative behind them, stability and usability played just as large a role. For my design to be successful for gameplay, the pieces have to remain intact during use, so snug-fitting split joints are a way for me to execute sturdy construction. Our use of the principle of scale demonstrated the differences between economic and social classes, but we also use harmony employed by the pawns to make the piece more cohesive, despite the vast differences between the sides. The narrative my partner and I created focuses on class relations, and a stark contrast between the upper and lower class. In addition to creating our own narrative, we introduced in the element of time into the gameplay. By shifting the goal from checkmate to taking as many of the opponent pieces possible as in a limited amount of time, gameplay can be made more efficient and help focus on what each piece is designed to do, instead of strategies employed after understanding the pieces. This makes the game more accessible to players of all levels of experience, so the game of chess stays alive, and not barred from those without the opportunity to learn from a young age.
Process
View detailed project process at Checkmate: Process
Reflection
The concept behind this project was new to me, and somewhat outside of my comfort zone, as I have never experimented with game design in this way. However, I feel I approached and surpassed my goals, including a tangible material construction and dynamic narrative. Accounting for gameplay in addition to aesthetic, durability, and practicality changed the angle from which I approached this design. While pasting the cardstock onto the chipboard presented challenges in the crafting process, I am glad I chose to do so, as it minimized the burning on the surface from the laser cutter. Awareness of how the laser cutter affects different materials is essential, so my materials in the future are not affected in unintended ways. Not only did I focus on our narrative, I focused on the pieces themselves and how the player can recognize them in relation to their movements while playing a game. My pieces are stable and durable. This project was very different, but it opened my mind to approaches outside my comfort zone, which expands my capabilities and willingness to experiment with uncomfortable ideas. In the future I would enjoy experimenting with other materials, to incorporate different textures and looks that could convey my narrative of class relations in a different way.