Research:
My research regarding the game itself took place at the following links
https://cdn.danielbmarkham.com/reference/original-articles/nerd-roundup/2021-10-01/18%20Weird%20Chess%20Rules%20Everyone%20Forgets%20Exist%20(9_29_2021%203_23_50%20PM).html
https://www.britannica.com/topic/chess/History
https://www.masterclass.com/articles/chess-101-who-invented-chess-learn-about-the-history-of-chess-and-3-memorable-chess-games#where-did-chess-originate
https://www.chess.com/
Additionally, I did research on common dinosaurs and their relationships to one another at the following links.
https://www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth/5-amazing-extinct-creatures-that-arent-dinosaurs
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/ten-exquisite-creatures-once-roamed-earth-180976462/
25 Most Popular Types of Dinosaurs that Roamed the Earth (Chart)
I also researched multiple food chains revolving around their keystone species.
Sahara Desert Food Chain Articles:
https://biomania-saharadesert.weebly.com/food-chains–webs.html
https://sites.google.com/site/saharadesertanirudh/food-chain
https://prezi.com/ow5_fpvpe5kf/the-sahara-desert/
Northern Ocean Life Food Chain Articles:
https://fishcaring.com/what-do-stingrays-eat-foods/
https://www.bioexplorer.net/what-do-seals-eat.html/
https://lisbdnet.com/what-eats-a-shark-in-a-food-chain/
Northern American Food Chain Articles:
https://www.exploringnature.org/db/view/North-American-Prairie-Food-Web-Activity
Ideation:
Concept Statement:
Chess is a conflict based game playing off of the hierarchy of pieces. In recreating those pieces my partner and I shifted our focus to modern day conflicts. We took the basic concept of man vs. animal and narrowed in on the impact man’s carbon footprint has on American wildlife. This is accomplished by the representation of keystone animal species of one side and core carbon contributors in America on the opposing side. The animal pieces use shape and form to depict simplified silhouettes of key predators and prey within the American food chain. The pieces are made using chipboard in order to provide sturdy enough legs for the pieces to stand upon.
Production:
At the beginning of production, my partner and I had not yet decided on a common goal and were in the meantime working on the potential of our individual ideas.
After talking to Zach and Kenny, my partner and I decided to combine our individual concepts of architecture and Food chains in order to play off of the way man’s carbon footprint affects animals. In narrowing this down, instead of moving forward with sealife or the food chain in the Sahara, I reimagined my side of the board to reflect the North American food chain, while my partner focused on America’s carbon footprint and the unnatural hierarchy within it.
In organizing my pieces, I played off of the different levels of hierarchy within chess as they might align with the hierarchy within the food chain. The Grizzly bear is at the top of the food chain due to it’s predatory status and large scale, but regardless of these fact. The grizzly bear is not the most agressive predator and mainly eats fish and berries. The Grey wold follows the grizzly bear in predatory status while also being more agressive and eating a wide variety of animals. Next in the hierarchy is the coyote which while still a feared predator could be eaten by either the grizzly bear or the queen. The Bison and White tailed dear are on the same level as prized prey. Beneath them is the snowshoe hare which is plentiful and eaten by many animas. I used this hierachy to choose the pieces by taking into consideration the value of each and how that might translate to the quantity and importance of each species.
Next I began drafts for my animals in illustrator.
The primary changes made in my files after testing were taking away pieces and changing slot sizes to fit more tightly.
Reflection-
Working on this project shifted my idea of what it means to work as a team, and built on my ideation and research skills. Previously I was under the impression that team work limited my ability to pursue ideas I’m interested in, and that compromising required me to go with someone’s ideas over my own. Throughout this project I grew in confidence and the understanding that compromise is two sided and some of the best ideas come from combining two things to make something entirely new. I am also grateful for the opportunity I had to go in depth with my research and build a framework for my concept outside of my own ideas and instead reflecting facts and the natural world in an accurate format.