“Exploring Board Game Design Using Digital Technologies” by Narahara

This talk presents results of a case study from a course called “History of Games” offered at the School of Art + Design at New Jersey Institute of Technology. After analyzing various traditional board games and their mechanics, students explore the possibility of producing their own original board games by altering various existing game structures through application of new technologies such as digital prototyping, including laser cutting and 3-D printing, and microcontroller technologies. In principle, we can fully emulate the playing of a board game such as Monopoly inside a computer, digitally. However, there is a certain quality of physicality with traditional board games that cannot be experienced through games in fully digital environments. The existence of tangible game pieces, boards, and real human players can produce cooperation, engagement, and tensions unlike those in video games and AR-based applications. Through this project-based course, students further explore how new technologies can help in developing new types of games.