Final Board Game Prototype

This is the final product for my board game prototype that includes the physical color schemes such as the grass and bricks of the Barton College campus coupled with the overall theme of Clue, the murder mystery board game. All the characters of the game, Murder on Vance Street, are faculty members of the college. Each character except Tony Tilley are deans of a certain school at Barton. All the buildings in the game are on the college’s campus and are denoted by their name and a snapshot of the inside of the building. The weapons are also a tad bit different, including certain items like a syringe and a microphone cord to represent the different buildings in the game. I edited a version of the Clue pads with which players can keep track of the game’s progress. There are clue cards that have the characters, places, and weapons used in the game along with a die so players can move. Featured fonts include one of my favorites, Cooperplate Gothic Bold (room names) as well as Microsoft Sans Serif (detective cards).  This game turned out very well and I am proud of the final product. I really hope a Barton community member would be interested in playing this game.

Board Game Prototype Research

For one of my final projects of the year, I decided to put a specialized spin on the famed board game, Clue. The inspiration came to me very quickly, thankfully, and I was able to line up most of the concepts in the original game with a Barton College theme. I named my board game rendition, Murder on Vance Street, due to the fact that one of the college’s addresses is 800 Vance Street, Wilson, NC, 27893. I wanted to stay true to the original game as much as possible while not directly copying anything from the game and being able to incorporate as much as Barton as I could. I used 9 campus buildings as the setting for the game board and incorporated an aerial view that most games, including Clue, have for their set up. I tried to stay as close to the set up of Barton’s campus as I could on my final prototype, but had to make a few changes to fit the board. These pictures are all layouts I considered using for my final board game prototype. I tried incorporating all of these examples and I believe my final product was a great success.

3-D Numbers and Marketing Design: Research

These 3 wooden watches sparked my interest when looking for ideas for a project using 3-D numbers in marketing. I want to work with wood products in some way but I wasn’t sure how to incorporate marketing into that equation. Now, I have an idea of making a larger-than-life sized watch or clock that will incorporate 3-D wooden numbers in a marketing strategy for a luxury watch company. I plan on making 3-D numbers for each hour and etching a brand name into the body of the watch/clock, either inside with the numbers or on the outside as shown on the “Woodz” watch.

Children’s Book Research (PDFs)

Arya in the cockpit was an inspiration for this project because it involved a story of a girl and her dream of being a pilot. I relate to this story because my childhood dream was to be a train conductor. I liked the illustrations that gave a calm, family feel to the story while advancing the story of Arya’s journey to becoming her dream. Most of the typefaces in this PDF were sans serif fonts that were not very showy and distracting. The book layout looked like a journal and advanced the story in a very inspiring way.

Tania In A Winter Wonderland is a unique PDF that combines the excitement of winter with different cool elements of science that are interesting for children. I was inspired by the cover art because the colors and designs are simple but relatable to children. The snowman, small house, and snow covered tree all combine to create a welcoming image for a book that explains interesting things about the winter season. The cover fonts are very elaborate but the rest of the book has little to no illustrations and very common fonts. I liked the informative aspect of the piece and the inviting cover.

Counting Cars is Fun is another transportation related counting book I referenced for inspiration because its simple illustrations were clear enough to be relatable for children and colorful enough to please the eye. The colors and designs of the illustrations create a playful mood that is a good fit for children who like looking at cars and learning how to count. I wanted my book to have the same simplicity of color and illustrations as this PDF. The fonts used here however seem a little bit too contrasting but could be appealing to children, which is the overall point. The design and colors make the book very simple, but very useful for children’s learning.

Bugs by Numbers by Danielle Buckhert is another prime example of a style I tried to emulate when I created my children’s book because it combines popping colors with a simplistic design that children can comprehend and enjoy. The elaborate font used on the cover gives the words texture and makes the bugs part of the title a more realistic feel. It’s as if the letters themselves are bugs. Also, the colors are vibrant and can catch the eyes of young readers who are to immerse themselves in the world of counting. The cover implies a very inviting, playful, and experimental adventure awaits the reader at the turn of every page.

Children’s Book Research (Printed Books)

One of the books that inspired me with this project was of course The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper. This memorable children’s book portrays a wonderful message in a kid friendly way. The train aspect also inspired me very much since I am a fan of trains. The colors in this book are realistic but are also colors that could appeal to children easily. The book also has a very classic look with bold typefaces that are straight to the point and not overly fancy. The color schemes depict a friendly feel to the story that makes this such a beloved classic.

This is another memorable classic that thankfully was in my repertoire as a child reader. This version however, combines the original story with the extra element of counting. The color scheme are inviting blues combined with primary colors that pair well with the beginning counting aspect. The fonts of this book are very inviting as they are smoothed edged fonts that coincide well with the small animals and calm scenes illustrated in the book. The bedtime theme such as the cow jumping over the moon paired with the colorful numbers and variety of animals are sure to be engaging with children. A perfect mixture of elements to keep children entertained and informed.