UNIT 7: BACKGAMMON CASINO

This project was about recreating a online game into a physical game. 

I've have chosen to redesign backgammon even though it's already a physical game but now it's been designed to play online. When analysing this game i didn't like the way it's designed, it's really not attractive to look at so why bother playing it. 

Backgammon online

Casino Table

My version of backgammon: 

My version of backgammon has the style of a poker table but still has the triangles (pips) from backgammon. The reason why I've done this is to make the game much more appealing to the eye, and the chips' act as money in the game. My actual design of my backgammon board is done on 2 pieces of A0 paper, this game can be played outside in a park or playground, even at home. This game is suitable for children to play, fit for any child at any age.

I will film or take pictures of people playing the game. But the finished product will be in the form of a real board game but hand made. Because in reality backgammon is too expensive, depending on what type of wood is used to produce it.

The reason why i have split up the backgammon board into squares, is to make it easier for the players while playing the game. For example, so a player knows where their chip is on the board. The triangles (pips) are for each number seen on the board, the pips and numbers works according to dice. 

 



First stage of creating the boardgame





Backgammon game- trying create a 2nd hand grid



 

Dice

The backgammon game- with counters & dice before it's laminated onto film

Really i forgot to use a grid at the start of designing this board game. So now i am taking the risk of actually creating a 2nd hand based grid with string, then cutting the board into squares within how the board is shaped and done. The grid will also help to construct the design better. (How I've made the dice and chips will be explained below). 

The materials used to create Backgammon Casino: 

The acrylic paint and spray paint was used to make the triangles and chips more realistic. The cutting knife, film and measuring ruler was used to polish the board game well. 

The chips/counters are made out of mount board, then polished with a lick of yellow and blue spray paint. The dice is made of out of the same material however it's been paper mache, using mache substance/glue and black sugar paper. For the finished touch I've used the stenciling process to create dots on the dice (see above).

Final Design of Backgammon Casino:

Backgammon Casino gameboard designed with a proper grid



2nd picture shows the same thing 

This is my final Design of Backgammon Casino. Within this picture you can see i have cut the gameboard according to my 2nd grid i've designed, now the gameboard looks much better than before.

Documentation of how the game is played:

The first person to roll a 6 starts the game.

After the player gets the highest number which is 6, rolls the dice again. In result to this the player gets another number which is 5 therefore they will have to place one chip on the number five pipe or move five steps on any number, seen on the gameboard. This action is done throughout the whole game.

The first player who made the throw 5 takes a chip from their side.

The player has made a decision to move the chip, five steps forward onto the number four pipe.

The next player rolls the dice, the number they have received is 6. So they do the same action as the other player has done. They can either move their chip on the number 6 pipe, six times forward or move the number 6 on a different number seen on the gameboard.

Now the player has to take a blue chip from their side and place it onto the gameboard.

The player has decided to move the chip, six places forward on the number six pipe.

In the middle of the game it gets to the point if a player lands on you or you land on someone else's pipe you can take chips out of the game. This is done by over taking/hitting a player fully in the game. To bring back any chips which have been taken out of the game, players' need to roll number 6 which was done at the start of the game.

At the end of this game, the player who has the blue chips' has one the game because they have more of their chips in the middle of the gameboard. Therefore they can take all the chips which are in the middle to end the game. The player who has more of their chips (yellow) has lost the game.

The player who has the blue chips won!

P.S, NO CHEATING...

Extra detail on the Backgammon chips'

On the back of the chips' I've have decided to write Backgammon Casino. just to make the game more realistic as a whole. Plus looking at other games such as Monopoly; the designers have designed the name on the money. Both of my chips' are colour coded yellow and blue for two players just like Monopoly. Monopoly have used different colours for different levels of the money. As you can see in the pictures above, the triangle detail on the chips' actually goes with the pipe design seen as part of the gameboard.

The circle on the back of the chips' is where the velcro will go.

Other Bits:
I will use sticky velcro on the chips' and the Backgammon gameboard so players will know where to move. The grid will identify where the players are on the gameboard. The reason why i've decided to use this material now, is because when the players were playing the game they were asking how far they have to move the chips'.




The backgammon game board with velcro



The backgammon game board with the chips'

An example of how the chip is used on the game board

Making the package:
Well for the package, i've decided to use a storage basket as the package instead of wood. This is a great idea because baskets' are light therefore the game won't be heavy to handle. This basket is simular to a child's storage box and a picnic basket, in this case this sort of package hasn't been used before for any boardgame and Backgammon.

Also, i did say this game is compactable and designed to be taken outside, like the park. So it's a nice thought.

An example of a wooden Backgammon game pieces and box

This is an example of Backgammon which someone else has designed but the idea of using wood for the storage box is going to be changed.

An example of a Seagrass storage box

The storage box is wide, tall and big so it's able to hold the game pieces and dice. Measurements: 36 x 27 x 19.

Graphics of the package:

playstation packaging for backgammomn as a computer game

playstation example

I know my game is not in the form of a computer or playstation game. And the package isn't however i really like the concept and layout of this package case. So i will be using this example to create my own design. But the typeface and colours used is not relevant to my game. My package design has to be friendly to approach young children. 

Our package design
Our package design is very strightforward and simple. The circles are referred back to the chips seen as part of the game. The package design has been designed in Adobe Indeisgn so layout and typography are done properly. To make the package design more realistic we have taken images of Backgammon Casino and applied them to the final outcome. 

Final package design

Other ideas for the package:

My second idea is just have the gameboard as the package, therefore the child can just open out the gameboard on the floor so they are ready to play. Even so, the storage box will hold all the game pieces. I've just remembered this game is not that expensive because i've used no wood. And the instructions will be done in a form of a folding hand out/ book because it's suitable for the type of information that will go in it.

Final idea of the package:

Lastly, the final idea i've chosen to do for the package is very strightforward and simple. As looking in the shops is quite rare to find a seagrass basket which is very tall therefore i've brought a storage box as the package. So the storage box can be used to store the backgammon game, i've also used the idea of a thick string to give that special man - made touch. 

Sketchbook ideas:

Most of the ideas i have drawn were chnaged while producing backgammon.

Letterpress:

For creating the numbers for the gameboard i decided to use letterpress. Only because i felt that the process is more stronger than using Photoshop. I have discovered that letterpress don't have some typefaces which we use from Adobe Photoshop.

The reason why i have used two types of colours will be i was testing the typography and background according to the gameboard.