Level-Up Log — Fall 2024
Overview
This project includes the design and development of three original games, each exploring different mechanics, visual systems, and player interactions. Through these projects, I applied creativity, problem-solving, and human-centered design principles to create engaging and functional gameplay experiences.
As part of my Honors contract in Game Design Psychology: Theory and Prototyping, Fall 2024, I developed three board game projects that translated psychological theory into interactive design practice. The first reimagined Tic-Tac-Toe while preserving the core “three-in-a-row” mechanic, challenging us to innovate within familiar constraints. The second adapted the 1990s horror video game Clock Tower into a tabletop format, transforming digital suspense and narrative tension into physical mechanics. The final project, Alley Cats, was a fully original competitive strategy game built from scratch. As lead visual designer, I created the custom cards, urban-style board, logo, and packaging to ensure the visual identity reinforced the gameplay strategy. Across all three, I applied iterative prototyping, collaboration, and user-focused thinking to balance creativity with clarity and engagement.
These projects were developed through group collaboration, but my primary contribution focused on visual design, prototyping, and component development. I designed boards, cards, tokens, and visual systems to clearly communicate gameplay mechanics to players. Through repeated playtesting and design iteration, I refined these visual elements to support usability and player understanding.
Game 1 — Tic-Tac-Die
For this first mini challenge, our team reimagined the classic structure of Tic-Tac-Toe by introducing dice-based mechanics and terrain advantages. The goal was to transform a simple and predictable game into a more dynamic experience that combines strategy with chance. While the win condition of aligning three spaces remained the same, the gameplay mechanics were redesigned to create more varied outcomes and encourage strategic thinking.
Instead of allowing players to place pieces freely on the board, our version requires players to roll dice in order to conquer terrain spaces. Each terrain has a different roll threshold, and specific characters have advantages depending on the environment. These mechanics introduce unpredictability while still rewarding thoughtful decision-making.
My role focused on designing the prototype board and terrain system, as well as organizing the visual layout of the game components. I also contributed to structuring the rulebook to ensure players could clearly understand the mechanics. Through two rounds of playtesting, we observed how players interacted with the system and refined the balance between strategy and randomness. This process demonstrated how even small changes to familiar mechanics can significantly reshape player experience.
Figure 1. Game Components for Tic-Tac-Die (2025).
This includes the board layout, player pieces, cards, and instruction system designed to enhance gameplay and strategic decision-making.
Game 2 — Clock Tower
For the second challenge, our team adapted the 1995 survival horror video game Clock Tower into a tabletop board game. The objective was to translate the suspenseful atmosphere and exploration mechanics of the digital game into a physical format while preserving the narrative tension that defines the original experience.
In our board game adaptation, players explore the Barrows mansion, searching for items and keys that allow them to unlock rooms and ultimately escape. To recreate the suspense of the digital version, we developed a card system that included item cards, encounter cards, and key cards. These mechanics allowed us to simulate the unpredictability and tension players experience in the video game.
My primary responsibility focused on visual design and prototyping. I gathered visual references from the original game and adapted them into a pixel-inspired format that preserved the dark aesthetic of the source material. I designed the board layout, created card templates, and assembled the physical prototype used during playtesting. Through testing sessions, we refined gameplay pacing and adjusted encounter mechanics to improve clarity and player engagement. This project strengthened my understanding of how narrative and mechanics can be translated across media while maintaining the emotional tone of the original experience.
Figure 2. Clock Tower Game System (2025).
Visual elements, including board design, cards, and instructions used to translate a digital horror experience into a tabletop format.
Game 3 — Alley Cats
The final and most complex project of the course was Alley Cats, a fully original board game designed from scratch. In this competitive strategy game, players control rival feline factions competing for dominance over a city through resource management, construction, trading, and tactical battles.
Each faction possesses unique abilities that influence gameplay strategy. Some factions specialize in combat, while others focus on resource efficiency or territorial control. These asymmetric abilities encourage players to experiment with different strategies and create a dynamic competitive environment.
I served as the lead visual designer for the project. My responsibilities included designing the game board, creating card designs, developing tokens, producing the logo and packaging, and organizing the visual identity of the game. My goal was to ensure that the visual design supported gameplay mechanics by improving readability and helping players quickly understand the system.
During development, we produced both an alpha and a beta version of the game. Playtesting revealed issues with resource balance, board layout, and faction mechanics. Based on this feedback, we redesigned the board for better symmetry and clarity, simplified some mechanics, and improved the rulebook structure to make it more accessible for new players. This iterative process demonstrated how feedback and design refinement are essential to creating an engaging and functional game system.
Figure 3. Alley Cats Game Components (2025).
This section showcases the board, cards, and artwork designed to create an engaging and interactive gameplay experience.
Reflection: Human-Centered Design in Game Systems
Working on these three games helped me understand that game design is not only about creativity but also about understanding how players interact with systems. Each project required us to consider how users interpret rules, respond to uncertainty, and engage with visual information during gameplay. Through playtesting and feedback, I learned that small design decisions—such as board layout, card readability, or rule clarity—can significantly affect how players experience a game.
This Honors project also strengthened my ability to combine visual storytelling with interactive design. Designing boards, cards, and rulebooks required balancing aesthetics with usability so that the visual elements supported gameplay rather than distracting from it. The iterative process of testing and refining mechanics reinforced the importance of designing with the player’s experience in mind.
Most importantly, this project connects directly to my broader emerging expertise in Human-Centered Design & Storytelling. Each game required careful consideration of how mechanics, narrative themes, and visual communication work together to create meaningful player experiences. By focusing on how people understand and interact with the system, I developed stronger skills in prototyping, collaboration, and user-focused design that continue to influence my work in interactive media and UX.