Travelers: The Journey of Dragon Forest

Print and play version, please enjoy it!

Game link:
Small version
"Click this link to download and play my print and play game!"
(Game PDF should print by double side.)
Big version
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Manual link:
Rule book

Storytelling Illustration‎

Breakfast Drawing

5 Concepts

20 Thumbnails

Results for play test

After play testing my prototype of my board game "Travelers", I got the various feedbacks from my peers and friends to modify and supplement the board game. 

1. How difficult to set up?

The set up was just the average, one map board and the deck of cards. However, the dice is not usual shape (Korean traditional dice) , so some friends told me it might not be easy to get.

2. Do the rules seem clear?

The rules are not complicated (someone said it is quite easy) to try when I taught the game rules to the peers and friends for the first time.

But due to my lacking English ability, there were some of sentences which are vague in the instructions. I will revise my instructions and insert some of the example pictures to make easy to grasp the meanings.  

3. Are there any confusing parts?

First of all, one of my friends points out the dice is little bit weird to cast. Also, the direction (the path) to rotate in the map is confused at first, thus, I decide to add the points on the map.

4. What was unbalanced in this game?

The unbalance of the game exists in the map, due to the direction of the map. The tokens were bumped each other more several than I expected, so I will adjust the number of tokens into 4 to 3 or 2. And also, I will add more lines to make the map more balanced.

5. How was my dice working?

I was little worried that the dice used in my game, is consisted with 4 sticks. Some of peers said it is bit strange to cast the 4 sticks in the board game and some of them was worried that the sticks will always be flipped all the time, but it worked quite okay during the game playing.

6. Is not this game too long?

The game seemed bit longer than I expected, thus I decide to adjust the number of tokens.

7. Is it easy to use the cards?

The cards seem simple in use, however, people use the "Dragon" cards several times, so the rotation was bit fast. I will put more types of card called "Back" and "Go", and reduce the number of "Dragon" cards.

Theme and Concept

Theme and Concept Statement for Board Game

1. My game concept: Adventure, Journey, Walk ahead or Catch up!

2. My game theme is, “Two teams dispatched from the opponent families, start and compete for finishing the journey first.” In my board game “The Journey of Dragon Forest”, the players have to make two teams. There is no limitation of players, but should be an even number players make two teams. Each team has four tokens which represent the travelers, and all four travelers must finish the journey of dragon forest to win as a team. You can hinder or attack the opponent by using dragon power, or you can protect yourself from the attacks too.

3. “The Journey of Dragon Forest” is set in the middle age and it is in the fantasy dragon forest. The families who has powerful influence in the country, had long running feud between each other, and they decided to hold the journey competition once a year. Each family gathers up the team mates who were willing to join the rough journey, and make a team. The teams start life-risking journey on the dragon forest, and the winner team gets the huge prize. Let the competition begin!

4. To support my concept of the game, mostly they are the middle ages, fantasy images or sketches.

These are the rough sketches for the game. On the top, one traveler confronts the dragon, who trys to attack him or her, and other two are the card images for the game; The invisible and dragon slayer.

These are the reference images for the dragon forest, which gives unknown and myterious atmosphere, and the magical mood.

 The game concept is basically, about two families compete each other, and this reference shows what the family emblem would look like. I would like to make two simple emblems of the family.

5. The color palette, I pick the colors which might get along with the fantasy theme, and also, use the colors which are little bit vivid for good printing. Also, eventhough I was inspired by middle age concept, I was trying not to be too old-fashioned. 

Legal suits for the game characters

There are still on going legal heat between celebrites to game companies, and the result might impact to other games.

Lindsay Lohan has been accused of seeking publicity by the makers of Grand Theft Auto after the actor sued, claiming the video game breaches her image rights.

In the lawsuit, which was filed at the New York supreme court, Lohan claimed Rockstar used her voice, image and outfits from her clothing label without permission. She cited the game’s inclusion of Chateau Marmont Hotel in West Hollywood, where the actor once lived, as evidence of image rights violation and claimed unspecified damages on grounds of privacy.

Also,The ex-general, Manuel Noriega, filed a lawsuit against Activision Blizzard Inc. in Los Angeles County Superior Court on July, accusing the company of using his name and likeness in the best-selling game “Call of Duty: Black Ops II” .

Combine and Making Game

RISK AND STAR WARS MONOPOLY

BY: NICK MARTEN, POGI CHOW, YOUNG HAN KIM
2~4 Player Game


Main Objective: Capture Nuclear bomb for 3 turns to kill everyone
Rules: Players Play as a ruler commanding their army to go capture a Nuclear Bomb. They all start on separate parts of the board with 10 pieces representing their army. In order to capture the nuclear bomb they must get 5 of their pieces representing their army to the territory where the bomb is.  

Moving: In order to move you roll your single die and whatever the die lands on depicts the amount of spaces, or territories, a single piece of your army can move. The amount of movements is not restricted to one piece but can be shared with other pieces. So, if you rolled a 6, you can move on piece 4 spaces and another piece 2.
Gaining or losing cash: At the beginning of every single one of your turns you are required to draw a monopoly card, and whatever the card indicates, is the amount of money you gain or lose.

Killing other Players: You can kill other players by having more pieces when moving into the same territory as your opponent, but you are only left with the difference of pieces after that movement. So if you have 6 pieces and your opponent has 4 when moving into the same territory, you win this battle in that territory but are left with only 2 pieces.
Spawning more pieces: You can grow your army by buying more pieces, but the downfall is it is done through a faulty teleportation device. So you pay 300 dollars for each piece you want, and then you draw a card. Whatever territory the card indicates is where you newly bought army will spawn.
Game Ending: The game ends when a player has control of the nuclear bomb for 3 turns. The only way someone can capture the bomb from another player is by killing them, by having more players and landing in the same territory

10 Observation Drawings

Fake "Hearthstone" card board game appears in China

 

In China, there is card game of "Hearthstone:  Heroes of Warcraft" in real life, of course it is not legal product.

"Hearthstone" is one of the most popular free on-line card game made by Bilizzard Entertainment which based on the "Warcraft" characters. This "Hearthstone" card set is sold in 300 yuan (50 dollars), consists of four legend card, and many minion cards. Also, there are tokens to show the conditions of the card such as silent or hide, following with the switch that shows the life of the character.

Of course, there is absence of sound effects or animations and it needs lot more time to finish the game than original, but the cards shows the graphics of the game quite well. The card set gets more and more popularity among Chinese people.

Brain Storming

One game that I played is “Jenga”, which is marketed by Parker Brothers, I have enjoyed it till now with my family and friends. The successful things of this game are; easy instructions, no limitation of age, and also many people can play this at the same time. The idea of pulling and stalking with the wooden sticks is inspiring, and I wish there were more versions, like variation of colors or shapes.

*Brain Storming (Ideas & Themes)

1. Like Chess, Checkers, which needs two players to play, and involves diagonal moves of the game pieces and mandatory captures by jumping over opponent pieces. Needs abstract strategy?  Will my game make two people compete each other?

2. Will my board game design is for race games, like cross and circle, using basic board game method?  

3. Connection might involve forming a path between two or more goals, completing a closed loop, or connecting all of one's pieces so they are adjacent to each other. Will my board game use this connection mechanic?

4. By reflecting the world, especially economy, such as money managing, buy estates, paying taxes. How about making money simulation game? With different theme?

5. My game would probably have “guessing” in which the object is to guess some kind of information, such as a word, a phrase, a title, or the location of an object.

6. Word games and puzzles are spoken or board games often designed to test ability with language or to explore its properties, will my game be the word games?

7. My game would have the basic mechanic of Roll-and-Move, in which a player's token or tokens are moved based on results shown on a die or dice.

8. My game probably is a game which is played by several players. The players might be independent opponents, formed into teams or be just a single team pitted against the game.

9. My game would be Zombie Theme, for example, taking on the role of a heroes or heroines stranded in a small town that has mysteriously been overrun by zombies.

10. My game would be inspired by World War Theme, based on the World War 1 or World War 2, consists of the army, territories and strategy to attain the power.

11. Inspired by Wild West era; the chaotic period with full of fights, and symbolized by the cowboys, pubs, horses, and sheriffs. Will my game utilize this Wild West theme?

12. My game might be Vampire Theme. Due to the Twilight fever, the Vampire theme would be familiar for all generations. The night, vampire, hunters, castle, are the items for founding vampire world.

13. There are many super heroes; Superman, Batman, Spiderman, Wolverine, Captain America, and etc. The players can get vicarious thrill out of playing superpowers on the board game. What about using the super heroes in combination with economic simulation?

14. My game would probably is the prison theme which is mostly trying to accomplish the ultimate goal; to escape. The inmates, guard, fights consist the prison environment.

15. My game probably is fantasy themed board games could be created by putting various symbolic items, like, dragons, monsters, fairies, ogres, demons, magic powers, wizards and etc.

16. By giving the chilling atmosphere and settings, my game would be the horror theme games would give the tension to the board gaming playing by using, mysterious or ghost themes.

17. My game would probably be in alien theme. The UFO, and the Aliens would be the core items in this theme. Players could be the human beings to protect the Earth, or the aliens try to invade.

18. In my board game, players making deals with one another. Two-player games most usually do not involve diplomacy. Thus, negotiation generally features only in games with three or more players.

19. Games that are designed to help people to learn about certain subjects, expand concepts, reinforce development, understand an historical event or culture, or assist them in learning a skill as they play. Will my board game be educational?

20. Family games are aim for all ages, enjoying holidays or when people gather up in special occasion. Enhancing the social skills and team works among the players. Will my game be family game?

The favorite ideas that I aim for making the board game are; 2,7,8,11,15, and 20

1. (20,8,11)  To make a family game, it should contain easy instructions to follow and catch up the game mechanics, and also there should not be any cruel, horror, scary, adult, and undesirable contents on the game. It should a be sound board game targeting all ages, so I looked through classic board games in United States, China and Korea. I will probably adapting the Chinses “Majang” game mechanic by making little simple in instructions and mixing with Western theme.

2. (2,7,15,) As I was huge fan of Harry Potter series, I always like the fantasy theme, the wizard and magic, dragons, dungeons and so on. I would like to put more this fantasy theme on the board, adapting and mixing with Korean traditional board game “Yut” mechanics. I will test on the proto types, asking my ideas to family members or to friends who are not Koreans to know this game idea is easy to pick up and play.

3. (2,7,15,20) Aiming the children and whole family, I am also thinking of cute-fantasy game. The mushroom elves and the fairies are the main characters, and background is in fantasy wood forest. The ultimate goal of this board game would be collecting golden coins as many as possible until the game ends. To collect the golden coins, the players must attack their opponents or monsters during the rounds, by using special magic cards. The cards have special numbers of attacking level, defending level, and special shield (optional).