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Catastrophe

A pun-filled card game (Table Flip Board Games)

  • PROJECT:

    Card Game

  • DATE:

    2017 (WIP)

  • ROLE:

    Art Lead; Print and Game Designer

Catastrophe is a family-oriented, pun-filled card game under development for Table Flip Board Games.

Catastrophe is a solo project, with all game mechanics, component and print design created by myself.

Begun in the winter of 2016/2017, it is currently a work in progress.

There are two hearts beating at the center of Catastrophe: science and cat puns. Particle physics drives the engine of the mechanics, with playful analogies to quarks and string theory. Technology at the center of this science also informs the elements of design, with card layouts reminiscent of technical displays and added notes of symmetry and circuit designs.

Stacking and linking are core components of the gameplay, so pieces were constructed to facilitate this visual and tactile continuity. Most tiles have no preferred orientation, so they can be easily recognized in any direction and allow the player to utilize the same component in different situations. Board tiles were also pre-loaded with a design feature that allows mod’s to be stacked at the center, providing for customization and extensibility of gameplay.

While the rules themselves are not complex, a lot of potential information is available to the player at one time. To help maintain a clean visual field and facilitate quick, informed decisions, design was kept at a minimum, with extensive use of clear iconography.

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