Game Board Design

In groups, we had to create a game concept that will work on paper to try and see if the game will work before spending/wasting a lot of time making it digitally.

We had to use Orange in our game, whether as a theme or just a small thing, which made us have to think hard about our game ideas to try and incorporate Orange. The colour or the fruit, not the phone network. Don't let a mobile phone spoil your game.

After much discussion, confusion, arguing, blood, sweat and tears, we used my idea of having the game in segments like an orange. If you slice an orange in half it will look like a circle separated into segments which is what is what our board looked like. It also had several layers in the circle as well with the aim of trying to get to the centre of the 'orange' or escape the 'orange'. The main mechanic of the game was when you roll the dice, rather than moving your marker, you spin the layer you are on around clockwise or anti-clockwise.

After making and playing the game we realised it was unplayable as it would take forever to get to the centre or out of the orange. So we added doors in between the layers that the player had to get through and made the mechanics a little easier so as soon as you land on a door you can go through even if its not your turn, but you can also fall back!

We also added good and bad cards that you can pick up if you roll a 1 or 6. These help you get through the game, for example switching your marker with another player or having another player miss a turn.

Good Design

Citroën DS3

Designed by Citroën to rival the Mini Cooper and offer the consumer a very personalised, but stylish, compact car.

I have chosen this design as I do have a dream car in mind, the Audi R8. But I don't think I'll ever own one. And I have never had a favourite small car until the DS3 came out.

I love it's smooth design; how the windows seem to flow into the body of the car with no ridges sticking out. Consumer creativity is endless. You are able to choose many different exterior and also interior options to completely personalise your car. You can choose from 11 body colours, 4 roof colours, a variety of roof graphics, several colours for the interior dashboard, several colours for the alloys and wing mirrors and even the colour of the Citroën badge on the alloys!

Copying the Audi, the DS3's LED lights are one of the cars many modern touches. Along with the chrome side bars, tinted windows and slick logo. The only thing letting the car down is the power! Though apparently the THP sport versions are much better, so I'll be saving up for one of them!

Bad Design

Bike Parking / Cycle Carriers on Trains

Designed by train designers for train companies such as Northern Rail and First Transpennine.

I have chosen this design as I like taking my bike to different places via train but it can sometimes be a pain when you are actually traveling on the train. The bike parking facilities are unsatisfactory. I have used two different types of parking, and while using both of these, mine or my friends bike has fallen over during the train ride and it has always been awkward to secure the bikes.

#1: Securing the bikes using a thick wire / cord which clips around the frame onto a luggage rack above it.

I like how they have tried to use the space more by having a luggage rack above it but the parking bay is way too wide with no wheel support meaning the bike(s) move side to side as the train stops and starts and if the front wheel turns slightly, the bike could then fall over. This parking is also very slim meaning you should only fit 2 bikes but 4 bikes can be crammed in. To lock the bikes in, there is a thick wire that wraps around the frame and clips onto the luggage rack. This is awkward however as the wire is very stiff, unnecessarily chunky and the clip is really stiff which makes it hard to clip it to the luggage rack.

#2: Securing the bike with a car seat belt.

There is a separate space of the carriage to allow 2 bikes to fit on either side. There is a metal space for each front wheel to rest in to stop if from turning which doesn't work very well as the bike can easily roll backwards out of its metal slot. The seat belt (which I actually found hilarious the first time I saw this) wraps around the frame to secure the bike. Noticed how I didn't put bike(s) as the belt isn't long enough to secure both of the bikes if you put them in the metal slots on the floor.

I thought of a better way to accomplish train parking which is like the bike parking at work. Hanging the bikes vertically by the front wheel so you can fit a number of bikes on the train safe and secure. However this has already been done in France: