Physical Prototypes (Posted by Kyle B)

While we are working on getting our pieces laser cut we need to have something to work with for time being. Pink Insulating Sheathing from home is perfect for this. We all took home a 4 ft x 2 ft section of this and are currently cutting it up into very specific pieces so we can meet this coming Sunday and work on our game.

Below is an example of what I stated above, with a quick preview at how these pieces will be combined together to build a structure.

Concerning Gulfstream Cut-outs and Mechanics (posted by Patrick R)

Today we inquired about getting the cuts of game bits over at Gulfstream Hall. The good people over at the cage in Gulfstream were incredibly helpful. Team Plant implores any ITGM students to seek out laser printing services if they need 3D pieces for a board game.

For more information concerning laser printer cuts, visit  blog.scad.edu and click on the section "digital technology lab."

In order to further develop the mechanics of Grow, we are looking into prototype materials. Home Depot has 1/2 inch pink foam core listed for 13.99. That seems like a good starting place. Then we can figure out our mechanical dynamics.

Prototype Research

Let's make a game with over fifty individual two-inch wooden discs that click together and climb vertically Good idea. Now let's figure out how to physically manufacture the prototype. Here are the options Team Plant has come up with:

-Balsa Wood 
             // PROS: Cheap, Flexible, Easily Altered, Accessible // CONS: Cheap, Flexible, Easily Altered


-Plastic 
             // PROS: Sturdy, Sleek, Sexy // CONS: Very Difficult to Access



-Paper (Too Flimsy)
             // PROS: Cheap // CONS: Flimsy, Unprofessional Looking, Bad for Mechanics


-Foamcore
             // PROS: Cheap, Easily Accessible // CONS: Delicate, Too Light for Mechanics


In the end, we chose to use a foamcore board for the prototype until we can find a more resilient and dependable material to reflect the mechanics of our game.

Dev Blog Update 01: Welcome to the Grow: Dev Blog! (Also Design Process too)

This blog chronicles the game development process of Grow, a three dimensional board game

about collaboration, resource management, competitive play, and experiencing a unique and

powerful interactive piece of artwork.

Mechanics Development

After settling on the idea of a three dimensional plant-growing game over a game about the methamphetamine trade or a kid's game, we set out to determine how the game bits would mechanically interact with each other in a way to yield strong dynamic diversity and how we could develop goals around the gameplay.

So far, we have come up with an interesting method of connecting disk-like bits to form the stalks and branches of plants (Courtesy of Chris Hassebrook)

As pictured above, the game bits we have determined to use as a spring-board for the mechanical functions in the game are disk-like pieces which would intuitively interact with each other in visually apparent ways.