Warm Up Exercise

Brainstorm:

-Popcorn machine using sunlight (like a solar oven)

-Laptop case or backpack that has built in solar panels and cord to charge laptop when outside

-Two-sided curtains/blinds with one side being white or reflective so that when closed they absorb less heat keeping the room cool

-To reduce wasted cups, coffee shops could have some sort of standard sized cup/mug that they sell, and they could just add the drink to the cup, like a water fountain almost, so that the consumer doesn’t have to waste plastic cups every time

-Solar panel curtains

-Game board with shifting patterns so that many games can be played on one board, pieces would also be customizable and difficult to lost so that many games can be played, and you aren’t forced to buy a new game every time one piece is lost

Original Idea/Communication:

1. While working in the lounge earlier, I saw that someone was looking for a board game to play. When they pulled out the chess board, they realized that the box was actually missing quite a few pieces. Though it's something small, missing pieces seems to be a universal issue when it comes to publicly accessible board games or even personal sets that have been used often. The pieces are usually just too small and easy to lose. Sure, you might be able to supplement a piece or two with some spare change but lose enough pieces and you might as well buy a whole new set. This got me thinking, what if the pieces were made harder to lose?

If the pieces were made slightly larger and heavier, maybe even with magnets to stick to the board, it would be much harder to knock them off the board or to forget to put them away. I then thought about the sets that are designed to accommodate many different games, like the common chess and checkers combo sets. This game board could use 32 pieces, 16 black, 16 white, each designed similar to the checker pieces, along with painted symbols on top to denote them as chess pieces as well. With one board and set of pieces, you could play checkers, chess, and backgammon. Additionally, it would be much more difficult to lose pieces and, due to their shape, it would be easier to pack them tightly. With this one game set you could avoid wasting materials by paying for several different games or by having to replace a whole set due to losing a few pieces.

You could also avoid losing pieces and having to buy boards by getting apps on your phone or another device. However, doing this requires a device to be available, which isn't always the case. Additionally, I find that playing games with someone with a physical board and piece set to be far more satisfying than playing digitally.

Please let me know what you think. Anyone have ideas that could make this better? Ways to make it harder to lose pieces? Other games that could be played using this same or similar set?

2. I like the idea of making the pieces a personal thing. Reminds me of how dice are treated in TTRPGs. Usually, everyone has one or more personal sets of dice that they like and treat with care. I think this would make it more human-centered, adding fun to the act of keeping the pieces safe. However, my original goal of this idea was to minimize the amount of things you would have to buy and thus reduce waste. I know when it comes to dice, some people get really invested and end up buying loads of sets, and can lose some. This would likely happen if the game pieces were made to be similarly personal. I wonder if there is a way to do both without increasing potential waste.

Design:

The board is a wooden box with a top that can slide out and slide back in upside-down or right-side up. The top part has the checkered design on one side and a backgammon design on the other. Within the board is enough space to hold the pieces and two 6-sided dice firmly.

There are 32 pieces that are similar to checker pieces, though larger than the usual size. They are made of wood and inside is a magnet to add weight and keep them on the board. Each piece also has a symbol on top to denote them as a piece in chess.

The weight and size of the pieces makes it more difficult to accidently knock off a piece and/or lose it. Additionally, as the board has just enough space inside it to hold the pieces and the dice, it will be clear when not all of the pieces are put back in.

The board, pieces, and dice come in different customizable colors and designs, while the general size and structure of the game set over all will remain the same. This will allow the player to choose the set they like the most and incentivizes them to take care of it, further reducing the chance that pieces will be lost.

Since this one board can be used for a variety of common games, the pieces are hard to lose, and the players are incentivized to keep it in good condition, there is much less of a need to buy additional or replacement sets creating additional waste.

Concept Story:

Two friends are searching through the game cabinet in the lounge. They finally find the game they were looking for. They open the chess box and find that several pieces are missing, two pawns, a bishop, and even a queen. As they put the game away disappointed, they discover a wooden box with a checkered top. Sliding the top off they find 32 neatly packed away checker pieces with chess symbols on top. Now they can still play chess! The large pieces stick to the board without sliding, preventing quite a few situations where the pieces could have fallen off. After multiple games they get a bit bored of chess. However, they realize they can slide out the top and flip it. Now its backgammon!

Once they are finished, they put all the pieces away neatly, admiring the different colors and designs on each. The last piece slots perfectly into place and the top slides smoothly back in. The board is then tucked neatly away, waiting for the next pair of friends to come along.

Mini-Essay Report:

The product is a game set, it consists of a Box, a Board, 32 Pieces, and 2 Dice. The game set is made of wood, which can easily be gathered from scrap wood left over from larger projects. The box has a section in the bottom designed to accommodate the 32 pieces and both dice with little extra room so that the pieces slot nicely inside and do not shift when the set is moved, even one piece missing becomes clear as the pieces are able to shift inside. The top of the box also has a groove so that the board can slide in, closing the box.

The board is two-sided, one side is checkered, for games like chess and checkers, while the other has the triangular patterns used in backgammon. The board also has small magnets placed within it to keep the pieces locked in place and the board itself locked in place when the box is closed.

Each piece is shaped like a checker piece though slightly larger than is common. The extra size and weight allow them to be more easily handled while having a lesser risk of sliding off. A small magnet in each also adds to the weight and further keeps it from sliding. On one side of each piece is a symbol representing a chess piece, allowing the players to use them in chess as well. The dice are typical six-sided die.

The boards are customizable, coming with a variety of different colors and designs on each component. This allows the consumer to choose the game set that they connect with the most. Due to this, players are incentivized to treat the game set with care. Overall, the game set makes it more difficult to knock over and lose pieces, makes it easier to notice when pieces are missing, and encourages players to keep the set in good condition. All of these factors reduce the chance that a replacement board will be needed in the future and prevent more waste from being created. Furthermore, as the set can be used for three different games, less game sets need to be bought, also reducing the amount of resources used and wasted. This concept could be expanded further, other games like hnefatafl could also be incorporated with slight changes to the layout of the set.

With one game set, people can enjoy playing many games together on a physical board, without the need for devices. Players can find joy in having their own unique set, share their passion for games and art with others, and feel confident that they are also reducing waste.