IAT 312
GDD - Transformative Fun project
Scroll Down to Read Our Game Detail
1 Title & Basic Info
Title:
Mystery Zoo
Players:
4 players
Length:
20 - 30 mins
Age:
10 + years
2 Razor
You decide the life or death of animals. Will you protect or trade them? Brace yourself for tough moral choices. Every decision you make matters. Can you handle the consequences?
3 Slogan
Protect or trade? Every choice matters. Can you handle it?
4 Vision Statement & Top level summary of your game idea
Despite the fact that many animals are on the brink of extinction, there are still numerous poachers who engage in illegal animal trading for their own profit. The fight for animal protection must continue. Welcome to our game, where your moral decisions hold immense importance. You are about to enter an animal conservation area divided into three zones, each with different levels of rare animals. You have the option to become an animal protector and interact with domesticated animals in a friendly manner, or to venture into a more strictly regulated area to trade and educate more precious animals. It's important to note that this decision carries significant moral weight. Once you enter the higher regulated area, you may have the opportunity to earn a substantial amount of money, but you may also face severe consequences, such as imprisonment and fines. Furthermore, your unethical choices could lead to the extinction of many rare animals. Join this moral dilemma and ask yourself: who will become an animal protector and who will cross the line into poaching in this non-combative war for animal protection?
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8 Why Your Project is Innovative?
(a) Innovation
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Map: Our game map is divided into three different sections. The first section is a legal area where players can interact with animals and earn rewards. The second section is a combined area where players can engage in both legal and illegal activities. The third section is an illegal area where players can only participate in animal trafficking. Players are free to choose which area to enter or leave, simulating the different zones of illegal animal trading in the real world.
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Animal Cards: All of our animal cards contain information about why they are rare and how many of them still exist in the world, among other educational details, to enlighten and educate our players.
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Real Data used: We have incorporated real data about animal cards, maps, and rules in our game. For example, all information about the animals is sourced from real data. On the map, we have included the police station, animal protection station, hospital, and black market, among other organizations that are involved in animal trafficking in the real world. Our event cards and rules also reflect the consequences of engaging in animal trafficking, such as imprisonment and hefty fines. Furthermore, players who surrender rare animals to the government can receive rewards.
(b) Relevance
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Games offer a highly interactive platform for players to engage with content in an entertaining and enjoyable manner. In our game, players can simulate animal trading and experiment with different actions without facing real-world consequences. However, through in-game rules and consequences, we educate players about the negative impacts of such actions in real life. This provides a unique opportunity for players to gain a better understanding of the complexity of conducting animal transactions. Moreover, the animal-related information provided on the animal cards is educational and raises awareness about important animal conservation issues. By playing the game, players can learn about different animal species and their unique needs, which helps to increase their knowledge and understanding. The gameplay provides an opportunity for players to gain a better understanding of how humans trade in real life.
(c) Selling points
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Education: The game provides players with a highly interactive and engaging platform that enables them to participate in the content in a pleasant way. Through simulating the process and consequences of animal trafficking, players can experience the cruelty and immorality of this practice, as well as the legal obligations that come with it. In addition, the animal flashcards contain educational information that raises awareness about important animal conservation issues, thereby increasing players' knowledge and understanding of the subject matter.
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Social: Board games are an excellent means of bringing people together and fostering social interaction. Our game accommodates four players, allowing for multiple player interactions. For instance, when a player draws the corresponding task card, they may request another player to exchange animal cards with them by shaking dice. Additionally, players can choose to report another player who owns a rare animal to the government. The reported player can either pay a fine or offer the reporting player hush money. These interactions in the game have significantly improved social interaction among friends, making it an enjoyable experience.
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Unique: Animal conservation and trade-themed board games are less common than other types, so they provide an exclusive experience for players interested in these topics. As an added bonus, these games can be an excellent gift for animal lovers and conservationists as well.
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Visual design: Our game also has a very exquisite visual design. We carefully designed the text and pictures of our cards to give our users the best immersive experience.
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9 Introduction
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Premise: A group of aliens have to compete with limited minerals to power their ship and defeat the other factions to survive.
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Setting: Mars map with flippable cards, dice, chance cards, currency
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Game Objective: Gain minerals as much as possible to power the ship.
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Core Gameplay: The player has to roll the dice to move and collect valuable minerals as possible to get to the destination. The map will tip the player whether to open the mines or not to grab valuable minerals.
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Unique Elements: animal cards, event cards, three levels map.
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10 Narrative/Story
The issue of animal protection is a multifaceted problem that demands attention. Despite the efforts of governments and animal protection organizations, illegal trafficking of animals continues to thrive, resulting in the extinction of many species and devastating impacts on our planet.
In this game, players have a choice to make: become animal protectors or live a life of crime. If they choose to protect animals, they can save and protect various species and their habitats or rehabilitate injured animals. On the other hand, if they opt for a life of crime, they can sell captured animals on the black market, leading to wealth and luxury but with serious consequences.
As the game progresses, players will face difficult decisions that test their morals and courage, affecting their reputation and the game's storyline. They will learn about endangered animals and their habitats, as well as the consequences of animal trafficking and the importance of protecting animals and the environment.
Join the fight and make a difference in this game. Will you choose to protect or exploit animals? The choice is yours.
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11 Game mechanics
Mystery Zoo is a board game designed for 4 players, ages 10 and up. The game is set up with a board divided into three levels, each with its own set of challenges and rewards. The objective of the game is to accumulate the most points by completing missions and collecting animal cards.
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In the first level, players start with a set of common house animals like cats and dogs. They must take care of these animals and participate in various activities with them to earn points. At the end of the level, players can choose to keep or trade their animals for other animals in the next level.
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The second level introduces illegal animal trades involving exotic animals like lizards and spiders. Players must take calculated risks to earn big rewards while avoiding getting caught by the authorities. They can also choose to complete missions that offer additional points.
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The third and final level is the most challenging, with players dealing with the most precious and endangered animals like pandas and other wildlife. They must complete certain missions to progress, but must also be careful not to cross the line and face severe consequences.
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Throughout the game, players draw event cards that either reward them with extra points or punish them for their actions. The game ends when all levels are completed or when a player draws the flood card.
The core mechanics of the game involve dice rolling to determine movement, decision-making to complete missions and choose actions, and card drawing to add randomness and unpredictability. Mystery Zoo offers a fun and challenging experience for players who enjoy strategy, luck, and animal themes.
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12 Play matrix
Our game is heavily dependent on chance, because the player is rolling the dice to determine the number of moves to make, and ultimately landing on that grid is entirely due to luck. In addition to a fixed set of rewards or penalties on the map. There are also some random event bars, and when the player walks on one of these bars, the card is drawn. So what kind of event card is drawn depends on luck.
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At the same time, with our rules and gameplay, it's more about mental calculation than physical dexterity. Because we have the map and the distribution of the terrain right in front of us. But in the end, whether or not you actually win the game depends on how the player uses the current situation and all of their animal resources to determine the ultimate path and direction of the game.
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13. Rule Sheet
1. Simple Rule sheet(for players):
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2. Detail of the game(contain event and animal cards):
