Wee Jun Jie / 0375271
Collaborative Design Practice / Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media
Task 2: Proposal Development
INSTRUCTIONS
This group project aims for us to collaborate in
multi-disciplinary groups to write creative
briefs, create designs that fit the user
experience of the project outcome and produce the
prototypes or mock-ups for user-testing that suits
the table-top game.
Recapping About Main Issues of the
Game
Fig 1.1 Original Design
1. Overview of Ori Design
The original design was extremely basic
and lacked refinement. It consisted of a
few hand-drawn cards without any cohesive
design elements. The use of multiple fonts
without clear hierarchy no variation in
size or weight made the overall visual
experience feel cluttered and
uncomfortable. The game board itself was
simply divided into three colors, with no
thematic integration or visual
storytelling. It felt more like a rough
draft than a fully realized concept.
2. Design Direction
This gave us a clear design
direction, as there were no strict
requirements. We only needed to
explore the concept around the word Sugar High
and create our own interpretation,
which made the process relatively
straightforward. To begin, we
categorized the essential components
that required design: first, the
game cards, followed by the
guidebook,
game tokens, dice, and
the game board and of course, the
packaging box.
On this blog will only showcase the
design work I personally created, along
with the process of how I assisted my
teammates. For other aspects of this
project, please refer to my partners’
blogs. Thank you.
3. Design Process - Guidebook
Fig 3.1 Guidebook Front
Fig 3.2 Guidebook Content
Felita, who was responsible for character
design, first sketched several
cookie-inspired figures. We decided to build
the rulebook around these characters,
keeping the design simple without excessive
decoration. I used cookie edge patterns as
borders and applied common cookie tones as
the base, paired with lighter shades for the
content. To improve readability, I separated
the previously crowded text into distinct
sections and created a large table to list
all the game components.
However, I did not intend for the rulebook to be a small booklet, as I believe it should be larger in format. Since our game is rated at a four‑star difficulty level, a larger rulebook makes the instructions easier to interpret and follow.
However, I did not intend for the rulebook to be a small booklet, as I believe it should be larger in format. Since our game is rated at a four‑star difficulty level, a larger rulebook makes the instructions easier to interpret and follow.
Fig 3.3 Guidebook Test Print
However, after our test print, we
realized that the actual size was too
large, and the colors were criticized
for being overly dark. The feedback
suggested that we should tone them down
or use lighter brown shades for better
balance. Overall, the design gave off
the impression of a coffee brand rather
than a playful tabletop game.
4. Design Process - Gameboard
4.1 Gameboard Design by Annika
Our teammate Annika designed several
versions of the game board in different
colors, but they did not quite match the
character style we were aiming for and
felt somewhat out of place. That said, her
work provided a solid starting point for
the overall direction of the board design.
Building on her foundation, I adapted the
board’s shape to connect more closely with
real cookies, integrating this theme into
the design. I also revised the color
palette and typography, blending the logo
colors into the board itself to create a
more cohesive look. Just like you wouldn’t
want a zebra crossing to suddenly have a
red or green stripe it would feel jarring
and inconsistent.
4.2 Gameboard Redesign by Jun Jie
4.2 Gameboard Redesign by Jun Jie
After several iterations, I produced
the second version shown on the left.
Overall, it looked acceptable at first
glance, but once printed, I realized
the colors were too dark and the fonts
felt inconsistent in the finer
details. I then made further
adjustments, such as refining the size
of the buttons and improving the
logo’s contrast. Most importantly, I
brightened the color palette by one
level to ensure the design appeared
livelier and more energetic rather
than dull.
5. Design Process - Gamecard
5.1 Gamecard by Terrence
Spending three weeks to
produce cards of this
quality felt unacceptable,
as there were no signs of
proper layout design and no
study references for card
development. At that moment,
I honestly thought we were
close to failing. Despite
multiple attempts to
communicate in the group, we
received no response, and
only by the eighth week did
we learn that this was the
extent of the work
completed. In response, I
began researching card
design myself, starting with
playing cards. I studied
their dimensions and rounded
corners, considering how
these details prevent
discomfort when handling.
With these insights, I
ultimately redesigned the
cards to achieve a more
professional and
user‑friendly result
...
5.2 Redesign by Jun Jie
At this stage, I was feeling quite
exhausted. Some of us had
not followed the mood board we had set
up in Miro, which meant that almost
everything had to be redesigned from
scratch. This was very frustrating for
me, yet I couldn’t afford to take a
break. Instead, I pushed forward,
noticing areas that still had
potential for improvement and could be
refined further. Please continue
reading to see how I addressed these
challenges.
6. Design Process - Dice
6.1 Dice > Coin
Previously, I noticed that the
original game required a dice roll
to determine turn order, using odd
and even numbers as the distinction.
To make the design more cohesive, we
replaced the dice with a cookie
token that has two sides. This way,
the mechanic feels integrated into
the theme rather than appearing out
of place. Flipping the cookie to the
front represents “1,” while flipping
it to the back represents “2.” This
small change elevated the overall
design, reinforcing the cookie
concept and ensuring that even the
gameplay elements align with the
visual identity.
6. Design Process - Dice
6.1 Dice > Coin
REFLECTION
Experience
During the design process, I noticed that consistency was a recurring challenge. Early drafts often felt disconnected from the mood board, with mismatched fonts, overly dark colors, and layouts that lacked hierarchy. The initial candy pop art direction was visually energetic but not cohesive with the gameplay or theme. Through test prints and peer feedback, it became clear that readability, thematic alignment, and balance in color tones were critical for making the game feel approachable and engaging.
During the design process, I noticed that consistency was a recurring challenge. Early drafts often felt disconnected from the mood board, with mismatched fonts, overly dark colors, and layouts that lacked hierarchy. The initial candy pop art direction was visually energetic but not cohesive with the gameplay or theme. Through test prints and peer feedback, it became clear that readability, thematic alignment, and balance in color tones were critical for making the game feel approachable and engaging.
Observation
Working through multiple iterations was both exhausting and rewarding. From redesigning cards and rulebooks to adjusting the game board, each step demanded careful attention to detail. I often had to step in when teammates’ contributions didn’t align with the agreed design direction, which meant reworking elements like card layouts, board colors, and typography. Although this was frustrating at times, it also gave me the opportunity to take ownership of the design and push it toward a more polished and unified outcome
Findings
The process reinforced the importance of thematic coherence and user-centered design. Integrating everyday sweet elements like cookies and brown sugar elevated the game’s identity, making it feel warmer and more relatable. I also learned that small details such as rounded card corners, logo contrast, and color tone adjustments can significantly impact usability and perception. Ultimately, the project showed that clear communication, iterative refinement, and alignment with the mood board are essential for transforming a rough draft into a cohesive, engaging tabletop game.
The process reinforced the importance of thematic coherence and user-centered design. Integrating everyday sweet elements like cookies and brown sugar elevated the game’s identity, making it feel warmer and more relatable. I also learned that small details such as rounded card corners, logo contrast, and color tone adjustments can significantly impact usability and perception. Ultimately, the project showed that clear communication, iterative refinement, and alignment with the mood board are essential for transforming a rough draft into a cohesive, engaging tabletop game.