The Game Machine

We believe inspiration can come from anywhere. In this case, our initial idea came from a book on the theories of game design. We wanted to demonstrate the most interesting concepts of game design, while reinforcing that behind every game is a unique and complex machine—when you change one aspect, you create a cascade of changes across the entire gaming experience.

To do this, we developed a visual language for game mechanics. We added nodes and created elements to symbolize aspects like random events, values, and board position. We used an array of colors to represent characteristics of mechanics: either random, skilled, or political. Beyond producing a cool and captivating final product, we wanted all of our visual elements to carry meaning that reinforces the subject matter.