Transformational games was a class that centered around teaching the design of games meant to elicit some kind of change from the player. We designed physical games, games that used mechanics like dice rolling or basic card mechanics. Throughout the course, we focused on rapid iteration, with the design life cycle for a game only lasting about 2 weeks. This helped to teach me the best ways to design and test rapidly and what should be focused on when you only have a short amount of time to design. In addition, we also had a group game assignment. This helped me understand the benefits of designing in a team and how to manage design work in a group. The entire process was collaborative, from the brainstorming to the final product. It was a learning opportunity that allowed me to understand the way that designs and ideas change when working as a team. Our team designed a game that is meant to encourage players to think about climate issues and challenges from perspectives that may be different from their own. This is meant to help teach players how to have difficult conversations about the climate with people who may not agree with them or may not understand their perspective. Each player is given a role with secret goals they must accomplish throughout the game while trying to come up with the best solutions to different problems.
