©2025, designed by Dennisa Angelica.
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Credits
Geography teachers tend to use the lecture method, which can make students passive, lack of interest, and easily bored (Azizah et al., 2024, p. 1528).
Leniawati et al. (2023, p.62) found that atmospheric material is classified as difficult material, because the discussion is very broad so that students become more passive.
Yuliati (2021, p. 34) stated that students have difficulties the most in identifying the layers of the atmosphere.
The layers of the Earth's atmosphere must be studied by students (Badan Standar, 2022, p. 14).
Students find it difficult to understand the material on the layers of the earth's atmosphere because the discussion is too broad, so they become passive.
Lack of interactive information media about the material of the Earth's atmospheric layers that help students memorize the material.
Support a learning process that engages students
Improve their thinking skills
Suitable for gen Z who lack sensitivity to their social environment
Solution?
Board Game
Tangerang. Based on static data taken from the Education Data Portal (2023), Kabupaten Tangerang has the largest population of grade 10 students compared to other cities, totaling 22,004 students.
Difficulty learning Earth's atmospheric layers
Sleepy & quiet
Likes to teach his friend to learn
Likes to learn with visuals
Background
Problem
Primary Audience
Demographic
Gender: All gender
Age: 14-17 years old
Grade: 10
SES: B-C
Geographic
Psychographic
DESIGN METHODOLOGY BREAKDOWN
Game Design Workshop: Playcentric Approach
by Tracy Fullerton
Finding the core problem of the design target, then determine the topic and content, and determine the media approach. After determining the topic and media approach, the next stage is brainstorming about the visual concept of the board game.
Testing the game mechanics in the physical prototyping stage, using paper and pencil to focus on the running of the designed mechanics, getting criticism and suggestions from players, and iterating. Followed by designing the board game components.
Conduct alpha testing and beta testing. Alpha testing was conducted with fellow designers to obtain feedback and then iterate the design. Feedback from the alpha test was then implemented into the design to be played during beta testing. Beta testing was conducted with 10th grade high school students in Tangerang.
Ideation
Prototyping
Playtesting
Observation
FGD
Questionnaire
Interview
Data Results
IDEATION PHASE
The teaching method is still teacher-centered
Students are still passive in class
The media used has not helped students' description of the concept of the earth's atmosphere
Observation
Questionnaire
65,2%
Learning geography through
teacher explanation
Constrained by the
learning media used
Incorrectly answered the
question about the layers
of the earth's atmosphere
46,1%
Difficult to memorize layer characteristics
Many
foreign terms
Learned, but forgot
62,6%
Insights
The results of interviews from geography teacher stated that today's teenagers are more open to interactive learning such as playing methods. The results of interviews with Guidance and Counseling teachers stated that students' learning styles are strongly influenced by their respective personalities and grade 10 students have adaptive characteristics. Then the results of interviews with board game experts stated that the educational elements and play elements must be balanced, prioritize an attractive visual style, and the game mechanism is made fair.
FGD
Finding it difficult to learn the layers of the atmosphere
The media used has not been helpful enough
Some were unable to answer knowledge questions about the Earth's atmospheric layers
The media preference is interactive media that can be used together
Prefer storytelling features and characters in learning media
IDEATION PHASE
Brainstorming
Mindmapping
Keywords
Kosmik, Dimensi, Eksplorasi
Big Idea
Voyage across the unleashed sky
Tone of Voice
Imaginative, Enthusiastic, Playful
Concept
Cartoon illustration style with simplified anatomy with a background illustration of atmospheric phenomena depicted with the visual metaphors. The color scheme is contrasting and colorful to match the atmospheric phenomena.
Moodboard & Color
Borgo et al. (2012) state that the use of metaphors in visuals can help to better remember the information depicted. The strategy in designing visual metaphors as not to lead to different interpretations is to maintain the similarity of visual forms (Steen, 2018, p. 150).
Did you know?
IDEATION PHASE
Turning Ideas into Game
Feature Design and Content Listing
Uh oh... this is too overwhelming, let me sum it up for you!
In this process, I designed the board game mechanism by adjusting to the target audience.
This board game mechanism is designed as a cooperative game between teams that compete to guess cards based on clues from the storyteller. The game is equipped with atmosphere cards, challenge cards, a game board, player pieces, and coin tokens worth 1-5 as a point system. In the final version, storytellers are limited to a maximum of three people who also act as moderators. The flexible mechanism allows adapting the number of teams to the needs of the class, encouraging interaction and understanding of atmospheric concepts in a fun way.
The player must guess two things: the name of the atmospheric layer and the phenomenon occurring. At the beginning of the game, players are given time to memorize the atmospheric card catalog, but cannot see it again once the game starts. This encourages teamwork and strategy. If the phenomenon guess is correct, the team gets an effect card that gives them an advantage; if it's wrong, they receive a challenge card that becomes an obstacle during the game.
I will breakdown the formal elements here:
1. Players: 2 teams guess each other's atmosphere card clue.
2. Objective: Reach the finish line by guessing the clue correctly.
3. Rules
Commander gives clue (max 2 cards per round).
Teams may not open the catalog during the game.
Answer consists of layer name & phenomenon.
Correct: take effect card & advance according to coin value.
Incorrect: move backward according to value.
4. The team that reaches the finish wins.
5. Procedure:
Determine Commander → form teams → choose meeples → memorize catalog
→ distribute cards → give clues → teams answer → Commander shows answers.
6. Conflict: The team guessed the wrong layer name when given the challenge card.
7. Resources: Effect cards & coin tokens.
8. Restrictions: Effect cards activate automatically each round (cannot be stacked).
9. Result: Team wins if it reaches the finish line first.
PROTOTYPING PHASE
Prototyping
PLAYTESTING PHASE
Playtesting
Designing the Logo
The chosen logo:
Proceed to digitalizing:
Iteration design:
FINAL LOGO_VERYFIX_FIXED.png
Designing the Cards
Designing the Game Board
Designing the Rulebook
Designing the Tokens
Designing the Meeples
Designing the Packaging
Front
Back
First thing first, playtest with confidants.
The alpha test was conducted during the Prototype Day event on May 14, 2025 at Multimedia Nusantara University from 09.15 WIB to 16.00 WIB. This playtesting was conducted to test game mechanics, game flow, player interaction, effectiveness of material delivery, and design evaluation.
When playing, because not all respondents who came were in groups, the mechanism was adjusted to the number of respondents who came. For example, if only 3 people came, then the mechanism was made into player vs player with 1 Commander.
The test results was carried out by filling out a Google Form questionnaire in the form of a Likert scale of 1-6. Questions are adjusted to Fullerton's playtesting instrument (2024).
Alpha Test Insights
92,4%
Average Score from 29 respondents
Highest score
97,7%
Game Board Visual Satisfication
Lowest score
Challenge Level Satisfaction
85,6%
Feedbacks
Clarify the rulebook, provide visualization of play
Enlarge the text size on atmospheric card catalog
Effect cards and challenges need to be specified in the rulebook
Lastly, playtest with the real target audience.
The beta test of the “Exosphoria” board game design was conducted on Friday, May 23, 2025 at 17.00 in Tangerang. Beta test participants are 10th grade students who attend schools in Tangerang. The number of beta test participants was 10 players, the maximum number of players for this board game is 12 players. The implementation of the beta test is based on the playtesting instrument proposed by Fullerton (2024, p. 318). The playtest is evaluated through FGD, observation, pre-test, and post-test questionnaire.
Based on observation before playing, all players spend approximately 3-5 minutes reading the rulebook. The players start the game without fully understanding the rulebook. While playing, players still read the rulebook and often open and close the rulebook (>5 times).
The formal elements shown by the players are including clue strategies usage such as word association & character names, coin and challenge card mechanism rated as fun and challenging, the challenge for Commander is that card illustrations are difficult to use as clues, and some players suggested to add snakes and ladders and give challenges on some tiles.
Beta Test Insights
Increase in Knowledge
After playing the board game
Based on the pre-test and post-test questionnaire results, there was an increase in knowledge after playing by 42.86%. The percentage increase indicates that there is a significant increase in knowledge, especially in questions about the thermosphere layer which increased from 10% to 90%. The material about the thermosphere and mesosphere as the hottest layer was understood much better after playing.
42,8%
Comparison Study
Geografi 1 SMA Kelas X Peminatan
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Threats
The information provided comes from credible sources and is in line with the school curriculum.
The presentation of chapters and subchapters is well organized.
Lacks digital elements such as simulations or videos that could enhance learning interest.
Tends to lead to teacher-centered learning, as the book is dominated by writing and practice questions.
This book can be integrated with digital platforms, making it more accessible.
This book can be disseminated in collaboration with the school.
The changing curriculum system may affect the level of book sales.
Lack of interest in reading among children today affects the book popularity
EMISI Board Game by WWF Indonesia
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Threats
Provides insight into environmental issues in a fun and engaging way.
Can be played by all ages.
Components using environmentally friendly materials.
Segmentation limited to audiences who like and care about environmental issues.
Needs further supervision if played by children so that educational messages are conveyed.
Uneven and exclusive distribution, as EMISI board game is not for sale.
As the times develop, people are increasingly
concerned about environmental issues, thus supporting the number of demand.
Can be disseminated in collaboration with the school.
Fierce competition with other board games that are more focused on entertainment and casual.
High production costs due to using environmentally friendly materials
Hall of Fame
Reflection & Suggestion
It is advisable to understand the needs of the target audience first before entering the stage of selecting suitable media. By doing so, the design solution provided will be effective and useful.
In the questionnaire section, it is better to focus each question of the questionnaire only on the topic addressed. Then, during the design process, it is necessary to create alternative designs and coloring such as alternative illustration styles to be able to determine the illustration style that best suits the target audience or provide opportunities for combinations between illustration styles to maximize design results. This also applies to the description of the character design process in the board game component.
Duration
Educational Board Game:
Exosphoria
Final Project
Team
4 months
Individual
