Multiplayer Game

Brief:

“Create a physical game, that doesn’t require any special items and only has 1 A4 page of rules.”

About the game:
Group prototype
Team Size: 4
Development time: 1 month

This project is a minimalist physical party game designed for four or more players. One player takes on the role of a central guard and is blindfolded, while the remaining players form a circle around them. A small object is placed in front of the guard, and the surrounding players attempt to steal it and return to their positions without being detected.

The game focuses on tension, awareness, and social interaction rather than components or complex mechanics.

My Role and Contributions:

• Contributed heavily to rule design and refinement
• Ensured the full ruleset remained within the one-page constraint
• Helped clarify win conditions and player responsibilities
• Took structured notes during playtesting sessions
• Assisted with refining rules based on observed player behaviour

Maintaining clarity and simplicity while preserving tension was a key responsibility in this project.

Design Focus:

The primary design focus was accessibility. By removing specialised components and limiting the ruleset to one page, the game could be played in almost any environment with minimal preparation.

The blindfolded central role created asymmetry and tension, encouraging careful movement, bluffing, and group coordination among the surrounding players.

Playtesting and Iteration:

Playtesting highlighted how small rule changes could significantly affect pacing and fairness. Observations focused on how easily new players understood the rules and how quickly the game reached a stable rhythm.

Feedback identified areas where the central role could be given more agency, which informed ideas for future iteration.

Reflection and Future Improvements:

This project reinforced the importance of clarity and constraint in game design. Designing within strict limitations required prioritising core interaction over added complexity.

If revisited, I would explore additional mechanics that allow the central player more active win conditions without increasing rule complexity. This would improve balance while preserving the simplicity required by the brief.

PAGE 2 – GAME STORY AND RULES