Cat Distribution System
Making the purrfect matches
OVERVIEW
Cat Distribution System is a strategic tabletop card game all about matching cats to the best homes possible.
Players are encouraged to embrace their role as the invisible hand guiding the Cat Distribution System and compete against friends and family to make the most purrfect matches.
MY ROLE
Cat Distribution System was an independent project that I created in a Board Game Design course. I designed the art, design system, and game play from scratch using tools and techniques taught throughout the class.
AREAS OF FOCUS – CASE STUDIES
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GAME DESIGN
Gameplay mechanics
Cat Distribution System is a free-for-all strategy game where the only game components are two stacks of cards: Cat Cards and Home Cards. The game takes advantage of several mechanics including: turns, set collection, hand management, and deck/pool building.
Connecting the theme
When deciding how to implement the theme into the gameplay, it was very important that the game was family friendly and oriented around the goal of finding the best homes for cats. This manifested itself in various gameplay rules such as benefits for matching cats to homes based on how the cat interacts with other animals.
Playtesting
In order to refine the game play and design, I playtested the game numerous times with friends, family, classmates, course TAs, and my professor. A variety of players helped reveal different game scenarios.
Balancing the game
The frequency of each trait was assigned on a percentage basis and was adjusted through playtesting trial and error to balance the game difficulty and fairness.
DESIGN SYSTEM
Iconography
Clear and consistent symbols were crucial to effective gameplay. I created custom symbols to represent each trait from scratch in Illustrator.
Colors that work for everyone
My choice of colors was very purposeful. This palette is intended to be colorful, friendly, and inviting. And most importantly, accessible. An obvious visual difference between the Cat Cards and the Home Cards is crucial for all players, and these colors have clear visual differences when tested against 8 types of color blindness.
Unique illustration style
Many board games that feature cat characters use a cartoonish style, whereas Cat Distribution System's illustration differentiates itself through more realistic illustrations. Many of the cats featured in the game are representative of real-life cats, including my two cats, Aloe and Vera (featured below).
