Week 05 - Not Lacrosse

This past week every group presented both their prototype and finalized versions of the paper prototypes we created. These paper prototypes are the fruit of our groups’ efforts in combining two existing sports. The two sports my group decided to pursue combining were lacrosse and roller derbies - blended into a new sport we dubbed Nullacrosse. Everyone in our group of three was assigned a job which ended up being very “important as [we] identi[fied] team roles and responsibilities [that proved] invaluable” to our time management (Macklin and Sharp). Outside of the main idea being constructed and talked about amongst everyone, we each had a role such as: Kat making the slides, Devyn making the board, and I making the final rules.

On Tuesday, much to our initial dismay, we three came with an incomplete version of our paper prototype as the board was not yet finished. However, I’d argue this worked well in our favor. With explaining the game and ‘playing’ through the steps that we had outlined, “shar[ing] the sketches … with stakeholders”, the other groups, we received valuable feedback (Macklin and Sharp). Their given input helped us figure out exactly how our paper prototype board should be set up as well as assisted in figuring out the paper prototype’s flaws such as: How would the center of the arena work, and would there be any rules for marbles crossing over the middle? 

Thus arose one of our challenges while designing the track and its paper equivalent, our group realizing some rules and game mechanics had to be sacrificed to make the game easier to understand on paper. It seemed that we had been looking too closely at the ideas of the physical version, so turning to the “simple and efficient means of exploring the most promising solutions” (Macklin and Sharp) became the solution. This simple and efficient fix came in the form of simply blocking off the center as in the actual sport, you cannot enter that part of the area. However, a rule had to be sacrificed as in Nullacrosse, you can pass the ball over the middle while you cannot in the paper prototype version. Adjustments had to be made, and the rule about passing over the middle was omitted.

In the paper prototype there are dice throws that, when made, allow the other team to intercept your marble’s rolling in attempts to make a goal. This, along with the rules about scoring a point when you roll an eight or failing to score when you roll an one, show to the players the skills you need to play this sport in reality. Nullacrosse players need good coordination and teamwork to play, and this comes across in the prototype with trying to aim for the opposing team/player’s goal. Though, the prototype also showed that chance has a large hold over the plays of the game. This is shown by rolling the dice, that threatening chance that the opposing team gets the ball- that they score a goal. In many sports, chance and skill are married together and Nullacrosse is no exception. Turning this idea into a “design [that] requires that the designer structure the idea so that it can be used to produce prototypes [and can be] playtested” was exceedingly difficult as we first focused on the real-life version of our fictional sport (Macklin and Sharp). However, it was done and our group’s project taught me that paper prototypes and actively changing should be encouraged. Change is not a bad thing, and the many changes made only worked to improve our game and final prototype.