My Design Process PT 1
Throughout the years, there have been multiple iterations of Businessaire. It is important to note that Businessaire got its origins from another board game. This game was the first ever...
Throughout the years, there have been multiple iterations of Businessaire. It is important to note that Businessaire got its origins from another board game. This game was the first ever board game I created, it was called Street Business.
This was back during my undergraduate years at Drexel. I was on my co-operative studies cycle at the time. I was unable to secure an engineering job that was related to my major. Instead I was working 12 hour shifts at a factory 3-4 days a week. On my days off, I would usually game with my friends, at locations that were less than desirable. We often gambled on games of Madden, and NBA 2K in between games of Grand Theft Auto. A discussion came about on certain elements of Grand Theft Auto and although it was one of our favorite games, we still had honest criticism and debates on what would make it a better game.
This then led to me saying I can make a game like this but even more relatable to the things we have gone through growing up in Baltimore City. We produced ideas and I wrote down notes on a new game but when I asked if any of my friends would be interested in making a game, they all shied away from the idea. I was serious about creating a game at the time and would not allow my limited programming skills to stop me. I made the decision right after leaving the game session that I would create a board game.
After a few days of writing my ideas on paper, I jumped on the computer to figure out what program I was going to use to create the artwork for the game. This was my first time creating a game and stumbled on the option of using powerpoint to design my game spaces and cards. I figured I could use the powerpoint mini squared displays for the game spaces and cut them out to paste to a foam board. I got the foam board from an arts and craft store, along with some felt material to go with the dice rolling casino feel I wanted for the game.
I cut out red and black felt and neatly pasted it on the board’s open areas where the player pieces and cards would go. I created the cards and the money on powerpoint as well. I used a website with all the listed neighborhoods in Baltimore City to make sure I included enough of them; in addition to the ones I already knew. I took player pieces from another game. The first Street Business prototype was almost complete. Lastly, I got my cousin to create a centerpiece with the logo Street Business on it to lay on the board.