In today’s fast-paced world, it’s vital to take moments to disconnect, recharge, and find joy in activities that stimulate both the mind and body. Through board games, role-playing games (RPGs), alternative sports, and team-building exercises, students will explore how recreational games offer more than just entertainment—they are powerful tools for developing critical life skills. This project will challenge students to identify and cultivate the essential skills of collaboration, communication, critical thinking, creativity, and leadership. By the end of the week, students will not only have enhanced their understanding of these skills but will also apply them in the creation of their own game or recreational activity. This experience aims to provide students with a deeper awareness of how play and competition can fuel personal growth, team dynamics, and leadership capabilities.
Day 1: Introduction to Game Mechanics & Designs
In the start of our day, we decided to play some games to get to know each other more (get-to-know-you games, if you will). After that, we talked about how games are developed, and what games are. This led to the discovery that everything is, to a certain point, a game! Once we started to get to know each other more, we separated into groups to play games like Sorry!, Connect 4, Trouble, and Castle Panic! After lunch, we came back and continued to play social group games like Gartic Phone and Salad Bowl. We pushed the idea of using strategies in games like Dots & Boxes and Chess. To wrap the day, we worked on developing/brainstorming ideas for our own games that will be displayed at the symposium.
Day 2: Teambuilding & Teamwork in Recreation
Before jumping into the game design process, we spent time discussing the importance of leadership and the importance of friendly competition. We played a variety of teambuilding games including Family Portraits and a variety of Ring-and-Ball games to test the group's communication and problem solving abilities. After lunch, the group visited Shield Comics & Games in Laconia, NH to learn a bit more about the social aspect of the gaming industry. Mr. Jason Thomas (our very own Ms. Thomas's dad and owner of Shield Comics & Games) generously hosted us in his space to answer questions about his business and how it creates a sense of community for his customers, what determines the value of trading cards, and how to play Magic the Gathering. After that, we visited Escape Rooms Concord, NH, and split into two teams: Team Lion's Den & Team Enigma. Team Lion's Den, which played a Nicolas Cage, National Treasure-esque challenge, were able to escape the quickest, flexing great teamwork and collaboration skills throughout. It was a great, fun-filled day!
Day 3: An Inside Look at the Recreational Gaming Industry
For the third day of Project Week, Game On! turned our focus from at-home and small business gaming to larger businesses with more of a national and even international audience of customers. After learning a bit more about Tabletop Tycoons Inc., the company that makes and distributes the boardgame Everdell. Ben Rathbone, Managing Director of Tabletop Tycoons, gave us an awesome tour of the facilities, which included the company's game hall, kitchen, pinball/arcade room, testing room, warehouse, and theater, followed by an extremely informative Q&A in their conference room. They were even generous enough to let us play a collection of their board games! After that, we fueled up with some food and arcade games at Dave & Busters to see yet another side of the gaming industry which includes video carnival style games.
Day 4: Game Design and Production Part 1
After three days of fun, learning about game mechanics, design, testing, and distribution, it was time for the Game On! team to put their new skills to the test. We split into two teams who will compete in a head-to-head competition to see who can design and develop an entirely new and innovative game. Our teams consist of Jake, Steven, Lewis, Tosin, and Andrew who will be producing a card game and Mary, JJ, Gabe, Marek, and Max who will be producing a tabletop game that combines soccer and pinball/air hockey. The two teams worked to establish a materials list after being given a budget for supplies and took trips to local craft supply stores to get the gear they needed. The group is learning one lesson quickly: it's a lot easier to play games than it is to create them from scratch!
Day 5: Game Design & Production Part 2
The pressure was on for our last full day of Project Week, as the Game On! gang worked extremely hard to get the finishing touches on their games. While the card game crew had an easy time developing the game, now named FBI, writing down clear rules for others to follow proved to be a bit more challenging. For the tabletop soccer team, a.k.a. FutPin, creating the game pieces proved to be the far more labor-intensive work. Thanks to the handy work of NHS's very own Bruce Harvey, the FutPin team was able to get critical pieces of their wooden board cut to size and, after some last minute adjustments to the game idea, were able to produce not one, but TWO themed playing fields. The two presented their finished products in a mock symposium as they prepare their work for review from the entire NHS community when we return from March Vacation. The stakes are high, and prizes are on the line for the team who gets the most community votes during the symposium. Be sure to cast your votes when the time comes!