Name: Gentle Rain [Played with Janelle Rudolph in Class]
Creator: Kevin Wilson (Designer)
Platform: Board Game
Target Audience: People looking to relax, or decompress. It’s a game geared towards mindfulness, so anyone that wants to practice it really
Central Argument: This game is certainly the furthest away from relating to our “Pitch Perfect” game but I was surprised that I still took away several interesting concepts that I would incorporate into our project. Interestingly, the game has achieved the optimal balance between being meditative, calming and semi-frustrating. All three of these factors contribute to providing incentives to players to think strategically without too much mental stress. Much of the calming vibes are established through context – flowers in a pond. And the anticipation of completing all the flower blossoms keeps you engaged. Overall this interesting balancing act worked well, and I got a great sense of satisfaction when I completed the game with the other player. The underlying concepts (I will cover in detail later) that drive the success of the game such as passive cooperation and easy strategization are dynamics that I would want to incorporate into our game during team-mode.
Analysis: As aforementioned Gentle Rain utilizes several game mechanics that result in an interesting dynamic and ultimately a calming but engaging aesthetic. The first concept is what I define as “passive cooperation”. In the context of this board game, this manifests in executing a strategy alongside your playing partner to maximize the chances of completing all the blossoms. When we first played the game in class, Janelle and I were randomly placing the pieces without much thought. As a result we were lowering the probability of making a square significantly. On the second play we both recognized the dominant strategy was to produce a zig zag pattern with various offshoots. This cooperation was fun, and we both intuitively decided to make this pattern without much communication. As Janelle and I drew each card we were passively cooperating, and each time we made a square we both were equally excited. This is a vibe I would like to encapsulate when a team wins in Pitch Perfect. Therefore I believe that the cooperation between players paired with a surmountable learning curve works very well in inducing a sense of satisfaction amongst teammates. However, one thing I would do differently would make the learning curve a little more steep for my game. This is because as with most easy learning curves, replayability is quite low. Therefore I would like players to be able to be more strategic.
The balancing between achieving a vibe that is both calming and semi-frustrating was an interesting aspect of Gentle Rain. Janelle and I found it very frustrating at times when the tiles on the board worked in a way such that our zig zag pattern would not work. Furthermore the sense of impending doom became quite intense when we were low on tiles but still would have a few flowery blossoms left. The end of the game was very different compared to the start. The start was very peaceful when we were purposefully ‘investing’ tiles into the zig-zag pattern such that we would easily be able to make blossom squares in the late game. This dichotomy created a great emotional contrast that made the sense of achievement more intense at the end of the game. Building towards a common goal, and then achieving that goal is certainly very satisfying for players working in a team. And to that end I believe Pitch Perfect should always be played in teams to ensure that there is a stronger emotional response than you would get as individuals.
Learning:
Indeed this game has masterfully appealed to two aesthetics: sensation and challenge.
The first aesthetic is achieved through a combinations of different factors. The dynamic of passive cooperation between players paired with the context of the game (building a pond out of tiles and placing blossoming flowers) creates a meditative vibe that I found very calming. Also, the tensile/visual satisfaction when carefully placing the tiles down on the table is akin to painting or drawing. Moreover the game certainly leans into calming sensation by also recommending that you find a peaceful room/area and even play ambient music in the background. Ultimately I think the primary aesthetic of this game is effective in inducing a state of mindfulness and relaxation within players.
The second aesthetic drives the game – which is challenge. The challenge of ensuring that all flower blooms are expended before the tiles run out requires strategic thinking. The way the tiles are setup, one must maximize the likelihood of the next tile being able to form a square. It’s hard to explain in writing however there are certain shapes that should be avoided and others that should be used. In the end the overall aesthetic of challenge permeates throughout the entire game and keeps players engaged. Nevertheless, I do think the amount of challenge can limit the replayability of this game. For example I think that the next time I play I will pretty much use the same strategy again.
In conclusion I believe that this game was designed for mindfulness. And therefore it has tried to maximize the aesthetic of being visually appealing and calming for the player. Just so, there is a tradeoff with challenge and replayability as a result. But viewing the game as a mindfulness exercise I think it’s great, and perhaps I could incorporate this into Pitch Perfect. 3.5/5
Evidence:
