Travel here to explore our expansion of the game fish reproduction!

Zoe Clute, Khushi Malde, Arnav Mehta, Jason Lin, Gordon Yeung

Our Game Assets: Final P4 Assets

Overview

Welcome! 🐟Fish Reproduction 🐟 is an educational systems game where players attempt to navigate ecosystem changes, climate events, and species mechanics to grow their fish population as much as possible. 

The concept for our game came from the threats and challenges that coral reefs face today, and brainstorming about how to educate players about the specific impacts of those threats, as well as the unique strategies fish use to reproduce (including mouth brooding, broadcast spawning, and more). The game aims to include sensory fun in the form of well-designed pieces, exciting colors, and interesting images, as well as discovery (players may be unfamiliar with the species, reproductive strategies, and threats). We also believe that there is fellowship in the game, as players can compete with or trade with other players, leading to interaction. 

We aimed to represent a reef system in Fish Reproduction, as initially diagrammed below: 

For P4, we focused on aesthetic updates and one main mechanics change, including:

1. Designing, modeling, and 3D printing a custom game board
2. Laser-cutting a wooden box and designing graphics + packaging
3. Designing and laser-cutting game pieces, such as fish tokens, energy tokens, etc.
4. Updates to cards and material finishes
5. Added a mechanic called interspecific competition, which allows players more freedom and strategy in their actions and increases interaction between players. The core of the mechanic is to let players with fewer fish compete with other players to gain resources quickly.

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Updates:

Mechanic Change:

We added a new competitive interaction between players called Interspecific Competition, which is fully detailed in the rules. This mechanic allows players to challenge their adjacent neighbors (those sitting directly to their left or right) when they have fewer fish tokens than their target. Successful challengers gain resources while defenders must sacrifice either fish or energy tokens. 

Rationale

This change aims to enhance the game in several key ways. First, it introduces direct player interaction that mirrors real reef ecosystems (and fun games), where species compete for limited resources and territory. Second, it creates a natural balancing mechanism – players with smaller populations can use conflict to slow down leaders, while larger populations must carefully manage their advantage. Third, it adds meaningful strategic decisions around when to compete versus focusing on reproduction and resource gathering. The territorial conflict system reinforces the educational aspects of reef dynamics by demonstrating how competition shapes marine ecosystems, while keeping the core focus on population growth and resource management. This gives trailing players more agency through strategic aggression, while leading players must weigh the risks of expanding their population against becoming a more tempting target, creating gameplay that remains grounded in the biological concepts we aim to teach.

In earlier iterations of the game, player choices were limited. Players could either collect a resource or draw an event card, making gameplay mechanical and algorithmic. Once players discovered optimal strategies, turns became predictable and lacked meaningful decision-making. This made the game feel more like following a predetermined path rather than engaging in strategic thinking.

The introduction of competition helped this dynamic. Players now must carefully consider multiple factors in their decision-making process. They pay close attention to other players’ fish populations, weighing the risks and benefits of conflict. Those with smaller populations can take calculated risks to gain free resources through successful attacks, while those with larger populations must balance growth against becoming vulnerable targets. This creates a constantly shifting strategic landscape.

Particularly in the endgame, this mechanic adds exciting tension as players in second place can directly challenge the leader, creating more player interaction and dramatic moments. Our playtest confirmed the impact of this change. We observed players monitoring other players’ fish populations and choosing to attack- an aspect absent from earlier versions. The game thus evolved from a solely resource management exercise into an interactive experience where players must read the game state, anticipate opponents’ moves, and make tactical decisions.

Aesthetic Changes: 

The primary updates were focused on aesthetics of different game components, transforming the game into a more immersive and visually appealing experience.

Game Board

One significant change was the creation of a 3D-printed Great Barrier reef as the game board. This change elevated the tactile engagement of players but also added an element of authenticity and context to the theme of fish reproduction, helping players feel more connected to the ecological narrative. The detailed topography of the reef (which was actually accurate to the reef in Australia!) added reality and a cool texture, increasing the sensory aspect. 

Process

 

3D printing the game board; Proposed tray to add to “Ocean” so resources were easier to store

Product

 

 

Energy Tokens

Another aesthetic change involved the laser cutting of energy tokens and the game box. The energy tokens are now lightning-bolt shaped and colored gold. This improvement ensures that players can easily identify and interact with the tokens, streamlining the gameplay and reducing any potential confusion. They’re also a nice size to grab and easy to pick up. 

Process               

Using glowforge to laser cut tokens

Product              

Game Box

We also laser cut the game box, finalized with custom-printed stickers and decoupage. A well-designed box not only protects the components but also sets the tone for the game! We believe our box is visually compelling and inviting, which was shown in our final playtest – people at the party were super curious to see what was inside. 

Process

 

Product

Cards & Fish Tokens

After observing the results of our playtests, we decided to remove the shark species from the game, as it added confusion about the ecological dynamics we were trying to simulate. Players wanted the shark to be able to eat the other fish, and it wasn’t clear why the shark’s “food” looked the same as the herbivore or plankton-eating species. 

Meanwhile, we also designed new fish tokens that feature designs that represent different species of fish, including the Ring-Tailed Cardinalfish (purple to match their eye spots), Striped Poison-Fang Blenny (orange), Reef Manta Ray (turquoise), and Humphead Parrotfish (green), creating a more intuitive and visually appealing gameplay experience. Players can easily distinguish between species by colors and/or icons, which helps them better understand the biodiversity highlighted in the game and allows for accessibility (even for colorblind players, the tokens can be easily distinguished). These tokens also aim to contribute to the tactile engagement of players.

Also, in earlier playtests, some players expressed difficulty in interpreting card instructions. In view of this, the card and “player mat” designs now feature a clearer layout, visually striking photographs, symbols to represent particular pieces (such as a lightning bolt for energy and a fish for a fish token), and more legible text, ensuring that players can easily understand and engage with the game mechanics. The new design not only enhances usability but also reinforces the thematic elements of the game, immersing players in the underwater ecosystem while maintaining functional clarity.

“Player Mat” components

Example species card

Fish token “glow up” from first edition of the game

Final Game Pieces

Game Bits

1x d10

1x d “2-4” (can use a d6 where 1 and 2 = 2, 3 and 4 = 3, and 5 and 6 = 4), or cover the other numbers on the d6. 

1x d8

1x normal d6

Energy tokens

Reef resources (coral, food, clean water, and warmth)

Reef board with ocean “bank”

Fish tokens for each species

Species cards, nursery cards, and “on your turn” action cards for each player

Rules

Overview

Welcome to Fish Reproduction! In this game, you represent a species of fish living in the Great Barrier Reef. Your objective is to grow your fish population as large as possible by gathering resources, reproducing, and navigating the challenges that reef life presents.

Setup

Each player starts with:

1. A species card that explains how your fish reproduces and provides important details about your species. This card is either orange, green, purple, or turquoise, and features a picture of your fish at the top. 
2. 5 energy tokens.
3. Fish tokens:
   • Ring-Tailed Cardinalfish, Striped Poison-Fang Blenny, and Humphead Parrotfish start with 2 fish tokens each.
   • Reef Manta Ray starts with 1 fish token.

Reef Bank and Ocean Resources

• There are 4 types of resources in the reef bank: Water, Coral, Food, and Warmth.
• Each resource type is divided into 4 columns, with 8 resources in each column (2 resources per slot).
  • Column 1: Costs 1 energy to pick a resource.
  • Column 2: Costs 2 energy.
  • Column 3: Costs 3 energy.
  • Column 4: Costs 4 energy.
• If the reef bank runs out of a resource, you may venture into the Ocean which has unlimited resources, but it costs 6 energy per resource.

Game Play

Each turn, a player must:

Choose ONE of these main actions for (1-3)

1. Get one resource: 
   • You may pick one resource from either the reef bank or the ocean
   • Resources from the reef bank cost 1-4 energy depending on the column
   • Resources from the ocean cost 6 energy
   • Always take from the least expensive column first

2. Gain energy and trigger event: 
   • Gain 3 energy for free
   • Immediately draw and play a random event card

3. Interspecific Competition: 
   • Players can engage in interspecific competition with adjacent players to compete for dominance and resources on the reef. This action allows players to attack without an energy cost, with potential gains or losses based on the outcome.
   • How It Works/Eligibility:
     • Each player can only attack the players sitting directly to their left or right
     • This creates a circular conflict pattern where everyone has two potential targets
   • Initiating a Conflict:
     • On your turn, you may choose to initiate Competition in addition to your other actions
     • Cost: No energy cost to initiate the attack
   • Calculating Attack Strength:
     • Advantage to the Underdog: The player with fewer fish tokens gains an advantage
     • Determine the number of fish tokens each player has:
       • Attacker’s Fish Count: Number of fish tokens the attacker has on the board
       • Defender’s Fish Count: Number of fish tokens the defender has on the board
       • A player cannot attack another player who has fewer fish tokens than them
     • The player with fewer fish tokens uses the difference in fish counts as the number of dice to roll
       • Example: If the attacker has 3 fish tokens and the defender has 5 fish tokens, the attacker rolls 2 dice (5 − 3 = 2)
   • Resolving the Conflict:
     • The player with fewer fish tokens rolls their allotted dice
   • Success Condition:
     • If any die rolls a 5 or 6, the player with fewer fish wins the conflict
     • If none of the dice show a 5 or 6, the player with fewer fish loses the conflict
   • Outcome:
     • If the Attacker Wins:
       • The defending player chooses to lose either: 1 fish token, removing it from the board OR 4 energy tokens, discarding them from their energy pool
       • The attacking player gets 2 resources of their choice for free from the ocean
     • If the Attacker Loses: The attacking player chooses to lose either:
       • 1 fish token, removing it from the board OR
       • 4 energy tokens, discarding them from their energy pool
   • Special Considerations for Reef Manta Ray:
     • Each Reef Manta Ray fish token counts as 2 fish when calculating fish counts (this is why they have a 2 written on them!)

Gamemaker Note: At the end of the report, we have an expanded section of this mechanic.

After completing their main action, a player may also do either or both: 

1. Reproduce: 
   • If you have the right combination of resources, discard them and follow your species card to reproduce
   • You can reproduce only once per turn
2. Exchange fish tokens for energy: 
   • Sacrifice existing fish tokens to gain energy
   • Depending on your species, each exchange gives you 4 or 8 energy
   • You can exchange multiple fish tokens

Reef Events (When a column is emptied)

When a column in the reef bank runs out of resources (i.e., the last resource in that column has been taken), the player who takes the last resource must pause their turn and follow these steps:

1. Draw two event cards.
2. Choose one event card to play and return the unused one to the deck.

• The chosen event card will take effect, impacting the resources, players, or the reef itself.
  • Example 1: If the event card says, “Add 1 coral,” you would add 1 coral resource to the most expensive available column (e.g., Column 4).
  • Example 2: If the event card says, “Manta loses 1 fish,” the player controlling the Reef Manta Ray must immediately discard 1 fish token.

Example Situation:
If you take the last resource from Column 1 (which costs 1 energy), you must:

1. Pause your turn.
2. Draw two event cards.
3. Choose one event card to resolve (e.g., “Add 2 food” or “All players lose 1 energy”) and return the other to the deck.

After resolving the event, you resume your turn.

Ending the Game

The game continues until the end of a round where:

1. One or more players have either: 
   • 16 or more fish tokens (for non-manta ray species), or
   • 8 or more manta ray tokens (for Reef Manta Ray, since each are worth 2), or
2. All resources from the reef bank are depleted

When a player reaches the fish token threshold during their turn, all other players complete their turns for that round.

Scoring:

• The player with the most fish tokens wins 
  • Reef Manta Ray tokens count as 2 points each
  • All other fish tokens count as 1 point each
• If tied for fish tokens, the player with the most energy wins
• If energy is also tied, the player with the most leftover resources wins

 

Playtesting/Versions

In-Class Playtest

After adding the mechanic change, we playtested the game in class. We playtested it with four players – two female and two male. All players were under the age of 26. The following pictures show the playtest in action:

 

From this particular playtest, the following is the feedback we received:

• The new mechanic creates some interdependence between players which makes it more exciting. However, fish being able to attack the shark does not make sense (one player asked “wait, why can I attack a shark?”) and so that is something we need to rethink.
• One playtester commented that we need to “communicate more with symbols” and that having “actually fun facts” might help players look more closely at the fish.
• People enjoyed the event cards, and the rock-paper-scissors aspect of “competition” in the event cards. This indicates that more player interaction is probably better. 
• Currently the game is too predictable. It is easy to figure out the best strategy to win and after that playing the game again can be boring. This led to a huge discussion about changing the game such that each player owns a part of the reef, adding more conflict, and adding more elements of challenge (e.g a set of common and private goals players have to achieve). 
• Keeping track of rounds proved to be challenging, and so the end condition of “the game ends after 10 rounds” is not the best. 

Given this feedback, we decided to do the following:

• We decided to change the fish species so that there is no shark in the game. Instead, there is a Reef Manta Ray. This makes the game more realistic, as players were confused about why a blenny could attack a shark, the shark not eating the other fish, etc. 
• The suggestion of changing the game such that each player owns a part of the reef was a great one, but we decided not to implement this change at this time. This was primarily because of the time constraints and our aesthetic goals for this update. The next iteration of the game design would likely include this change, and we would aim to playtest this set of mechanic modifications several times in order to achieve proper balance and ensure the functionality of the new version. Considering the scope of this project, we elected to keep the fish species structure for the time being. 
• We focused on aesthetic changes instead to make the game more attractive and exciting to play
• We changed the end condition to the end the round when at least one player reaches 16 fish (or 8 for the Manta Ray)

 

Out-of-Class Final Playtest

Our final playtest was conducted at a party in San Francisco with 4 testers, all in their mid-20s (2 women and 2 men). The environment was exciting, as many people at the party came over to look at the game, which meant some additional commentary got sprinkled in throughout this playtest by other folks, also in their early to mid 20s. 

 

From this playtest, we received the following feedback:

• “That was fun!”
• “Wait, you made that?! I want to play!”
• “That was awesome!”
• “Have different color dice to match the species with the right numbers.”
• “It would be more fun if you could buy multiple resources at once.”
• “Isn’t it supposed to be interspecific competition?” 
• “Maybe a different name?” 
  • “Go, fish!” 
  • “Spawntan” “Caspawn”
  • “Great Barrier Methods”
• “It would be helpful to have a tray to keep all your bits”

From this playtest, we only had time to update the typo about interspecific competition (previously, it had been miswritten as “intraspecific competition.” We were glad our playtesters enjoyed the game, and would in the future try to include additional pieces such as matching dice and trays for keeping your resources near your playspace. We are also open to changing the name, though our team appreciates the current, ultra-direct version of a moniker, and we may need to run additional feedback sessions before committing to a new title. 

Future Design Direction: Multi-Species Reef Ecosystem

Note: The following mechanic changes were considered for future implementation but weren’t included in the current version due to time constraints and need for extensive playtesting.

Core Changes:

• Players manage multiple species instead of one
• Each player starts with 2 fish tokens of each species
• Players can reproduce any species on their turn
• Shift from pure population growth to ecosystem management

Points System:

1. Base Points
   • Each surviving fish provides points
   • Manta Ray tokens still count as 2 points
2. Achievement Cards
   • 5 public goal cards available to all players
   • 2 private goal cards per player
   • Example goals:
     • Successfully reproduce all species once
     • Achieve 7 fish in one reproduction action
     • Maintain specific species ratios
   • First player to complete a goal claims the card and points
3. End-Game Bonuses
   • 5 points for having majority in any species
   • 10 points for balanced ecosystem (2:2:2:1 ratio across species)

Game End Trigger

• Game ends when 7 achievement cards have been claimed (combination of public and private goals)
• This creates strategic tension between rapid achievement completion and ecosystem building

Strategic Depth:

• Players must balance between:
  • Specializing in specific species vs maintaining diversity
  • Racing for achievement cards vs building sustainable populations
  • Competing for majority bonuses vs achieving ecosystem balance

This design would shift the game from pure population growth to a more nuanced ecosystem management experience, rewarding both specialization and diversity strategies.

Appendix: Expansion on the new mechanic – Interspecific Competition

Expansion on the new mechanic: Interspecific Competition

Players can engage in Interspecific Competition with adjacent players to compete for dominance and resources on the reef. This action allows players to attack without an energy cost, with potential gains or losses based on the outcome.

How It Works/Eligibility:

• Each player can only attack the players sitting directly to their left or right
• This creates a circular conflict pattern where everyone has two potential targets

Initiating a Conflict:

• On your turn, you may choose to initiate Competition in addition to your other actions
• Cost: No energy cost to initiate the attack

Calculating Attack Strength:

• Advantage to the Underdog: The player with fewer fish tokens gains an advantage
• Determine the number of fish tokens each player has:
  • Attacker’s Fish Count: Number of fish tokens the attacker has on the board
  • Defender’s Fish Count: Number of fish tokens the defender has on the board
  • A player cannot attack another player who has fewer fish tokens than them
• The player with fewer fish tokens uses the difference in fish counts as the number of dice to roll
  • Example: If the attacker has 3 fish tokens and the defender has 5 fish tokens, the attacker rolls 2 dice (5 − 3 = 2)

Resolving the Conflict:

• The player with fewer fish tokens rolls their allotted dice
• Success Condition:
  • If any die rolls a 5 or 6, the player with fewer fish wins the conflict
  • If none of the dice show a 5 or 6, the player with fewer fish loses the conflict

Outcome:

• If the Attacker Wins:
  • The defending player chooses to lose either:
    • 1 fish token, removing it from the board OR
    • 4 energy tokens, discarding them from their energy pool
  • The attacking player gets 2 resources of their choice for free from the ocean
• If the Attacker Loses:
  • The attacking player chooses to lose either:
    • 1 fish token, removing it from the board OR
    • 4 energy tokens, discarding them from their energy pool

Special Considerations for Reef Manta Ray:

• Each Reef Manta Ray fish token counts as 2 fish when calculating fish counts (this is why they have a 2 written on them!)
• When losing a conflict, manta ray players should choose to lose energy tokens instead of fish tokens due to their higher value

Example Scenario
Setup:

• Player 1 has 3 fish tokens and 5 energy tokens
• Player 2 (sitting to Player 1’s right) has 6 fish tokens and 7 energy tokens
• (Players 3 and 4 are also in the game but not involved in this example conflict)

Player 1’s Turn:

1. Initiate Conflict:
   • Player 1 decides to engage in a Territorial Conflict against Player 2
   • Cost: No energy cost
2. Calculate Fish Counts:
   • Player 1’s Fish Tokens: 3
   • Player 2’s Fish Tokens: 6
   • Difference in Fish Counts: 6 − 3 = 3
   • Player 1 will roll 3 dice
3. Roll the Dice:
   • Player 1 rolls: 2, 5, 3
   • They rolled a 5, so they win the conflict
4. Outcome:
   • Player 1 gets to take 2 resources of their choice
   • Player 2’s Choice:
     • Must choose to lose either:
       • 1 fish token, reducing their fish tokens to 5
       • 4 energy tokens, reducing their energy tokens to 3
   • Player 2 decides to lose 4 energy tokens, preferring to keep their fish tokens

Alternative Outcome (If Player 1 Loses):

• If Player 1 had rolled 2, 3, 4 (no 5 or 6), they would lose the conflict
• Player 1’s Choice:
  • Must choose to lose either:
    • 1 fish token, reducing their fish tokens to 2
    • 4 energy tokens, reducing their energy tokens to 1
• Player 1 decides to lose 1 fish token to preserve their energy for future actions

Note: On Player 1’s next turn, they could choose to attack either Player 2 or Player 4 (the player to their left), but not Player 3.

Summary

In P4, we refined our educational board game “Fish Reproduction”, which simulates the challenges of fish populations in the Great Barrier Reef.  Key refinements include aesthetic changes such as a 3D-printed game board and laser-cut pieces for a more engaging and tactile experience.   Additionally, we redesigned the fish tokens to represent distinct species, enhancing visual appeal and gameplay clarity.  The cards and player mats now feature clearer layouts, vibrant photographs, and symbols for better readability and understanding.    In terms of mechanics, we also introduced “interspecific competition,” a new mechanic that adds strategic depth by allowing players with smaller populations to compete for resources with those who have larger populations.  This creates dynamic player interactions and strategic decision-making as players balance resource acquisition with population growth. These refinements have transformed “Fish Reproduction” into a more immersive and strategically engaging game while maintaining its educational focus on ecological dynamics.

Link to a “Print at Home” Version

This link  contains the files for all digital assets, including the Reef + Ocean (the game board), the event cards, the back of the event cards, and the rules book.  This link contents a printable version of the rule book.

All cards are designed to be affixed to 3×5 index cards . Print everything and cut out tokens, grab your dice, and you are all set!