Game Studies - Ruleset Exercise

Name: Liong Xenyi (0383125)

Module: Game Studies (GCD61504)
Date: 19/05/2026 - 29/05/2026 (Week 5 - Week 6)
Degree: Bachelor of Design (Honors) in Creative Media 
University: Taylor's University

Instructions

1. What game did you start with?
2. What game or variation did you make out of it?
3. The rule writing experience, how did it go, what was your focus?
4. The playtest, how did it go, what surprised you?
5. What you learnt from it, what did you change?
6. What will you consider the next time you write rules?

Please also add the rules your group came up with (can be a pic).

And pictures of the original game/playtest/reactions to illustrate!

Process

There were two weeks where we practiced making rules and implementing them for others to play. The first week, we used an existing game and make up our own rules. For the second week, we have to make a short 5-10 minutes game from scratch.

First Game:

Fig 1.1 Tahilalats

1. We got a card game called Tahilalats, an Indonesian card game. Because we got the last game available, we couldn't choose, which is unfortunate because none of us understand Indonesian Bahasa, so it was difficult to translate. It was especially more difficult because this game's main goal is about the humor in the story displayed on the cards, but we didn't have enough time to translate each one, so we guessed it along the way.

2. Since there were many coloured groups, and each group has 4 cards, we played around with the rules and included rules like Old Maid or the property aspect of Monopoly Deal. However, it was hard to come up with different rules or test out the play because only 2 group members were present.

3. It was difficult to come up with rules, especially for a game in another language, and we tried our best to make sense of it. Sometimes we came across roadblocks and it made us frustrated. Our main focus was to have the players be competitive by pairing the groups as many as possible, till the player finishes their card.

4. During the playtest, we came across many things that doesn't make sense or sometimes it feels like it's going nowhere. So we stop and redo some rules, either removing or adding new rules. It was mostly frustrating with this card game and wished I could change, but I stuck through it.

5. I learned that making rules for games is a really difficult task, as it needs the developers to see all angles of the game, such as perspective of the players, times when rules doesn't work or make sense, or how to balance fun, challenges and skills into the game. We changed the rules and made it simpler by removing certain rules. At first, we allowed the players to take from either the pile or other player's hands, but changed that to just asking the player if they have the card group, and then taking it from them, if not, from the pile.

6. The next time when writing rules, I should write down my ideas either in a Word document or brainstorm random ideas and create a checklist. This is to see if it makes sense or test if it works. I think it would be better to have a set of questions to ask myself or the team if it works or it doesn't, and see all sides of the game. 

Second Game:

The criteria was that we needed to make a simple game that is about 5-10 minutes, and include a mixture of luck and skill for any number of players that we decide on.

We couldn't think of anything at the first few minutes. After a while, I suggested something that is two player, since, once again, there were only 2 of us. At first, we wanted to make it where 2 players fight on opposite sides of the board towards a goal, and can fight each other if they meet. We made the path into colour-coded circles, where if the player lands on said colour, they have to roll either even or odd numbers of 4 dice and move according to the number of dice that fulfills the requirement.

Fig 1.2 Planning the game

At first, it seemed pretty fast, and also the goal seems too easy. However, when we meet the other player, it was hard to get the goal back to the player's end, where it seems it will not end. So we scraped that and changed the goal and path. After some suggestions, we changed the rules to the players starting on one side, then having to reach the other end, which is the goal. It still has the same dice mechanics, but we added more to add to the challenge. 

We added a key at the side of the board to remind players which colour is for which dice requirement. 'Monsters' were added, so when players land on the monster spot, they have to fight them, by rolling the dice and getting a higher number, and then could move on, if not, they go back a spot. White spots are added too, where they have to move one spot back if they land on it. 

Fig 1.3 The details of the game

This time we scribbled down the rules and kept changing it if it doesn't make sense or work well. It definitely worked much better compared to the previous week. There was more clarity and direction for this game, and was less confusing when testing out the game. We could easily mark down the rules that didn't make sense or needed refining.

Fig 1.4 Game board, rules, sketches

These were the rules we established:

• reach the goal at the end of the board
• 2-4 players
• 4 dice
• roll the condition of the colour to move accordingly
• yellow: even, out of the 4 dices, they need to roll even numbers, and can move the number of even numbered dived they rolled
• orange: odd, same as above but for odd numbers
• white: go back one spot
• monsters: only have to fight if you land on that spot; on the next turn, roll the number  listed next to the monster to kick the monster off the board, or higher to move one spot from the monster; if you roll lower than the number, you loose and have to move two steps back
• same spot: if two players are at the same spot, they have to fight against each other; based on the colour they're on, the person who rolls the highest number of dice wins and stays, and the loser goes back one step; the winner, despite turn rotation, moves next
• green: special risks conditions: each block have a risk, etc: roll below 10 and move 1 step, 10-16 don't move, above 16 move 2 steps

We got other players to test the game. When my groupmate and I played, we took about 6 minutes. But the other players took 11 minutes, as they sometimes they were stuck in certain obstacles and have to constantly fight each other and additionally the monster. The whole game went pretty smoothly, and they understood the rules easily enough. They said they had fun and is a good solid game for this session. We were glad we got the feedback and will keep this experience in mind.