OVERVIEW

The Artifice is a board game created to showcase the design of an entire system: graphic, text, communication, etc.

The game is set after a future war with machines has ravaged the planet. A group of weary travelers seek refuge at a human outpost. However, in order to gain entry to the facility, the humans will have to out the cyborgs hiding in their group.

The design is heavily inspired by the spirit and tone of the current renaissance of independently produced video games. Despite the bleak subject matter the visuals suggest something more poetic, if melancholic, and beautiful. 

06/2014   |   Project Duration: 14 Weeks  

Mood Boards

The first part of the process was to create a number of mood boards that were the tonal and aesthetic inspiration for The Artifice.

At the beginning of the game, each player secretly assumes the identity of either a human or a cyborg.

It is the players' job to find the other member of his/her cohort and destroy the other team. 

Players are selected to face off in mental tests where they can play either the Love or Fear card. Love advances power toward the human side whereas fear strengthens the cyborgs.

Players must take care because although they want to advance power for their side they do not want to be too obvious in their actions and therefore reveal their identity.

The game starts with the progress marker positioned in the neutral, center space of the game board. If the humans are successful the marker will move to the right: towards LOVE. 

If the cyborgs are successful, however, the marker will move to the left and the humans will be in jeopardy of succumbing to FEAR. First side to reach their end goal wins.

This titular device is the crux of the game. It secretly stores the identities of each player. Throughout gameplay, players will have the opportunity to try and crack The Artifice - to enter the code and see if 

their guesses are correct about which side everyone is on. If they are right, The Artifice will click open, if not, it will remain locked and the game continues.