A current on paper

Preserve the key decision of a digital mechanic in a simple tabletop prototype.

A boat crosses a river with moving obstacles. The player chooses between a short dangerous route and a longer calm one. Move this situation onto a grid: the boat and current move in steps, while tokens represent the water state.

Board and pieces

• No screen, timer or facilitator making the player’s decisions is needed.
• A game lasts no more than ten turns.
• Before choosing a route, the player sees at least some consequences of the next step.

1. Write down the decision you want the adaptation to preserve.
2. Define the order of boat, current and obstacle movement.
3. Play the short and long routes from the same starting state. Clarify the collision rules.

A board, single-turn rules and a comparison of the two routes.

• Another person can play a turn without extra verbal rules from the designer.
• The routes differ in risk or cost, not just appearance.
• List the feelings of the digital version that the paper prototype cannot test.

Which decision survived the adaptation? What was lost by making time turn-based?