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BRIEF & CONTEXT
Phad Ki Khoj (The Search for Phad) tackles the challenge of revitalizing the 700-year-old Phad art of Rajasthan—a traditional form of religious scroll painting and oral storytelling.
The project's objective was to use game design fundamentals to create an educational and engaging card game. This game serves as a modern entry point, introducing players to the art's rich history while actively encouraging them to perpetuate its storytelling tradition through interactive play.
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DESIGN METHODOLOGY
RESEARCH
Game Research.
Phad Research.
Phad-art Workshop.
Selecting Domain.
BRAINSTORMING
Game Objectives.
Target Audience.
Game Ideation.
Sketching.
Gameplay.
PROTOTYPING
Making makeshift cards, tokens, & rule cards from existing game kits.
USER-TESTING
In-group Playtesting.
User Testing.
Analysis.
Game Iterations.
Defining Gameplay.
VISUAL DESIGN
Visual Storytelling.
Graphic Design.
Infographics.
Layout.
PRODUCTION
Laser-cutting.
Print.
Token Bag.
Packaging Prototype.
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WHAT IS PHAD KI KHOJ?
Under the relentless Bhilwara sun, inspired by legendary heroes, villagers compete to create a magnificent Phad tapestry. Through strategic card drafting, you'll unearth missing story fragments and gather resources. Weave these elements together, navigating challenges with cunning action cards.
Be the first to complete your Phad and earn the village's admiration as the master storyteller!
2-5 PLAYERS
FOR AGES 10+
RUNNING TIME: 35-40 MINS
Phad Ki Khoj is a narrative-based educational card game designed to revitalize the 700-year-old Phad art of Rajasthan by teaching players the art's narratives and encouraging them to weave their own stories.
The game is played in turns, moving clockwise/anti-clockwise around the table. On your turn, you must take the following actions:
SETUP & GAMEPLAY
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Shuffle the Phad Card deck and deal 4 cards to each player.
Place the remaining Phad Cards face down in a central draw pile.
Shuffle the Action and Event Card decks together and place them face down in a central draw pile.
Distribute 5 random Resource Tokens to each player. Players should keep their resources visible.
Place the remaining Resource Tokens back in the satchel bag as a common pool.
iii. do nothing (strategic pass):
You can choose to pass your turn without taking any action.
ii. Place a phad story card as permanent:
Spend the required Resource Tokens (listed on the card) to place one of your Phad Story Cards face-up on the table. Once placed permanently, the card contributes to your story’s completion.
i. Play an action/event card:
You can play the card you just drew from the deck immediately or hold it for later use. Event cards must be played immediately upon drawing.
1. Draw & Discard:
Draw one card from the Phad deck and discard one card from your hand.
2. Draw a Card:
Draw one card from the combined Action/Event deck.
3. Play (upto 3 actions):
Choose any combination of the following:
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CREATION OF THE GAME
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REFLECTION
Creating games had always boggled me, but this project revealed that great games are built not from immediate perfection, but from a basic set of rules followed by multiple tryouts and tests.
Instead of rigid pre-planning, we took the refreshing approach of diving head-first into the design process. The most critical component was user testing, which truly shined here. It was instrumental in helping us understand how different players operate, strategize, and interact with the mechanics in unexpected ways.
The end-to-end process provided crucial insights into balancing complex cultural history with interactive product design.
If I were to refine the product, my focus would be on:
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Visual Cohesion: Streamlining the aesthetic system and visual identity for greater impact.
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Clarity & Accessibility: Simplifying the rule book language to ensure the game mechanics are instantly understandable.
Phad Ki Khoj:
Revitalizing Phad Art through Game Design
GAME DESIGN
VISUAL IDENTITY
INTERACTIVE DESIGN
PRODUCT CREATION
A narrative-based card game focused on reviving the 700-year-old Phad art of Rajasthan. We executed end-to-end Educational Game Design that introduces the art's history and encourages storytelling.
Team
Duration
Links
Abhishek.M, Aditti Padmanabhan, Nandini Seshan, Rahul Yadav, Shreya Agarwal
10 days
