Another day, Another dollar spent.
At first I thought I was ten steps ahead on my project but in reality I was missing some key steps and research within the process.
After a great meeting with my advisor/mentor, I would have never realized that I was looking at my project in a different approach, but then, in reality it is exactly what it has been, a learning tool. Cognition and the development of children is the approach within my project. I thought I could find a way to demonstrate a fun activity/role-play toy, but it makes much more sense to explain it all in a cognitive way.
Discover, Imagine, Create, and Play is a wide range of cognition used in many toys and games. So after long thought I decided to head the direction of the story telling play-form that involves many other play-forms. For example:
The toy consists of chapters to each story, involving many different choices the player character and story teller can make. The cool thing about this play-form is that I can control the story while you are the character in play. (Yes, exactly like a Dungeon Master)
Solo play-forms:
Discovering the toy and assets, creating the land/environment with the limited props given, and controlling the story in your own full imagination, reveal a card and full in the blank of the story to progress, or roll the dice to tell your story in an open ended imaginative play. These play-forms can be combined and used to tell a multitude of stories around the characters and props given.
The reason the cards, dice, props, and environment are limited to only a few assets, gives the chance to discover new stories and imagine a world that only the user can see.
Multi-person platform:
Considering what was mentioned above transfers over to this play-form.
The chance to explore a realm that is created by another person, and explored by the other.
A family that chooses the cards and fills in the blank, or one rolls the dice, the other builds the environment as the story progresses, and others can be the player characters within that story.
Each individual chapter offers a set of props, cards, dice, foes, and allies designed to keep the story teller (the child) in individual play form, to give them cognitive learning through imaginative story telling and role play.
Yes, the easiest way to put this is exactly how it sounds, Make D&D play accessible to younger audiences.
In shot, this Storytelling Tool for young children is constructing things spatially to inspire the player/child to engage in imaginative story telling. This holds a cognitive approach to learning for ages 5+.
The overall design is stylized to specifically approach the children in a more modern way. As I stated in a previous post, that all toys are basically the same iterations over and over again. I wanted to clarify that! For example, as you approach an isle in the store you can look down that specific isle and know what exactly each isle is directed towards, what the toys are used for, and the approach to capture the heart of the child to the age range described on the product. Another clarifying statement; If you notice that most of the same caterpillar format for a young children’s toy geared towards 1-3 years of age, are the same caterpillar. You wouldn’t exactly notice this due to slight upgrades in materials, and we turn a blind eye to most things in the design factor of the toy. If it looks cool and or is what you as a parent or child is looking for, then that specific toy will get noticed no matter the design.
Clarifying another statement; This brings me to the fact of long living/long lasting toys. This means that a patent has been made that gave everyone the ability to develop a toy or platform that has made it through generations or 5+ years of shelf life before hitting a bottom in its own sales.
Yes, materials have a major factor to play in the development of the toys, especially in today’s economy when plastics are on the rise, along with mostly everything around us due to Covid. This is a soar subject in my mind to say the least, it seems llike it has become an excuse to limit resources in ways that we cannot afford to live.
I wanted to go with a recycled plastic of some sort for this, but in reality, recycled plastics are a bit more expensive due to sorting issues. It can be sometimes hard to find matching plastics. It can be a cheaper route to follow, but the recycling of the actual product is what is in demand, meaning the labor and this results in a higher price point overall.
Plant Based plastics sounds too good to be true, and since I was interested in a possible different material being used for this product, because the use of cardboard would only destroy the value/play form for children (in my own opinion based statement, because it just seems too not hold that figurine and toy like approach). Sustainable plastics are made of 30% ethanol sourced from plant material, and the bad thing is that the plant based plastics won’t decompose! Recycled yes, in the normal PET fashion, but the bio plastics being made from agricultural scrapes still sounded too good to be true. Because it can still be recycled into the other recycle plastics. I came across this on science direct that just immediately turned me away pursuing this as the material of choice. “Bio plastics and plant-based materials contain toxic chemicals, Bio-based and Biodegradable materials are similarly toxic.”
The growing rate of plastics overall are becoming more costly and harder to use regrind when it can create issues with machines. This is an ongoing thing I have encountered at work, along with the fact that most of the marketing teams are pushing to do as much as they can with products that do not use plastics at the moment. But, then you walk down the figure isle or lego for example and see the companies pumping out these huge child life size doll houses, and lego sets, along with the plastics that are continued to be used in the development of infant toys.
Polystyrene being a clearer plastic, the stuff you normally see on the outside of case that is clear,, was thought about for the possible cards, dice, and environment setup of the product. Polypropylene was in the factor of props and possibly character creations. Vinyl has always sat in my mind, but it is an expensive expertise that is mostly use for designer toys. I haven’t fully decided on what plastics to go with as my overall design in going to be using a wide range of it throughout the product. Then in return brings forth the issue of price point, and how to engage the audience to buy it. What if it is too expensive, then in my opinion it may seem as most companies may choose not to pursue it, and other would laugh at the cost for making 1,000 units of this product. If the cost come be lower and the price point on the shelf was able to be within reason of the consumer then maybe a company will dive into the idea.
I was able to cut out a few pieces that required plastic, the environment, possible some props, the cards, and play mat. I feel that approaching this product with a $29.99 -$49.99 dollar approach is within reason to start each journey. The reason for the first approach, give the chest of the first chapter, all the first chapter props, the characters for the given chapters, and the first set of dice, cards, and environment mats. The secondary products would range from $14.99 - $20.99. As each chapter will include more cards to form a story deck, more dice to pursue the story, and re-discover the older chapters through development of a environment mats, props, new story deck cards, and dice to roll to create iterations to that story. We can refer to this in simpler terms as a Expansion. The reasoning on the price range for the secondary assets are for the possible development of foes, and props to match the chapter. The Expansions would not include the original amount of product included in the initial buying platform, it would only include limited resources in smaller amounts to really engage the imaginative play form, and connections that can be made through each story developed.
After looking through my notes this is when I discovered a slightly cooler different approach to the story-telling journey platform. Adding in a play mat, or what is using called a Dungeon, in a top view map format. This can be done by giving the Storting teller a foldable mat, or what I felt was the best idea to come across to iterate the project in the middle of the week. Use shapes to create an on going slow moving environment for when the story progresses, the mat can be taken apart and resembled in the front of the player character. There can be a card that tells the storyteller to rid of an environment mat, or the dice can control the ending to the story.
I plan to approach the rest of the project as I was guided by my advisors/mentors, create the assets that are needed, and then move forward in the creation of secondary assets that may be needed. Find a way to breadbox the idea, and demonstrate the play-forms for a better descriptive approach to the product. Research more on the cognitive learning theories that product designers have used to see if anything can be applied to improve the product. Finally, the last thing was once you have this created and a way to demonstrate, then pursue the possible of chapters and props that could go along with it, for a general concept art format to show what the possibilities are next determining the overall never ending story telling cycle.
The assets that I have developed so far, are mostly of what is needed, so that list is within grasp in the next week or so. The research has led me to see design to a cognitive approach is much more complex way of learning and teaching, but offers the designer and user a way to develop new products, and learn how to approach life as they get olderThe future of imaginative playtime in the lives of children today is at great risk.
“Currently, 40% of schools are considering eliminating- or have already eliminated- recess from the school day. The goal of this essay is to argue the irreplaceable value that imaginative play has in contributing to the cognitive, emotional, and social growth of a child. In making a case for the importance of play in child development, all three of these areas of potential growth will collectively be considered as true development of the child. To lay the foundation for these specific categories of benefits, it is necessary to understand the general biological background supporting the innate importance of play, as well as the previous work of those who have researched this subject. Once this information is presented, the cognitive, emotional, and social benefits of imaginative play will be explored in more detail, and the effects of play deprivation and play reintroduction will be discussed. In this manner, it is the aim of this presentation to demonstrate the exceptional importance of imaginative play.”
I copied this abstract from The Importance of The Importance of Imaginative Play in Child Development by Aleksandra Helena Plocha, to give clarity to my prior blog posts and to use this as a foundation. Cognitive learning and a newer approach is connectivism, the way we connect to our personal belongings, new toys, and hobbies. We learn from engaging in these forms. I wanted to slightly use this approach, because it felt that it connected directly to the imaginative role-play. Role-play is not only a cognitive development and learning experience in many shapes and forms for children, but for young adults, and adults as well. This includes, but not limited to behavioral theory, in which we engage in the environment around us.
When given the tools described in this product that I am developing it approaches the connectivism, behavioral theories extremely close in the theory formats. Not saying that some of the theories are not within grasp, but having a focus to work from is better than having too many options.
After my time spent reviewing the critique from the staff of the DMD program, my colleagues, and close friend that I engaged in conversation with about my project, it all was made clear, and gave the ability for me to approach this project with confidence, describing the overall of the product in better terms and grammar, and fun ways to continually develop it as the process continues.
As for what is in store the next few weeks:
Finishing what assets are needed to demonstrate the product .
Possibility of having extra developed assets depends on time and if they can be accomplished within reason.
Further developing the play forms.
Breadboxing the play forms, creating a viable demonstration situation to describe the product and show how much research has developed it into what it is as of today.
Possibility of having these bred boxes 3D printed but within reason and time constraints.
This leads to the development of black and white non color pieces and possible foam board products.
The play forms are within reach as far as the cards and environment map, and dice.
Amazon has blank cards, dice, and game boards needed for this demonstration. Purchased this weekend to pursue more development as I will be able to prototype it.
Finishing the Design of the characters, turnarounds, drawings and props creation.
This is something that an employer would rather see that a semi modeled concept. They want to see drawing skills and the fact that you can lay out an idea before bread boxing, or modeling digitally.
I have pursued the development of the designs although I started to explore them digitally. I wanted to show what my original thoughts were through the sketches and then what they came to be digitally. (or bread boxed).
Continue learning the process for 3D printing in keys and articulations.
Only reason for this is that I never realized until I would bread box a prototype and create a hinge for example, that it was second nature in a real world situation. Trying to key and articulate designs for manufacturing has never seemed so close in grasp for me. After much research and understanding, I have developed ways to show that articulation and keying in the products that will make for manufacturing and assembling the product if possibly 3D printed.
This is only a personal gain and which I read and watch videos on manufacturing, 3D printing and developing products for this reason. I found that it is a viable way to manufacture and can cut costs to assemble rather than print/make a part as a whole, but this is just hearsay from videos and demonstrations. If I come across a better source for this information I will include in my next posts.
And of course, the development of work statement, video demonstration, and deliverables for this project.
It is coming down to wire on time left to pursue this project, and I feel that what is left to accomplish is in reach. I will stick to the plan of only developing what is needed, rather trying to approach this in a huge project, and include what can be developed in a timely manner per the timeframe left.
Here are some images of my latest approaches to iterations, and design drawings/concepts.
