Raccoon Rescuers

Educational Game for Building Recycling Habits

4 Weeks

Collaborators

Tools

Rhino-3D, Arduino IDE, GPT-3.5, Laser-cutting, Photoshop, Illustrator, Prototyping, Handcraft

Project Overview

Raccoon Rescuers is an educational board game designed to help children learn proper recycling habits in a fun and engaging way.

My Contributions

Led the concept development and designed the physical model, packaging system, and RFID-based recycling verification workflow.

About Raccoon Rescuers

Raccoon Rescuers is a 2-4 player board game that teaches recycling habits and encourages players to protect the environment through fun and engaging play.

Recycling Is a Participation Problem

Only 43% of households participate in recycling. This reveals a participation gap rather than a lack of recycling infrastructure, pointing to the need for engagement-driven solutions.

Design Hypothesis

We hypothesized that transforming recycling into a game would increase participation by making the experience engaging and social.

Ideation

Recycle

GAME

From Insight to Concept

We translated low participation into a board game concept that reframes recycling education as an active, intuitive, and engaging experience.

Expanding the Game System

Early ideation explored characters, game mechanics, physical components, and visual language to shape a cohesive recycling learning experience.

Gameplay Logic Diagram

Clear progression, pacing, and intuitive structure were critical to the gameplay experience. Through playtesting with real users, we iterated on the gameplay logic to refine clarity, flow, and learning outcomes.

technology

Enhancing Gameplay Through Technology

Early prototypes required manual recycling verification, disrupting gameplay. Integrating Arduino-based sensors automated validation, reducing verification time by over 5× and maintaining player immersion.

Data coded trash

Each trash coin has an NTAG213 NFC film with a distinct UID number. This enables precise tracking when the player deposit the coin into the trash bin, ensuring that the waste is sorted correctly.

packaging

Designing the First Experience

When opened, all components are immediately visible, creating a visually satisfying experience while helping users keep everything organized.

User oriented design

Key information such as age group, components, and the game's advantages and features were prioritized based on references to numerous existing materials.

Storybook and game manual

We applied our branding to the storybook and game manual to enhance understanding and immersion in the game, while also improving accessibility.

Neatly arranged packaging

The first impression upon opening the box is crucial. All components were carefully arranged for visual appeal, with thoughtfully designed height relationships to ensure easy access and removal.

Designed for the environment

Raccoon Rescuers is an educational game focused on recycling, with most of its components made from eco-friendly materials. The game strives for a significantly lower OKALA Environmental Impact of 0.328, in contrast to other board games, which typically have an OKALA of 0.8 or higher.

prototype

Sketch Model and Testing

At the sketch model stage, we examined our concept and gameplay method through the sketch model. We collected user responses to identify logical nonsense and disturbances during immersion in the game.

LOFI prototype

After the sketch model testing, we implemented more elements, such as technologies, instruction, and storybooks, that helped build a smoother game-playing experience.

HIFI prototype

For the game demonstration, we created a high-fidelity model using Arduino, UV printing, laser cutting, and other tools, ensuring that everything functions just like the real system.

Game Demonstration

We conducted a hi-fi demonstration using the completed model and gained insights from actual users.

Retrospective

Rethinking a Universal Audience

We initially set a broad target audience, believing that recycling should apply to everyone. However, playtesting revealed that defining a more specific age range resulted in a better overall gameplay experience.

Images

contact

seo951018@gmail.com