This project is an approach of adding dimensions to existing games. We used the mechanics of the game Exploding Kittens and made some modifications to create brand new game experiences.

We kept most of the core mechanics. The game is still about trying to avoid drawing the exploding kittens (dragon bomb in our case), but in Heros of the Realm, the game now has more possibility for strategies to unfold through hero skills and card combos. We set a medieval background for the game, changing the names of action cards and designing heroes with unique stories and abilities.

A major modification we made was the adding the “enhance” card. I want to expand the number of actions the player can take, but I don’t want to do so through adding new action cards. I like how the original game is concise, and I’m afraid that adding too much new cards can diminish the significance of the core mechanics while adding learning cost. As a result, I added “enhance” cards that can enhance action cards when played as a combo. By doing so, there are much more types of action players can perform, but at the same time, the same strategies and tricks from Exploding Kittens still applies in Heroes of the Realm.

My biggest takeaway from this project is to realize how new experiences can originate not only from brand new game ideas, but also from new dimensions added to existing games. This experience taught me to focus on the potential of game mechanics, encouraging me to explore ways where mechanics can be modified or merged with each other to revolutionize the experience player perceive.