Startracks 益智桌游 by Zhejiang University is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2023 A' Design Award 银奖 in 玩具、游戏与业余爱好产品设计 Competition Category.

银玩具· 2023

Startracks 益智桌游

by Zhejiang University

Client: Zhejiang University

A' Design Award 银奖 Winner in 玩具 Category

70,774

Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #149433

View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Startracks 益智桌游

《Startracks》(星际轨迹)是一款以星际探索为主题、专为儿童设计的益智桌游,通过游戏方式讲授基础的天文与物理知识。棋盘下方安置的铷磁铁模拟行星的引力作用,当小型铁质飞船降落时便会被吸引至行星一侧。玩家可收集道具卡,卡片上载有天文知识以及与之相配的游戏技能。两队展开对抗,率先抵达各自目标的一方获胜。棋盘采用合成木材制作,直径为500毫米。

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award 银奖

Startracks 益智桌游是 A' Design Award 银奖得主，这是授予顶级、华美而令人印象深刻的设计的极为崇高的认可。银奖得主是极其卓越、极具创造力的作品，展现出其设计师杰出的专业技能、才华与敏锐。预计Startracks 益智桌游将成为一件出色的典范之作，兼具非凡的专业性与深刻的创新性。这件赢得 A' Design Award 银奖的设计是一项备受瞩目、令人钦佩的发明，造福并拓展艺术、科学、设计和技术的边界。Startracks 益智桌游是一件令人羡慕的创作，它唤起渴望，带来积极的情感，并激发惊叹与赞叹。

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: This is a board-based matchmaking board game with STEAM properties based on the story of interstellar exploration. The main aim is to educate children in the science of astronomy. The board uses rubidium magnets to mimic the gravitational pull of the planets and the game content is supported by basic knowledge of astronomy. Through the exploration of the planets, children can enlighten their knowledge of astronomy, physics and chemistry.
Dimensions & Packaging: Board: the diameter is 500mm and the thickness is 20mm
Rubidium magnets: the diameter is 25mm and 20mm
Prop card: the lenth is 80mm and the width is 60mm
Tags: Children's educational toys, Astronomy education, Cosmic exploration, Magnetic games, Physics
Production Technology: The launch and landing of the ship is done by the magnetic attraction of the rubidium magnets at the bottom of the board, thus achieving the sensory effect of the planet's gravity. The planetary resources are presented as prop cards with different planetary knowledge content and the corresponding formed functions.
Board material: synthetic wood, rubidium magnets
Board production process: cutting, drilling and grinding on drill presses, board gluing
Prop materials: wood, plastic, iron
Prop production process: hand cutting, 3D printing
Prop card material: coated paper
Prop card production process: colour printing
Design Challenge: How do we make interstellar exploration more intuitive? We made clever use of magnetic fields for analogies to the gravitational magnetic fields of planets, and the game mechanics are two-player versus two-player, with most of the other time spent on two-player versus two-player game mechanics designed to ensure a balanced game.
Research: Type of study: STEAM educational games suitable for the developmental characteristics of children aged 7 to 12 years
Objective: To develop interest in learning astronomy and physics for children aged 7 to 12 years.
Methods: Child development psychology, game design, human-computer analysis, CMF analysis
Data collection: Play preferences of 7 to 12 year olds
Use of research tools: Rhinoceros 3D, KeyShot, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe PhotoShop
Inspiration: STEAM education for children is gaining more and more attention. In the field of science education, the knowledge of the science section of products involving the knowledge of cosmic astronomy is weak and of a single type, which does not allow for systematic science education on astronomy knowledge. At present, there are fewer products in the market that involve knowledge of the cosmic planets and planetary resources, and all of them have weak playability and complicated technology.
Project Duration: The project starts in March 2022 and is due to be completed in June 2022 in Zhejiang, China.
Operation Flow: A team lands by launching a spaceship (iron blob) which is attracted by the gravitational pull of the planet (rubidium magnet magnet). Upon landing on a planet, they receive a prop card for that planet, which is marked with different astronomical and physical knowledge and the corresponding game skills. The game is played on both sides by activating the skills on the cards, and the first one to achieve their goal wins the game.
Team Members: Leijing Zhou
Rui Lei
Yi Chen
Zhengtong Wu
Shaogeng Zeng
Minghong Xu
Yunnong Chen
Image Credits: Rui Lei
Yi Chen
Zhengtong Wu
Shaogeng Zeng