Mandate of Heaven
Producer, Game Designer, Narrative Designer
2023
Board Game
Tools:
Art: Indesign, MidJourney
Design/Production: Google Suite
Mandate of Heaven: the Imperial Battle for Power is a strategy narrative board game.
Set in the near-collapse of an Ancient East Asian Empire, players will role-play as Imperial family members - the Emperor, Empress Dowager, Elder, or Younger Son - to work together to prevent collapse while competing for individual goals.
The game was developed in Spring 2023 by a team of 3 members, each contributing their unique skills to co-create the engaging experience.
How to play
Ideation
Story Background
The emperor has ruled the East Asian Empire for over three decades. He starts to feel old. Power is slipping away from his hands, but it’s not the time to rest yet. In his last days, he wants to maintain his sovereignty until he can safely pass it on to his successor. While he needs to select the best heir to retain the reign of his family, he is also afraid of losing his control over the country. The sons are each developing their own power and cohorts in the royal court. Other members of the royalty are also looking to get benefits for themselves…
Objective of the Game
Each player would have different goals depending on their character.
Emperor: Keep the empire running until the final day.
Sons: Become the next Emperor of the empire.
Main Conflict
The main conflict resides within the different objectives of the players. Some objectives are directly in conflict with each other while other objectives may be achieved through collaboration, creating a potentially complicated power dynamic between the players. The individual and empire’s values are the main source of conflicts. Through voting and making decisions, the players would need to play smartly in order to attain numbers that would help them achieve their objectives.
Aesthetic
We want the aesthetics to help convey the narrative and create an immersive experience for the players, namely a more abstract and cartoonish style to convey a fantastical world and colors that are darker and slightly less saturated to convey a moody and dishonest tone.
