A Board Game Designing of Serious Mini Game

in Complementary Colors

Ya-Lun Yu and Ting-Ting Wu ✉

( )

Graduate School of Technological and Vocational Education,

National Yunlin University of Science and Technology, Douliu, Yunlin 64002, Taiwan R.O.C.
[email protected], [email protected]

Abstract. With the advent of the era of multiple learning, the game-based
teaching provided has also being increasingly diversified. However, in game-
based learning, there may be fewer games concerning complementary colors.
Nevertheless, the basic knowledge about colors is associated with students’
development. Therefore, this study mainly investigated, developed, and designed
the game based on the concept of complementary colors in chromatics. This study
attempted to integrate game concepts with teaching. In particular, the features of
Serious Mini games are simple and easy-to-learn. This study used the basic
knowledge of complementary colors as the rules, and integrated them with
Serious Mini game, which was divided into 5 stages: definition, testing & modi‐
fication, modification & game rule setting, second testing, and completion. This
study explained each stage phase by phase, and predicted the effect after the actual
future introduction.

Keywords: Serious Mini game · Board games · Complementary colors

1 Introduction

There are fewer existing studies investigating students’ views and feelings about colors
[1]. Besides, many students or event adults may not necessarily be aware of comple‐
mentary colors or analogous colors, and they will not particularly intend to understand
and investigate chromatics unless required by art-related departments or art class.
However, as a matter of fact, ordinary people can see colors as long as they open their
eyes, and colors may even affect an individual’s emotions and reactions in a day. Never‐
theless, not everyone will particularly intend to understand the relationships between
colors. Children’s emotions about colors tend to be more intense; however, such
emotions are merely limited to color matching and feelings. They cannot further under‐
stand colors until they attended relevant courses. In Taiwan, chromatics is mentioned
in relevant courses. Unfortunately, chromatics is usually introduced shallowly or
students cannot further apply it after the courses, which is actually a shame. In particular,
colors are important to the development of every student because colors may affect their
interest in and understanding of other relevant subjects. The importance of colors to
learning cannot be overlooked. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to design a set of
Serious Mini game integrated with the basic knowledge of complementary colors basic

© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2018

T.-T. Wu et al. (Eds.): ICITL 2018, LNCS 11003, pp. 482–489, 2018.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-99737-7_51
 A Board Game Designing of Serious Mini Game in Complementary Colors 483

knowledge, as well as to develop an adequate and suitable mini table game based on the
game design process proposed by De Jans et al. [2] to facilitate the application of games
to future chromatic education.

2 Literature Review

2.1 Serious Mini Game

Game-based teaching is frequently used in education circles, and it tends to demonstrate

significant effects. With the introduction of information education, game-based teaching
has also been increasingly diversified and its scope of application has been relatively
expanded. As a result, many students are able to benefit from and utilize game-based
learning to create a chance to change individual’s psychological behaviors, and Serious
game is a part of it.
There are increasing studies using Serious game to assess the learning effect of
subjects. The main design is used for specific teaching purpose other than entertainment
[3]. However, current games are increasingly complicated and players need to spend
more time to understand the operating rules. Serious Mini games are extended from
Serious games. Therefore, players can spend less time to understand games and operate
games more easily [2]. To teachers, in particular, Serious Mini games can be easily
integrated as a unit in class. After the course where a simple Serious Mini game was
used, the students could find it easy to play the game, as well as achieve the learning
objectives in class during the operation of the game. Therefore, Serious Mini games are
not merely funny; they are also able to convey knowledge [2].

2.2 Board Games

Table games, games on the table, a.k.a. board games, firstly appeared in the Europe in
early days. Chess, Chinese chess, Go, etc. all are table games. Table games mainly refer
to games that are played on a table. The main functions are to train players’ logical
thinking ability or to provide entertainment [4, 5]. However, table games generally
mentioned in Taiwan mainly refer to Board Games, which are more refined compared
with table games. The rules of board games are also more complicated. Because the
types and complexity of Board Games are diverse, each type of Board Game has unique
styles and offers different fun. Due to the diversified features of Board Games, board
games are usually used as relevant educational tools to achieve educational objectives
[6–8]. Adults and children both will be fond of table games or Board Games. Because
there are commonalities between table games and board games, in addition to providing
entertainment, table games and board games can also enhance social relationships to
improve interactions among people.
Due to the advent of information era, many table games or Board Games have started
to change. To meet the demand for games, information technologies, such as AR and
VR, have been properly integrated to enrich games.
Also, table games are adequate educational tools integrated with the concept of
Serious Mini game to become game-based teaching with educational objectives. Table
484 Y.-L. Yu and T.-T. Wu

games not only provide entertainment but also strengthen education, which enables
students to integrate basic knowledge with long-term memories more rapidly.
In order to provide more complete basic knowledge of complementary colors, this
study developed a game of complementary colors to facilitate students’ rapid storage of
basic knowledge of complementary colors in their memories, as well as flexible appli‐
cation.

3 Methodology

This study used the basic concepts of most important complementary colors in chro‐
matics to develop a Serious Mini game. This study designed the game mainly using the
matching of primary color systems (red and green, yellow and purple, blue and orange,
and black and white) where players can obtain scores based on accurate primary color
matching. Complementary colors refer to two colors that are opposite each other,
namely, hues that are 120° apart from each other on the color wheel are the comple‐
mentary colors. This study mainly applied 4 sets of simple complementary colors to the
designed game as the most preliminary basic knowledge for beginners of chromatics.
This study referred to the method published by Steffi De Jans in 2017 to divide the
designing process of the complementary colors game into 5 stages. [3]. Stage 1 of the
design process was implemented from May 2017 to August 2017. Stages 2 and 3 were
both completed within one month (August 2017). Stage 4 was implemented from
September 2017 to October 2017. It took 1 month to complete the last stage (March
2018).

3.1 Stage 1 Definition

This study mainly used primary color matches, red and green, yellow and purple, blue
and orange, and black and white as the major game rules. Players cannot obtain scores
unless they match the colors accurately. This study referred to the game rules, elements
of cards themselves, and the relationships among cards of the table game “Pick-a-Dog
Pick-a-Pig Pick-a-Polar Bear” released by Yawan Stationery Co., LTD. to develop the
game in this study.
This study adopted the concept of complementary colors in chromatics to design the
game.
• Complementary colors play an important role in color matching, painting, or other
color-related studies.
• In painting, complementary colors are used for processing shadows, and they are
much more natural than the pure use of black.
• The understanding of the knowledge of complementary colors can improve students’
understanding and application of complementary colors.
• Recently, there have been fewer games associated with complementary colors.
Therefore, this study designed this game of complementary colors (as shown in
Fig. 1).
 A Board Game Designing of Serious Mini Game in Complementary Colors 485

Fig. 1. First draft of card. (Color figure online)

3.2 Stage 2 the First Testing and Car Modified

There were too many colors in the game itself. There were at least 4 sets of comple‐
mentary colors; however, the hues of 2 sets of them were so close to those of pure colors
that visual fatigue might be easily caused and colors could not be easily identified, either.
Therefore, improvements were recommended.
• The background of the cards was so complicated that the game-playing was indirectly
affected.
• The colors of the color blocks were not recommended to be too fine, which might
easily blur the focus.
• The front and back sides of cards could be utilized to enrich the game.
Modified cards (as shown in Fig. 2)

Fig. 2. Second draft of card. (Color figure online)

• The background was removed.

• The color blocks were simplified and redundant color blocks and stripes were
completely removed.
• The main body was reduced. The bright colors were changed to 4 set of complemen‐
tary colors: red and green, purple and yellow, blue and orange, and black and white
• Contour lines were added to color blocks to facilitate color identification.
486 Y.-L. Yu and T.-T. Wu

• The utilization of front and back sides interfered with the game-playing instead, and
could not be adopted.

3.3 Stage 3 Game Rule Setting and Modification

• The game rules were set up and explained.
• The difficulty of the game could be increased. For example, more background colors
could be added to change the number of background colors of 1 card from 2 back‐
ground colors to 3 background colors as an advanced card.
After the modification
• The game rules were re-modified.
The number of cards was re-considered because the additional increase of one color
would increase the number of cards from 64 cards to 512 cards. How the modification
should be made had to be thought over.
However, after the modification, this study discovered difficulties in implementation.
The difficulties were as follows: because the colors were so complicated that it was
difficult to identify them and too much time was wasted on the calculation of scores.
There were so many cards that the overall time spent on the game was increased. Besides,
it was difficult to operate the game. Therefore, the number of cards was decreased to 64
cards.

3.4 Stage 4 the Second Testing

• Time limit could be added to increase the excitement and fun of activities.
• The game rules were re-set because the scoring method was so complicated that
adding or subtracting points increased difficulty and took a lot of time.
After the modification
• The time limit was set at 1 min.
• To easily identify colors, the design of original pictures was changed (as shown in
Fig. 3). For example, objects that were not directly associated with color identification
were directly removed, and the most direct elements were retained to facilitate the
scoring.

Fig. 3. Second draft of card. (Color figure online)

 A Board Game Designing of Serious Mini Game in Complementary Colors 487

Therefore, the body, limbs, and tail of characters were removed, while the simplest
head was retained. Besides, the head was zoomed in properly to facilitate color identi‐
fication.
• Scoring method: 1 point would be added to the total score for successful matching
of each pair of complementary colors. The total score would be neither deducted nor
added for a mismatch. For the advanced version of the game, 1 point would be
deducted from the total score for a mismatch.

3.5 Complete the Game Setting

Game rules (after the modification); the advanced version was removed.
Number of players: 2–4 players.
Game time: after all of the cards were completely played, the host said, “Start.” The
time calculation started and ended at 1 min.
(The game time could be adjusted to 2–3 min for the first trial)
Game rules
1. Every player picked a card and covered it on the table near him/her (without looking
at the card or letting other players look at it).
2. Turning over the rest of the cards and putting them on the table with front side
(picture side) facing up.
3. When the host said, “Start,” the players turned over the covered card and put it on
the hand to start to look for the match.
Players looked for the card with complementary colors. There were at least 1–2
colors in a card, so players were able to find a card with complementary colors on
the Table.
4. After finding out a card with complementary colors, players stacked it with the card
originally put on the hand to become a new card, and then find out the card with
complementary colors of the new card.
5. The game continued until the time was up or there wasn’t any card on the Table.
6. Scoring of cards
The students in the team checked the cards of each other to find out whether the
matches were accurate.
Only the cards on the hand were included in the score calculation. However, the card
(covered) originally on the hand was not included in the score calculation.
1 point was added to the total score for successful matching of each pair of cards.
The total score would be neither deducted nor added for a mismatch.
Precautions: The order of cards checked should not be messed up during the calcu‐
lation.
488 Y.-L. Yu and T.-T. Wu

4 Analysis

This study found that the combination of table games and courses needs full coordina‐
tion. Besides, time should be properly controlled to ensure the implementation of
experiment. The analysis on the advantages and disadvantages is as follows:
• Advantage
1. Increasing students’ concentration. During game-playing, students would
concentrate on the game and their operating speed would increase, especially
when they were familiar with game rules.
2. Increasing students’ interest. During game-playing, students would look forward
to obtaining joy and excitement from the game and intend to achieve something
in the game performance.
3. Improving students’ color learning. During game-playing, the concept of comple‐
mentary colors would be continuously and imperceptibly implanted into students’
mind. Due to the need of the game, students had no choice but to memorize the
basic knowledge of complementary colors to avoid making mistakes in the game.
• Disadvantage
1. Students’ excessive expectation towards the game. Students would hold a high
expectation due to the game, and constantly urge the teacher to start the game
sooner. The game part might easily distract students in class.
2. Students’ sense of helplessness after the game. After game-playing, students
tended to lose confidence or expect another game and lose learning focus in the
next unit in next class.

5 Conclusion

Based on the above, this study found that a Serious Mini game can assist students in
learning to a certain extent. A serious mini game is different from the past serious game
that cannot be played unless players fully understand the rules and spend a large amount
of time, which causes the overall learning strategies to be adjusted. However, students
are interested in games to a certain extent. In order to trigger students’ interest, teaching
strategies must be properly used to enable students to fully concentrate on both the course
and game. Students’ game performance is associated with the fact that whether they can
identify the complementary colors intuitively. One of the advantages of Serious Mini
game used in this course was that students could fully utilize the knowledge of chro‐
matics when facing colors in life, as well as apply it to the implementation of color-
related learning or work. To students, color learning plays an important role in any future
learning. As a result, colors can fully assist students in learning and are beneficial to
their future achievements and development.

Acknowledgments. This research is partially supported by the Ministry of Science and

Technology (MOST), Taiwan, R.O.C. under Grant MOST 104-2511-S-224-003-MY3, MOST
105-2628-S-224-001-MY3.
 A Board Game Designing of Serious Mini Game in Complementary Colors 489

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