Collaborative Game Design:
"La Luna"

"Based on Pixar's beloved animated short, La Luna brings the magic of sweeping stars across the moon to your table. Race your boat across the lunar surface, collecting fallen stars while using Besoms and Push Brooms to outmaneuver opponents. Choose between Papà and Nonno's routes as you forge your own path in this family-friendly racing game."
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Ages 8+ • 2-4 Players • 30-45 Minutes

La Luna

Game Concept: Players control boats racing across the moon's surface to collect stars and reach the finish line first, while using tools to disrupt opponents and access special routes. Manage your single-tool inventory strategically to set traps, unlock shortcuts, and navigate character routes, all while balancing star collection with forward momentum in this celestial race to the big star!

Prompt

The prompt was to design and build a physical board game (or card game) based on an assigned animated short film in a group of 3 with a limited printing budget and a poster board provided only. The animated short assigned to our group was La Luna, a Pixar film loosely based on Italo Calvino's short story "The Distance of the Moon."

Design Process

This board game was the result of the aforementioned collaborative process , wherein the game was designed by a group of 3. Though the initial stages of the project such as idea selection were completed in unison, work on the game after this was broken down based on individual group members' strengths and then compiled when we were each done with our respective tasks. Though these tasks were completed relatively independently, feedback was generated both when necessary and before making any significant changes to the game which ensured everybody was on the same page.

Challenges and Constraints

- Arguably the greatest challenge faced during the process was finding times during which all of the team members could meet in person to develop the board game. Though we collaborated remotely for most of the project, we needed to meet in person to develop the game pieces over the course of the only hour all team members had in common for this over the project's duration.
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-There was a limited amount of time to complete the process, with deadlines for each iteration.
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- Finding playtesters outside of class, and collecting comprehensive feedback from relatively quick playtests proved to be slightly challenging.

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Idea Selection Process

Though we had the theme of our game pre-determined by having to base it on a specific short film, the idea selection process proved to be more complicated than I had personally anticipated. All team members decided on making a board game, which was arguably the easiest part of the process, as we then had to decide how to tie in aspects of the short in ways that were mechanically or thematically significant. These include, but are not limited to: the Besom and Push Broom tools representing the family's traditional methods, the Papa and Nonno character routes embodying their contrasting approaches, and the star collection objective mirroring the film's central activity of sweeping fallen stars across the moon's surface.

Background

My journey in game design, including education, cultural influences, and professional experience.

Resume

A summary of my skills, roles, and achievements in game design and production.

Contact

Get in touch via email or LinkedIn for collaboration, feedback, or networking opportunities.

Media & Links

Find my work on GitHub, itch.io, and other platforms for more projects and code samples.

Itemized list of game components:

  • Player Pieces
    • x 4
  • Event Cards x 12
    • (2x each type)
  • Tool Cards x 24
    • (4x each type)
  • Game Board
  • D6 Dice
  • Slippery Space/Null Space Coin Markers
  • Collectable Stars Tokens x 16 “1-Value,”
    • x___ “5-Value,”
    • x___ “10-Value”

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Playtesting

Playtesting was instrumental to the completion of this board game. The final version of La Luna is the third of multiple iterations, each of which was the direct result of feedback garnered from 2 playtesting sessions conducted before each iteration  was finalized.

What I Changed From the Playtests

I rebalanced the star economy by reducing Lucky Comet and Overboard from ±5 to ±3, preventing single event cards from undoing multiple turns of strategic progress. The Anchor tool remained in the game but its impact was monitored across iterations. It still created slowdowns but the shortened duration (one to two turns instead of three or more) maintained engagement rather than creating dead turns where players felt locked out.  The character route system was developed to integrate directly with specific tools; the Besom unlocking Nonno's route and the Push Broom unlocking Papa's route, creating meaningful choices about when to sacrifice powerful tools for route access versus retaining them for their primary effects. Throughout iterations, we focused on improving clarity through physical components and streamlined documentation, particularly around tool pickup restrictions during alternate routes and the timing requirements for tool activation as well as maintaining the balance between player agency and chance. Though I would have added more mechanics to give player agency given more time, mainly due to balancing issues faced during playtests, I am ultimately rather pleased with how the playtests helped to develop the game.

What I Learned From the Playtests

The playtests demonstrated that physically tracking components could in many instances improved the player experience when managing complex game states; the coin markers eliminated confusion and rules clarifications that had previously disrupted gameplay flow. Players consistently wanted informed strategic decision-making rather than blind gambles; they appreciated having more agency.
Balance issues emerged around resource restrictions that felt punishing without purpose. The one-tool inventory limit created meaningful tension but players expressed desire for slightly more flexibility, though not unlimited hoarding. The Telescope proved that powerful catch-up mechanics feel fair when properly restricted (3rd/4th place only) and earned through positioning. Conversely, landing on Ladder Spaces without the Ladder tool created frustration, not from unclear rules, but rather from the complete absence of any consolation or an alternative benefit.
Tool integration with character routes demonstrated how mechanical restrictions become satisfying when they create meaningful trade-offs rather than dead ends, which was one of the ways we added in more player agency.

Game Board and Components Gallery

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