Transformational Game Design:
"Unsheathed"

"This is a round-based card game wherein players “fight” sexually transmitted diseases within a human body. The game is meant to help de-stigmatize and educate on STDs and STIs within the human body, including causes, prevention, and treatment. We want players to leave the game with a new understanding of STDs and similar viruses, with helpful info they can spread to people they know, rather than an STD."
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Unsheathed

Game Concept: This is a round-based card game wherein players “fight” sexually transmitted diseases within a human body. In the game, the player is fighting STDs, using different methods of prevention and treatment. They are competing with other players to get the most points by using various attack cards, such as Antibiotics, Regular Checkups, and STD Warnings. The players must fight a variety of STDs and infections, varying in severity, with attack cards and event cards that help shed insight on their key info. 

Prompt

The prompt was to design and build a transformational game in the format of either a physical board game (or card game) based on an assigned student group, club or association at The University of Delaware in groups of 2 or 3; I was one of a group of two. The student group my teammate and I were assigned was Planned Parenthood Generation Action, which is dedicated to raising awareness about reproductive rights & freedoms, the public policies regarding them, and advocating for those rights as well as educating UD students about sexual health and wellness.

Design Process

This board game was the result of a collaborative process, wherein the game was designed by a group of 2 as mentioned previously. Though the initial stages of the project such as idea selection were completed in unison, work on the game after this was mostly 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, we come together to review each iteration before submission to make sure we were on the same page.

Challenges and Constraints

- The greatest challenge faced during this game design process was actually faced during the first iteration. My teammate and I settled on a card game, and due to time constraints we were unable to physically prototype our cards prior to scheduled playtesting. In therefore had to improvise a card drawing system within Google Slides, wherein a game manager  tracked game states and dealt out cards from a virtual deck, the shuffling of which i simulated with a script i wrote.
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-There were deadlines for all of the three iterations our game development process went under.
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- Finding playtesters outside of class was not as challenging as other game design projects i have undertaken, however that too added to already tight time constraints as each iteration had to be playable prior to the times scheduled for playtests which were at times long before the actual iteration's deadline.

-The materials; there was a limited printing budget and a poster board provided only.

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Idea Selection Process

The prompt of a transformational game coupled with a pre-assigned student group (Planned Parenthood Generation Action) allowed us to narrow down our game's transformational statement which also served as a thematic framework for our game. After deciding on a card game,

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.

Game Cards:

STI Enemy Cards

Gonorrhea

  • HP: 5
  • Special Ability: Lowers all damage dealt to it by 1 point due to discharge blockage
  • Quantity: 4

Chlamydia

  • HP: 4
  • Special Ability: Silent attacker - this card is placed face-down when it enters play and does not become active until 2 rounds later. 
  • If left untreated for 3 or more rounds after being revealed, gains +5 HP (representing complications)
  • Quantity: 5

Scabies

  • HP: 2
  • Special Ability: Spreads - at the end of each round this card is active, add another Scabies card with 1 HP to the board
  • Can be eliminated quickly with Topical Treatment cards
  • Quantity: 3

Mononucleosis

  • HP: 10
  • Special Ability: If defeated, becomes an ally that can reduce damage from other STIs by 2 points for 2 rounds after activation
  • Quantity: 2

Syphilis

  • HP: 20
  • Special Ability: Regains 2 HP at the end of every round it isn't defeated
  • Can be immediately eliminated with the Syphilis Injection card (only 1 in deck)
  • Quantity: 2

HIV/AIDS

  • HP: 30 (highest threat)
  • Special Ability: Deals 2 damage to all players at the end of each round it's active (representing immune system damage)
  • Cannot be eliminated - can only be suppressed by reducing to 5 HP or below
  • Requires combination attacks (multiple cards played in one turn by the same player) to damage
  • Quantity: 1

Attack Cards

STI Testing

  • Reveals all hidden threats (face-down STI cards)
  • Deals 1 damage to all STIs currently in play
  • Quantity: 4

Safe Sex Talk

  • Prevents the next STI from entering play during the next STI Spawn Phase
  • Quantity: 3

Regular Check-ups

  • Draw 2 cards immediately
  • Quantity: 5

PrEP

  • Prevents HIV from entering play for 3 rounds
  • Quantity: 2

Condom

  • Deals 3 damage to target STI
  • Quantity: 8

Ability Cards

The Pull Out Method

  • Use 2 dice: if you roll doubles, deal damage equal to the number shown on one die
  • If you don't roll doubles, your attack does nothing
  • Quantity: 4

The Pill

  • Deals 2 damage to target STI
  • Once played, you must play a Pill card every round for the rest of the game (there are many of these cards in the deck)
  • Quantity: 12

Syphilis Injection

  • Instantly eliminates Syphilis regardless of current HP
  • Only 1 in deck

Topical Ointment

  • Treats Scabies
  • Does 2 Damage to Scabies, 1 to other infections
  • Quantity: 4

Event Cards

"Asymptomatic Carrier"

  • The next STI that enters play has double HP
  • Quantity: 3

"Partner Notification"

  • Immediately eliminate one STI with 5 HP or less
  • Quantity: 4

"Free Clinic Day"

  • All Antibiotics cards deal double damage this round
  • Quantity: 3

"Misinformation Online"

  • Target player must skip their next turn (representing bad advice)
  • Quantity: 3

Playtesting

Playtesting was central to the completion of this card game. The final version of Unsheathed 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 adjusted the Syphilis auto-loss condition from the initial 5-round threshold down to 2 consecutive rounds above 10 HP, creating immediate pressure that forced strategic prioritization, though playtests revealed this may have overcorrected and 3 rounds might provide better balance between urgency and player agency. The HIV mechanics remained largely unchanged—requiring combination attacks to damage and dealing consistent area damage—as playtests confirmed these restrictions successfully created the threat level appropriate for the game's most dangerous STI while remaining manageable through coordination. The Mononucleosis ally system proved valuable for creating strategic depth, rewarding players who could defeat it early to gain defensive advantages during critical moments against HIV and Syphilis. Throughout iterations, we focused on clarifying card interactions and special abilities through reference materials, particularly around the silent attacker mechanic for Chlamydia and the regeneration timing for Syphilis. The decision to track individual damage totals added a competitive layer that maintained engagement even during cooperative losses, giving players personal stakes beyond the group outcome. Though I would have added healing mechanics and more STI prevention cards given more time, mainly to address the slow HP attrition and lack of proactive defense options identified during playtests, I'm pleased with how the testing process helped balance educational content with engaging gameplay mechanics that genuinely de-stigmatize STI discussion.
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What I Learned From the Playtests

The playtests revealed that the 2-round Syphilis auto-loss condition created appropriate urgency when players could meaningfully respond, but it felt punishing the them when spawning alongside HIV left no viable strategy for managing both threats simultaneously. Players consistently demonstrated that educational mechanics worked best when embedded naturally in gameplay; learning bacterial versus viral STI differences through card interactions proved more effective than explicit instruction for example. Event cards like Partner Notification and Free Clinic Day showed that powerful effects feel rewarding when timing creates strategic opportunities, while the same cards felt wasted when drawn under wrong conditions, suggesting events need either broader applicability or more player control over when to deploy them. The combination attack requirement for HIV damage and Mononucleosis ally ability both demonstrated how mechanical restrictions become engaging when they encourage coordination and planning rather than simply limiting options, which reinforced the cooperative nature of the game while maintaining individual agency through damage tracking.

Game Cards Gallery