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Board Game: Beat the Flood
Noreen Beckinsale
Project Detail
Choosing a service to base the game on was initially challenging. Then I came across news stories about local flooding and how the Environment Agency plays a crucial role in prevention and emergency response. This sparked an idea for a board game themed around flooding. With further research, I developed the core mechanics of the flood game, aiming to raise awareness about flood risks and show how small actions can make a big difference.
The goal of the game is simple: players collect sandbags to protect their chosen property from flooding before the water level reaches its maximum. If the flood level hits the maximum before anyone collects all their sandbags, the player with the most sandbags wins.
I wanted to keep the rules straightforward but still offer a variety of actions – like spinning a wheel, drawing cards, or rolling dice. The game includes both positive and negative outcomes, with randomised elements and some twists to keep things interesting. For example, the randomised update cards and rainfall spinner ensure that no two plays of the game are the same. The rising flood level adds tension as the game progresses. My favourite twist is when a player draws an update card that forces them to swap properties and their associated sandbag requirements with another player. Playtesting twice was invaluable – it helped me refine the mechanics and try out different ideas to see what worked best.
Strengths:
•The flooding theme naturally creates tension and has potential to be scaled or adapted.
•Gameplay is varied thanks to multiple mechanics, randomisation, and risk factors.
•Playtime ranges from 30 to 50 minutes but could be adjusted by tweaking the game mechanics.
•It’s family-friendly and accessible to a wide audience.
Weaknesses:
•Some reading is required, so it needs an appropriate reading level. Although cards could be read by anyone who is able to read.
•The theme is currently localised to the Somerset Levels, which might limit broader appeal.
•The game could benefit from adding some humour to lighten the mood. Maybe use wellington boots as counters and fun illustrations of people getting stuck in flood water.
•It needs more moments of jeopardy to increase excitement.
•The simplicity might lead to boredom for some players looking for a deeper challenge.
Explaining game mechanics that involve movement has been a bit challenging, but for this EMA, I have included a screenshot of the original board game concept, photos of prototype details, and images from one of the playtests to help illustrate how it works.
