What’s it like being a student worker at UTA Libraries? Of course, our students help patrons, but that’s not all, they're also busy designing a board game that blends fun, strategy and real-world lessons. This interactive experience combines storytelling, collaboration and teaching that inspires and brings people together. 
 

The game is being developed entirely in the Libraries' Creative Space and Services Department. It draws inspiration from cooperative farming games, strategy games like “SimCity” and “Civilization,” and cozy farm games like “Stardew Valley.” Players work together to build a thriving community while seeing how their actions affect the environment, offering a hands-on lesson in sustainability and teamwork. 

 
"We wanted to make a game that's both fun and meaningful," Ryan Short, Research and Game Design Lead, said. "It's not just about rolling dice or moving pieces. We want players to think about how their choices affect the community and the environment and how collaboration really matters." 

 
The goal of this game design project is to create something players can connect with right away. 
 
"We want people to sit down, start playing, and feel like they're part of something," Short said. "It's about building a shared experience where everyone has a role." 

Ryan shared that this project gives students a chance to bring their creativity to life. The game puts players directly into the story, allowing them to shape what happens as they play, making the experience engaging both the designers and the players.  

"When players see their decisions change the outcome, it makes the game feel personal," Short said. "That's what makes it memorable." 

The design team is made up of student employees that include Short, Greene and Cortez, who each bring their own creativity and skills to the project. Together, they collaborate on game mechanics, story development, and ways to make the game accessible and engaging for everyone.  

Chloe Bennett, Creative Spaces and Services Librarian, emphasizes the value of this hands-on approach. 

"Projects like this give students practical experience with game design, collaboration and even curriculum development," Bennett said. "They're learning by doing it and that kind of learning benefits everyone who comes into the library. These are skills they'll carry with them far beyond UTA." 

Bennett added that playtesting will be an important part of the process and that the team will need help from staff members. 

"The students will begin testing the game this summer with both peers and library staff," she said. "That feedback is essential to refining the gameplay, balancing the mechanics, and making sure the game is accessible and fun for everyone." 
 

Over the next year, the team will continue refining their ideas and gathering feedback as they develop the game. They hope to eventually showcase their work at Gen Con, one of the largest board game conventions in the country, highlighting the creativity coming out of UTA Libraries. 

Eventually, the game will be paired with a curriculum that can be used in classes, connecting creative exploration with academic learning. 

"We're not just creating a game. We're creating an experience that connects students, faculty and the broader community. That's what makes it so special," Bennett said. "It's inspiring to see students take ideas from concept to creation. They remind us that the library is a place where curiosity, creativity and collaboration come together." 

The work is just getting started. As playtesting begins this summer, students and staff will have a chance to be part of the process, helping shape a game that brings people together through creativity and collaboration. 

Stop by the Creative Spaces and Services department in the Libraries' to meet our student innovators, check out our impressive collection of games in the Basement, and see how your donation on MavDay directly supports student engagement and career readiness. 
 
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