The game - Shatranj

INDIAN INSTITUTE OF CRAFT AND DESIGN

UG SEMESTER 4

Design project

The game

PREPARED AND PRESENTED BY SHIKHAR BHARDWAJ

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I would like to express my special thanks of gratitude to my teacher, Mr. Rajesh Kumar for teaching and sharing his wide knowledge on the topic concerned.

His in-depth, focused knowledge and particular skill set on the subject helped me to explore the dimensions of the subject well and it has been a very educating module.

I would also like to thank all my batchmates for sharing their knowledge and assisting me throughout the project.

01

PREFACE Design project is a platform where, I, as an upcoming designer get to bring all of my learning, knowledge of techniques and materials, experience and exposure together into making of a new product, In this context all the learning from the form study module and the experience and the thought process we generated within us, that would look aesthetically appealing and quite possibly also has a utility. Also, through it I will get an in-depth knowledge on my subject through a lot of research in my field of work which will yield and accordingly shape my product.

Design Project This design project we were restricted to the process of sand casting. We didn't had the liberty to choose the material and other process. Not only that we also were asked to conduct User Research as a part of Design Process.

To select a focus group and look for the opportunity where design can intervene.

02

Design With the User Successful digital initiatives are rooted in an understanding of user characteristics, needs and challenges. User-centered design — also referred to as design thinking or human-centered design — starts with getting to know the people you are designing for through conversation, observation and co-creation. Information gathered through this engagement leads to building, testing and redesigning tools until they effectively meet user needs. By designing with the users, and not for them, you can build digital tools to better address the specific context, culture, behaviors and expectations of the people who will directly interact with the technology.

User research focuses on understanding user expectations, behaviors, needs, and motivations through methodical, investigative approaches. Insights are then used to ensure that all product design decisions do benefit the user. User research focuses on understanding user expectations, behaviors, needs, and motivations through methodical, investigative approaches. Insights are then used to ensure that all product design decisions do benefit the user.

03

Designing together means partnering with users throughout the project lifecycle, cocreating solutions, and continuously gathering and incorporating users’ feedback.

“No product is an island. A product is more than the product. It is a cohesive, integrated set of experiences. Think through all of the stages of a product or service – from initial intentions through final reflections, from first usage to help, service, and maintenance. Make them all work together seamlessly.”

— Don Norman, inventor of the term “User Experience”

User research Helps us better understand:

“Every design is a hypothesis about a market, needs, solution and relationship (What should we design? For whom? Why? How well did we do?) These are the questions that guide our research activities. Our researchers carefully align user needs and goals with the core value delivered through our products.”

- Eric Mahlstedt, User Research Manager, IBM

04

The game - chess

THE GAME HAS VARIOUS NAMES IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES : ÉCHECS, SCACCHI, SCHACH, ШАХМАТЫ (ŠAHMATY), ΣΚΆΚΙ (SKÁKI), SHATRANG, SHATRANJ, CHATURANGA, XIANGQI, SHOGI, JANGGI.

Chess is a board game for two players. It is played in a square board, made of 64 smaller squares, with eight squares on each side. Each player starts with sixteen pieces: eight pawns, two knights, two bishops, two rooks, one queen and one king. The goal of the game is for each player to try and checkmate the king of the opponent. Checkmate is a threat ('check') to the opposing king which no move can stop. It ends the game.

During the game the two opponents take turns to move one of their pieces to a different square of the board.

One player ('White') has pieces of a light color; the other player ('Black') has pieces of a dark color. There are rules about how pieces move, and about taking the opponent's pieces off the board. The player with white pieces always makes the first move. Because of this, White has a small advantage, and wins more often than Black in tournament games.

05

CHATARUNGA MEANS "FOUR PARTS" AND REFERS TO THE FOUR PARTS OF THE INDIAN ARMY: THE BOATMEN, THE CAVALRY, THE ELEPHANT AND THE INFANTRY.

Market Research I LOOKED FOR THE BESTSELLER CHESS INTO TWO VERY POPULAR E-COMMERCE WEBSITE, FLIPKART AND AMAZON, AS TO WHAT PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY BUYING.

yl Vin % 9.7

en od o W .1% 63

c sti a l P 2% .

27

Chess ranging from 119 to 1499 rupees are being sold.

Materials are mostly Wooden, Plastic and Vinyl which are widely sold.

The size of the board ranged from 5" to 17".

06

Quick visual Research

I ASKED PEOPLE TO CHOOSE, ONE OF THESE CHESS SET OUT OF 8, TO GAIN AN IDEA AS TO WHAT DO THEY REALLY WANT.

07

The output 1. ********** 2. ** 3. ******** 4. *** 5. **** 6. ********** 7. * 8.

Understanding DAta

Out of 38 people, it is clearly shown that the number 8, which shows the classic chess pieces are voted out among others. And no one would possible buy them except the exceptions. Number 1 and 6 are voted highest with 10 votes receiving each. Down comes the number 3, with 8 votes and with all these visual information, It made me clear that i have to stick to number 1,3 and 6 to work my forms of the chess pieces and its characteristics.

1. Bold, Geometric, Uniform, Square Base, 3. Other-worldly, Alienated, Slender. Tall. Not functional but aesthetically pleasing.

6. Minimal, Basic, Grey is the new black.

08

Questionaire UNDERSTANDING USER IN DEPTH TASK

USER 1

USER 2

2-3 MONTHS

LAST WEKK

PHYSICAL

DIGITAL

HOW OFTEN DO YOU PLAY CHESS?

EVERY THIRD OR FORTH DAY, BUT NOT RECENTLY

ALMOST EVERYDAY

HOW MANY CHESS GAMES DO YOU OWN?

1

1

FUNSKOOL CARDBOARD, PLASTIC

PLASTIC-PHYSICALLY DIGITAL

AROUND 9 MONTHS OLD

8 YEARS OLD

YES

YES

AROUND 15,000

AROUND 8.000

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU PLAYED CHESS?

DIGITAL OR PHYSICAL CHESS

WHAT IS YOUR CHESS GAME MADE OF?

HOW OLD IS IT?

WOULD YOU BUY NEW ANYTIME SOON?

HOW MUCH ARE YOU WILING TO SPEND? 09

UNDERSTANDING USER IN DEPTH USER 5

USER 6

YESTERDAY

LAST WEEK

PHYSICAL

PHYSICAL

ALMOST NONE

MOSTLY DAILY

ALTERNATE DAYS

NONE

2 CHESS SET

1

2

-

VINYL AND PLASTIC / MARBLE AND WOOD

WOOD

GLASS CRYSTAL

-

10 YRS AND 50 YRS

4 YEARS

10 YEARS

YES

NO

YES, POSSIBLY

YES, OF COURSE

5,000 MAX

-

MAX 3000

AROUND 5000

USER 3

DON'T REMEMBER

PHYSICAL

NOT SO OFTEN

USER 4

4 YEARS AGO

DIGITAL

10

Chess LEADERSHIP CAPACITIES DECISION-MAKING STRATEGIC PLANNING LOGICAL THINKING RESPONSIBILITY SPATIAL REASONING CAUSE AND EFFECT THINK PSYCHOLOGICAL WARFARE Age is no barrier Indoor game - Board game Brain over muscles

11

ON HOW TO PLAY IT

King IN CHESS, YOU HAVE ONE KING THAT CAN MOVE ONE SQUARE IN ANY DIRECTION. THE KING IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE, BUT IS VERY LIMITED. THE KING CAN CAPTURE ANY ENEMY PIECE OR PAWN THAT IS UNDEFENDED AND MUST ALWAYS STAY AT LEAST ONE SQUARE AWAY FROM THE OPPOSING KING.

CENTER MAJESTIC MAGNIFICENT DIGNIFIED MOST IMPORTANT PRUDENT

Queen THE QUEEN IS BY FAR THE MOST POTENT, ATTACKING PIECE ON THE BOARD. AT ONE TIME, WHEN THE GAME OF CHESS WAS PLAYED IN MEDIEVAL TIMES, THE QUEEN WAS RESTRICTED TO ONE SQUARE MOVER PER TURN AND ONLY ON THE DIAGONALS. SHE WAS A MUCH WEAKER PIECE BACK THEN. HOWEVER, IN MOST RECENT TIMES THE QUEEN, IN A GAME OF CHESS, HAS TAKEN ON A MORE DEVASTATING RANGE OF ATTACKING OPTIONS ... SHE COMBINES THE DIAGONAL POWER OF THE BISHOPS, WITH THE STRAIGHT-LINE THREAT OF THE ROOKS.

POWERFUL FRIGHTFULLY ARROGANT POSSIBILITIES

12

bishop AT THE START OF A GAME, EACH PLAYER HAS 2 BISHOPS ON THE BOARD. ONE PATROLS THE LIGHT-COLORED SQUARES; THE OTHER GOES ALONG THE DARKCOLORED SQUARES. AS FOR RANGE OF MOVEMENT, THE BISHOPS MOVE ONLY ON THE DIAGONALS BUT ARE ABLE TO GO FROM ONE CORNER OF THE BOARD TO THE OTHER, ON THEIR COLORED SQUARES. THIS MAKES THE BISHOP A GREAT, LONG-DISTANCE THREAT TO YOUR OPPONENT - THOUGH, OBVIOUSLY, THE FLIP SIDE IS YOUR PIECES ARE AT AN EQUAL RISK FROM THE ENEMY BISHOPS. WHEN IT COMES TO REALTIVE VALUE, TWO BISHOPS ARE CONSIDERED MORE VALUABLE THAN EITHER TWO KNIGHTS, OR A KNIGHT AND A BISHOP WORKING TOGETHER. THOUGH, OF COURSE, THE THREAT OF THE TWO BISHOP PIECES ARE ONLY AS GOOD AS THE SKILL OF THE PLAYER WHO CONTROLS THEIR MOVEMENT.

13

DIAGONAL SLY CUNNING CORRUPT

Knight WE'VE SAID THAT IT IS OFTEN ONE OF THE PAWNS THAT MOVES FIRST, AT THE START OF A GAME ... OFTEN, BUT NOT ALWAYS, AS THE KNIGHT'S ABILITY TO JUMP OVER PIECES ALLOWS IT TO BE THE ONLY OTHER PIECE THAT CAN MAKE A MOVE AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF A GAME. THE KNIGHT IS ALSO UNIQUE IN THE WAY IT MOVES ...

WHEREAS OTHER PIECES GO IN STRAIGHT LINES - BE IT ON THE STAIGHTS, OR ALONG THE DIAGONALS - THE KNIGHT MOVES IN AN L-SHAPE. IT GOES EITHER TWO SQUARES FORWARD AND ONE TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT; OR ONE SQUARE TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT AND TWO SQUARES FORWARD ...

WHICH YOU CHOOSE WILL, NATURALLY, DEPEND ON POTENTIAL FOR POSITIONAL ADVANTAGE, CAPTURE, TO AVOID BEING CAPTURED, OR FOR LACK OF OPTIONS WHEN YOUR OTHER PIECES ARE BLOCKING CERTAIN SQUARES WITHIN THE KNIGHT'S LEGAL RANGE OF MOVEMENT.

ARMY TOUGH VIOLENT CONFRONTATIONAL

14

rook A ROOKS RANGE OF MOVEMENT IS ALONG THE STRAIGHTS - IF THEY HAVE THE SPACE, THEY CAN GET FROM ONE SIDE OF THE BOARD TO THE OTHER, IN A SINGLE MOVE. THE ROOKS ARE MOST EFFECTIVE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BOARD. AS THEY START A GAME IN THE CORNER SQUARES, PART OF YOUR OPENING STRATEGY WILL BE TO, SOMEHOW, BRING YOUR ROOKS INWARDS, WHILE TRYING TO MOBILIZE YOUR OTHER PIECES, READY FOR THE CARNAGE THAT TAKES PLACE DURING THE MIDDLEGAME STAGE. TWO ROOTS OPERATING TOGETHER CAN BE MORE POTENT THAN A SINGLE QUEEN, IF USED WISELY. THE OBVIOUS THREAT IS FROM THE DIAGONALS, WHICH MEANS ONE OF THE GREATEST THREATS TO THE ROOK ARE FROM THE BISHOP AND QUEEN, AT DISTANCE; WHILE AT MORE CLOSE-RANGE, PAWNS THAT HAVE GOOD SUPPORT CAN ALSO PROVE HAZARDOUS TO YOUR ROOKS.

PEOPLE IMPOSING PROTECTIVE DIRECT

CASTLING IN CASTLING, THE KING IS MOVED TWO SQUARES TOWARD THE ROOK, AND THE ROOK MOVES PAST THE KING TO THE SQUARE RIGHT NEXT TO WHERE THE KING HAS MOVED. CASTLING TAKES ONE MOVE, AND IS THE ONLY WAY FOR A PLAYER TO MOVE TWO OF HIS OWN PIECES ON THE SAME MOVE. GOOD PLAYERS CASTLE IN MOST OF THEIR GAMES. IT IS NORMALLY A GOOD IDEA BECAUSE IT OFTEN MOVES THE KING INTO A SAFER PLACE. THE MIDDLE OF THE BOARD IS NORMALLY NOT A VERY SAFE PLACE FOR THE KING TO BE EARLY IN THE GAME. IT ALSO MAKES IT EASIER TO GET THE ROOK INTO THE GAME.

15

pawn THE PAWN IS KIND OF LIKE YOUR COMMON FOOT SOLIDER - OFTEN THE FIRST ONES INTO BATTLE, WHILE BEING MORE EXPENDABLE THAN THOSE OF A HIGHER RANK. ON A PAWNS FIRST MOVE, IT MAY MOVE EITHER 1 OR 2 SQUARES FORWARD, DEPENDING ON YOUR OPENING STRATEGY. HOWEVER, THEREAFTER, A PAWN MAY ONLY MOVE ONE SQUARE FORWARD PER TURN AND IT CAN NEVER MOVE BACKWARDS. AS FOR CAPTURING, A PAWN CAN ONLY CAPTURE ON EITHER ONE OF THE DIAGONAL SQUARES IN FRONT OF ITS CURRENT POSITION ... THIS MEANS THAT WHEN ANOTHER PIECE IS ON A SQUARE DIRECTLY IN FRONT - ON THE STRAIGHT LINE, YOUR PAWN IS STUCK AND CANNOT MOVE FORWARD UNTIL THE BLOCKING PIECE MOVES, OR AN ENEMY PIECE IS WITHIN LEGAL RANGE FOR CAPTURE.

SOLDIER WEAK LOYAL SACRIFICING

16

the story-elements IF YOU LOOK CAREFULLY TO THE ELEMENTS OF THE CHESS GAME YOU WILL CERTAINLY COME OUT WITH THE FOLLOWING VIEW. Very basically, the elements of the chess represent the world's societies of the mid of last millennium, especially in Europe & Asia--all of which had undergone the very same system.

The king at the top of the hierarchy had the ultimate power if & only if the church(bishops) & the knights(generals) land him such a power, a symbolic power indeed. The bishops, in today terms, were a bench of politicians gathered to dictate the law & set the norms. But, at that time, the bishops were found falling far short from fulfilling any standard. Frankly speaking, they were two-faced type of men, very manipulative. This is why their movements on the chess board are not horizontal nor vertical, they are diagonal mirroring their snake-like moves. I think it is because of their position on the chess board(next to the king & queen) & because of their diagonal movements (snake-like moves) they are called bishops.

17

design of the game NATHANIEL COOKE REGISTERED HIS DESIGN AT THE UNITED KINGDOM PATENT OFFICE ON 1 MARCH 1849 UNDER THE ORNAMENTAL DESIGNS ACT OF 1842.

ORIGINAL STAUNTON CHESS PIECES, LEFT TO RIGHT: PAWN, ROO K,KNIGHT, BISHOP, QUEEN, AND KING

The journalist Nathaniel Cooke is credited with the design of Staunton Chess set and they are named after the English chess master Howard Staunton. The first 500 sets were hand signed and numbered by Staunton.

This style of set was first made available by Jaques of London in 1849, and they quickly became the standard.

They have been used around the world since.

JAQUES OF LONDON, FORMERLY KNOWN AS JOHN JAQUES OF LONDON AND JAQUES AND SON OF LONDON IS A LONGESTABLISHED FAMILY COMPANYTHAT MANUFACTURES SPORTS AND GAME EQUIPMENT.

POSSIBLE BASE OF THE PIECES

18

More chess for past and roadsides

19

Concepts

PAWN COMES FROM THE FORM THE WALLS OF THE WALLED CITY. THE KNIGHT ABOVE COMES FROM THE JANTAR MANTAR. THE QUEEN COMES FROM THE OCTAGONAL TURRETS OF HAWA MAHAL.

THE BISHOP IS QUITE SIMILAR TO THE PRIEST, HENCE THE TEMPLE. AS OF THE KING MAKES THE SURAJ POL GATE OF AMER, BECAUSE OF THE HISTORY OF KACHHWAHA AND ALSO THE GATE IS ENLIGHTENED FIRST IN MORNING BY SUN. 20

Concepts

KING-1" X 1" X 2.5" QUEEN-1" X 1" X 2.25" BISHOP-0.875" X 0.875" X 1.75" KNIGHT-0.875" X 0.875" X 1.50" ROOK-0.875" X 0.875" X 1.25" PAWN-0.75" X 0.75" X 1"

21

Making of chessboard

15.5" X 15.5" X 1" MIXTURE OF MANGO AND EBONY WOOD

22