Radhika Portfolio

Back

Phygital Board Game (Concept)

Ongoing

2026

Rootbound: Conceptualizing a Phygital Permaculture Experience

Role

UX Researcher

Company

THAT Labs

Domain

Board Game Concept

Timeline

1 month

The Vision

Bridging traditional ecological knowledge with interactive play.

Rootbound is a proposed experiential board game concept set in the dry deciduous forest of Sasan Gir, Gujarat. The objective of this conceptual sprint was to explore how we could translate the dense, scientific principles of permaculture into a highly engaging, play-based learning model. Rather than relying on exhaustive botanical manuals, we envisioned a "phygital" (physical + digital) artifact that teaches companion planting, resource management, and local folklore through intuitive gameplay.

The Conceptualization Process

How do we turn a living ecosystem into a playable system?

The core challenge was translating David Holmgren's 12 Permaculture Principles (such as catching and storing energy, and integrating rather than segregating) into tangible game mechanics without overwhelming the user. Our process was divided into three strategic phases:

Phase 1: Deconstructing Ecological Constraints

We began by mapping the realities of the Sasan Gir bioregion. To ensure the game wasn't just abstract theory, we anchored the concept in real-world Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK).

Seasonal Mapping: We divided gameplay into three actual agricultural seasons: Kharif, Rabi, and Zaid.

Regional Stressors: We brainstormed environmental constraints specific to the region, such as the Saurashtra Fire Season (high wildfire risk) or Monsoon Scarcity, to serve as dynamic challenges.

We began by mapping the realities of the Sasan Gir bioregion. To ensure the game wasn't just abstract theory, we anchored the concept in real-world Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK).

Seasonal Mapping: We divided gameplay into three actual agricultural seasons: Kharif, Rabi, and Zaid.

Regional Stressors: We brainstormed environmental constraints specific to the region, such as the Saurashtra Fire Season (high wildfire risk) or Monsoon Scarcity, to serve as dynamic challenges.

Phase 2: Systematizing Plant Guilds

To teach polyculture and multi-layered stacking, we needed a simple visual language for plant inputs and outputs.

We conceptualized Plant Cards that visually map a species' canopy size, Harvest Points (HP), and Ecological Impact Points (EIP).

We designed a node-based matching system where a plant's "Output" (e.g., Nitrogen fixing, Shade) must mitigate another plant's "Input" (e.g., Needs rich soil, High water demand).

To teach polyculture and multi-layered stacking, we needed a simple visual language for plant inputs and outputs.

We conceptualized Plant Cards that visually map a species' canopy size, Harvest Points (HP), and Ecological Impact Points (EIP).

We designed a node-based matching system where a plant's "Output" (e.g., Nitrogen fixing, Shade) must mitigate another plant's "Input" (e.g., Needs rich soil, High water demand).

Phase 3: The Phygital Artifact

We proposed housing the game inside a traditional Rajasthani Kaavad—a portable, hand-painted wooden storytelling box crafted by Bassi artisans.

The Physical: The mechanical unfolding of the board acts as a sensory storytelling ritual.

The Digital: A QR-linked companion app validates complex guild combinations, calculates ecological scores, and delivers tribal folklore, keeping the physical board free of heavy text.

We proposed housing the game inside a traditional Rajasthani Kaavad—a portable, hand-painted wooden storytelling box crafted by Bassi artisans.

The Physical: The mechanical unfolding of the board acts as a sensory storytelling ritual.

The Digital: A QR-linked companion app validates complex guild combinations, calculates ecological scores, and delivers tribal folklore, keeping the physical board free of heavy text.

Proposed Game Mechanics & Loops

Designing for cooperation, constraint, and strategy.

The game mimics the randomness of nature, requiring players to build resilient plant guilds based on current needs and seasons.

1. The Core Loop: Mitigating Scarcity

Players draw Challenge Cards (e.g., High Evapotranspiration) or Meal/Item Cards (e.g., Bajra Khichdi, Khakhra Leaf Plates). To win, they must select plants that not only fulfill the recipe but also survive the environmental challenge (e.g., integrating high-moisture succulents to prevent fire).

2. Asymmetric Archetypes

To reflect the unpredictable forces of nature, we introduced four distinct gameplay pathways:

God's Path: Controls the movement of other participants.
Devil's Path: Introduces destruction by removing trees and decreasing points.
Designer's Path: Realigns trees for others to earn strategic points.
Giver's Luck: Allows point-sharing to help another player reach the 200-point win condition.

Ecosystem & Go-To-Market Strategy

Positioning the concept as a prestige educational tool.

Because Rootbound bridges heritage craft and ecological science, we proposed a strategic rollout that avoids the mass-market toy category. The strategy positions the game as a collector's item and an educational framework:

Next Steps & Future Scope

While Rootbound remains a proposed concept, the strategic roadmap outlines clear next steps for realization, including intensive collaboration with local artisans for prototype construction, rigorous playtesting of the input/output mechanics, and building the digital folklore database.

Back