Meet the Tabletop Tabbies

A fur-midably fun, collectible-figurine-inspired chess set designed to question traditional chess aesthetics.

Role

Student Product Design Project

TOOLS

Blender, Adobe CC

TIMELINE

6 Weeks, Fall 2023

PRODUCT DESIGN

TOY

Chess.com "Market" Study

Chess.com– the most popular online chess site– allows the user to select from a variety of themes. Themes were analyzed for their successful and unsuccessful design characteristics.

Classic, the default Chess.com theme. It is somewhat popular, and features stylized versions of modern Staunton pieces. Users select this theme because they were unaware of or indifferent to theme customization.

Blue, an unpopular theme. Users reported that it was too similar to Classic, as it shared the piece shape and sound effects. Users wished for more drastic aesthetic changes beyond the background hue shift.

Glass, a highly popular theme. Users enjoyed how both the pieces and the board were a unified new aesthetic. This board has unique sound effects for moving pieces.

Market research

Opportunity Insights

While traditional chess sets have both high and low-cost options, abstract chess sets are either too expensive or unintended for play.

Abstract chess sets are enjoyed in the online chess community, but are not accessible in the physical market.

Market research, design goals

Aesthetic Inspiration

Inspiration was taken from figurine collectibles, stylized cat characters, and soft body toys, with reference to brands such as Sanrio, Pusheen, Minecraft, and Funko Pop.

Key words: friendly, playful, characterized, cuboid, abstracted, emotional

ideation sketching

Character Creation Through Form Development

Playfulness, emotion, and variety were key focuses of exploration sketching in order to establish a sense of character.

concept development

Digital Iterations

Procreate was used for detail exploration and quick iteration. Several elevation views were sketched to assess the hierarchy and overall effectiveness of various iterations.

Blender was used for digital 3D iterations because of its versatility and character design capabilities. Additionally, the modular design of the set allowed for quick accessory exploration and asset reuse.

rapid prototyping

Creating Physical Models

Pieces were 3D printed, sanded, and smoothed using an epoxy filler. Whiskers were printed separately at extreme fidelity and attached after sanding.

After priming, base colors were blocked in with spray paint. Masking was used to prevent buildup and color mixing.

Eyes, whiskers, mouth, and other details were hand-painted with acrylics. Hats were attached with glue, and cats were press fit into their bases.

final concept

Tabletop Tabbies

High-fidelity prototypes were created of a pawn, rook, knight, bishop, queen, and king.

In-context renders were created in Blender.

reflection

Project Learnings

Peer critiques helped to understand how others perceive a product or design choice. They provided helpful feedback and ensured designs communicated the desired mood.

Prototyping may not reflect how something is manufactured; for example, some prototypes were print-in-place, but in reality would need separate manufacturing and assembly.

Saving iteratively and working non-destructively makes tweaking details easier. For example, the crenels (notches) needed to be wider and softer for better family of form.