Money Maketh the Man: A Game of Profit and Pettiness

Isaac Pilling

Summary

This board game for 2-4 players has been designed with the intent to be able to teach and inform players to a low level about the complexities of the stock market. Hopefully throughout playing the game the players will learn about the volatile nature of trading, how seemingly random news can massively effect ones 'game plan' in the game just as in real life, and most importantly that all players must keep their cool if they have any hope to succeed.

See the pitch slides hereLink opens in a new window

"My journey to the IATL Den began after a really positive experience studying IATL’s'Serious Tabletop Game Design and Development' module. Having created my own game, I was already thinking about how to take it to the next step, with plans to display itatthe NEC Games Expo in Birmingham. When I received an email from IATL outlining the Den, I realised it was the perfect opportunity to get the funding and expert support I needed to make that happen, so I applied straight away.
From start to finish, the entire process was incredibly supportive. IATL ran multiple preparation sessions to make sure all applicants were fully aware of what the
Den would entail, which really helped build my confidence. We were also encouraged to connect with Warwick Enterprise for valuable 1-to-1 support, which was instrumental in helping me refine my project and prepare for the presentation.

The day of the Den itself ran very smoothly. It was clear that every participant had
been well-prepared, and the quality of all the presentations was high. For me, the most valuable aspect was gaining real-time feedback on my idea from a panel of professionals. Their comments gave me excellent points to consider for my game's future development and marketing strategy, and they also highlighted important areas I hadn't yet considered. I left the event confident that the judges had genuinely engaged with my project and were invested in seeing it succeed, something that was clear from both their comments on the panel and our conversations during the networking lunch afterwards.

Overall, participating in the IATL Den was an incredibly positive and formative experience. It has left me feeling prepared and energised to take my project to the next level. I would recommend it to any student with an idea they are passionate about, and I would do it again in a heartbeat."

Isaac Pilling