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Tipping Point (digital)
Spring 2009 Prototype | Puzzle Board Game | Adobe Flash (Windows / Macintosh / Linux)  

Tipping Point is a cooperative Flash game for up to four players based on the Tipping Point board game, also produced by the Singapore-MIT GAMBIT Game Lab. Multiplayer is via hot seat, where players take turns at the mouse and keyboard. It is entirely possible to play with fewer players, or even just by yourself. Functionally the two versions are identical, although this version uses more abstract graphics for the various game pieces.

Players assume the roles of Project Managers, and must work together to complete projects before they go too far past their deadline. The game is won by completing a set number of projects without letting any project fail.

The game is designed to be both a fun game and a useful training tool, teaching players how to manage multiple projects while emphasizing the importance of long-term planning. Projects are completed through a mix of Concept and Production work. "Concept Work" represents the planning and research done in the early phases of a project, while "Production Work" represents implementing the project, such as building a product. Each turn the players decide which project to work on and which type of work to be done. There must be a balance between Concept work and Production work: Production work is more useful in the short term, but Concept work is more useful in the long term.

Over the course of the game players can see how their previous choices affect the current state of the game, which helps them understand the benefits of long-term planning. Concept work done on early projects will have a positive impact on later projects, making them easier to manage. Production work makes it easier to finish a project immediately, but players who spend too much time on Production work will soon find their later projects uncontrollable.

Tipping Point also demonstrates the problem of letting projects continue for too long. If they are not completed early on, projects will begin to negatively impact each other, creating a downward spiral that is difficult to reverse. The "Tipping Point" is the start of this spiral. If they want to succeed the players must work together to prevent the game from reaching this point.

The game is an engaging puzzle that requires players to think long-term and work together. If anyone's project fails, everyone loses: players win or lose as a team, and many decisions in the game must be made by consensus. As the game progresses the number of simultaneous projects increases, forcing players to think strategically about when to complete and when to begin new projects. A hasty decision can quickly change several small projects into an enormous, convoluted amalgamation that is almost impossible to manage.

While fun on its own, Tipping Point is an excellent team builder and project management training tool. It is highly recommended for any organization where teamwork and long-term planning are core values.

  Tipping Point

Coming Soon
Requirements

Tipping Point requires Adobe Flash Player 10. Adobe has tested Adobe® Flash® Player 10 software extensively on the following minimum hardware configurations:

Windows®

  • Intel® Pentium® II 450MHz, AMD Athlon™ 600MHz or faster processor (or equivalent)
  • 128MB of RAM
Macintosh
  • PowerPC® G3 500MHz or faster processor
  • Intel Core™ Duo 1.33GHz or faster processor
  • 128MB of RAM
Linux®
  • Modern processor (800MHz or faster)
  • 512MB of RAM, 128MB of graphics
Photographs
Developers

Jason Begy
Product Owner, Design,
Documentation

Jennifer Fu
Additional Art

Steven Bartel
Programming

Abe Stein
Sound

Michael Rapa
Art, Design

Blog Posts
Press Mentions

 

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