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What started as a school project has become a game that is enjoyed even outside the university. Čecháčci, a board game full of Czech humor and exaggeration, was created in a game design class at the Faculty of Informatics at Masaryk University. The team of authors is now seeking support on Startovač to bring their idea to a wider audience.

The Game Design course welcomes all students who want to try their hand at practical game creation, from concept to prototype and testing. "Students learn to quickly prototype gaming experiences, mostly creating board games, sometimes digital ones. The goal is for everyone to experience the work of a game designer and long-term collaborative work in a team," describes Zdeněk Záhora, one of the course instructors.

The outcome of the course are functional, playable games, which the faculty archives in an online collection. However, the main goal is the process of production itself and overcoming obstacles. Thanks to contact with professionals in the field, students meet guests from the gaming industry, attend conferences, and participate in a number of other gaming events. "I am most pleased with the students who have completed the course with high-quality games and are now working in the gaming industry. Now I am also excited about Čecháčci and the fact that the authors have decided to go further and start crowdfunding," adds Záhora.

Čecháčci (translates as “Czech wannabes” - author’s note) is a satirical board game in the style of Bang! or Exploding Kittens, which pokes fun at Czech stereotypes. In the game, you become one of the Čecháčci, e.g., a Politician or a Pub Regular, and collect treasures of Czech cultural heritage. Beer, socks in sandals or the green liquor are not missing. In terms of gameplay, Čecháčci is based on a chain of events, constant mixing of the game state, and tactics of when it is appropriate to show your cards.

The authors, Matouš Svárovský, Vojtěch Sýkora, and Marek Slezáček, met during their first Game Design class. They originally approached the assignment as just a project to earn credits. However, they became so drawn into the creative process that they decided to develop the concept further. Positive feedback from friends led to the decision to prepare a full version for a wider audience. "Our lecturer Zdeněk Záhora was also a great support, giving us valuable advice and subsequently helping us a lot with the promotion and running of the campaign," says Vojtěch Sýkora. According to the teachers, it is a high-quality piece of work that has the potential to attract interest outside the university environment. This was confirmed by the positive feedback at this year's Researchers' Night, where a prototype was available.  

The crowdfunding campaign on Startovač has already exceeded its original target of CZK 30,000, which means that the game will actually go to print. This is scheduled for the end of October, after the campaign ends. The team is also considering approaching Czech game publishers if the game is a significant success. "We definitely don't want to just throw it away after the campaign is over. We see the success on Startovač as a starting point for further opportunities," concludes Sýkora.

Support the creation of the student game Čecháčci and help it make its way from the FI classroom to gaming tables across the Czech Republic.

Author: Marta Vrlová, Office for External Relations and Partnerships at FI MU