SYSTEM DESIGN
The Twelve
Tools: Figma, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop
Challenge
Design a pressure-driven social deduction system where players argue about intent and trust, not rules, math or procedure.
Role
Creator and systems designer, responsible for core mechanics, playtest design and iterative refinement.
Impact
01 Clearer Decision Making
Early playtests revealed that ambiguity around commitment weakened tension. System changes focused on locking decisions and clarifying responsibility so player choices carry visible consequences.
02 Stronger Social Pressure
By reframing costs as temptations rathe than penalties, the game shifted from mechanical optimization to moral suspicion, encouraging players to debate motives instead of outcomes.
03 Improved Learnability Without Simplification
Reducing cognitive overhead allowed new players to engage with the social layer faster, without removing depth or complexity.
Lessons Learned & Next Steps
This project reinforced the importance of separating mystery from confusion. Future work includes validating recent system changes in live playtests and exploring an optional leader companion app to reduce overhead without revealing information.
Final Solutions
System diagrams, playtest artifacts and abstracted components (intentionally redacted).
