The Sonic Test Track

In the photos below you can see the finished basic track complete with side buffers.

We experimented with different 'Sonic' balls and straw sizes. First impressions were that it is rather tiring trying to run around a table whilst expelling air from your lungs as hard as you could (even the non-smokers struggled!). However, intial playtesting seemed to prove there is a solid enough concept and compelling gameplay experience here to take further.

 

Rob tries to ramp up the difficulty level by throwing in all the game equipment pieces 

(dice, counters etc.) he can find, but the balls are so light they don't make much of an obstacle for the player to overcome.

I start a touch of landscaping to see if artificial grass can do better. Sadly, Sonic lives up to his name and is not deterred.

Next I trial some more sturdy/impenetrable barriers. These work nicely! 

Sonic assesses the situation ahead...

Modularity Breeds Variety and Replayability

Before I started to fold my cardboard sections, I experimented to see how many different track layouts I could come up with and achieve (with only a small number of sections in just two different shapes) by laying them out...

Raiding the Craft Shop (and Takeaway Pizza Boxes!)

We're lucky enough to have a well-stocked craft shop in the centre of town. On my shopping list was:

• Something round and/or furry to use as Sonic (ideally in a range of different sizes and weights to experiment with)
• A straw to blow/move sonic round the track
• Gold, shiny material to build the gold rings out of
• Anything that I could use as a potential obstacle or hazard

It's amazing how you can also get inspiration and ideas from stupid little things you find at home (and which most normal people throw away!)

My first supply forage yielded the following items...

 

Variety of balls. Top left to right: Dismantled cat toy; Dismantled Weepul; Orange Pom Pom (they were out of blue sadly); Small polystyrene ball; Large polystyrene ball (x2); Small compacted paper ball

Drinking straws x 2: 1 large (courtesy of KFC Krushems); 1 small (just your average drinking straw)

Plastic pizza tripods (courtesy of Pizza Hut)

Variety of shiny materials. Left to right: Gold card (A4) ; Gold metal strip; Gold wire (4 metres)

Basic Modular Track Templates

Simple cardboard sufficed for some basic cutouts of straights and corner sections. Initially, I only want to see if the basic premise is feasible. i.e. will a ball of some description be able to roll around at reasonable speed without falling off the circuit and is it any fun? The other reason for using a low-cost yet robust material is because I am bound to make quite a lot of changes to the layout or assembly, plus it will no doubt take a bit of a beating during playtesting so I don't want to waste time and money on anything more expensive or complicated to adapt.

 Straights x 4

 Corners x 4

Concept Sketches and Notes V0.2