Die Chroniken von Ithoria

Reimagine Germany's most iconic board game

-Mensch ärgere dich nicht-

for modern audiences

Project Overview

Role:
Timeline:
Delieverables:

Solo Game Designer, 3D Artist & Brand Developer
Academic Semester Project
Complete game system, modular 3D tower, rulebook, marketing campaign

The Challenge

How to you modernize a classic board game without losing its soul?

Mensch ärgere dich nicht (Ludo) loved by generations, but dated in both design and gameplay philosophy.

The competitve 'knock-out' mechanic led to frustration and player elimination. 

My solution:

Transform competition into cooperation, add vertical progression, and create a hybrid system that works both physically and digitally - all while preserving the familar roll-and-move mechanic.

The Solution

A 3D Co-op Tower Crawler

"Die Chroniken von Ithoria" transforms the classic into a cooperative tower-climbing adventure.

Players work together to ascend from the depths of hell to the stormy seas - literally building a growing 3D tower on the table as they go.

The breakthrough:

The flat circular board became a vertical, modular tower. Each completed level adds a new floor. The game physically grows alongside the progress of the campaign.

Core Innovation

The Modular Tower System

How it works:

• Pre-printed 3D cardboard components withouth glue

• Players build the base level and add new floors one objectives are achieved

• 7 unique level: Hell - Desert - Dungeon - Ice Plance - Temple - Forest - Stormy Seas

• The tower dramatically visualizes progress and creates a tactile sense of achievement

What I preserved:

Roll-and-move dice mechanic, circular structure, simple game flow

What I transformed:

Competition à Cooperation, Player elimination à Everyone stays engaged, Flat board à Growing 3D tower

Game Systems

Hybrid Integration

Six character archetypes with unique roles:
Barbarian (Tank), Elf (Ranged), Cleric (Healing), Mage (Crowd Control), Rogue (Stealth), Dwarf (Defense).

Encounters demand true coordination - no player can solve everyhting alone.

Physical + Digital Hybrid: 
Designed from day one for virtual tabletop compatibility, with board layouts that export directly to Foundry VTT and Roll20. True hybrid sessions are possible - some players at the table, others remote - all sharing the same tower state.

Visual & Brand Identity

The visual language

Deep blues, purples, weathered gold - extends across a complete brand ecosystem:

• Packaging,

• a 64-page rulebook,

• chracter cards,

• print marketing,

• subway campaign,

• and a brand identiy system

Challenges

Outcome

Solutions

• Balancing accessibility vs depth

• Physical tower stability

• Preventing one player from "quaterbacking"

• Layered complexity sytem

• Slot-and-tab system with alignment zones

• Individual challenges that only the respevtive player can solve

What I achieved

Die Chroniken von Ithoria demonstrates that centuries-old classics can thrive in modern gaming culture by understanding what makes them beloved and building upon it.

• Preserved familar mechanics while transforming the experience

• Introduced physical innovation with the modular tower system

• Demonstrated hybrid viabilit

• Developed a cohesive brand ecosystem

What I learned:

Systems thinking is essential - the growing tower is simultaneously a narrative tool, a UX element, and a marketing differentiator.

My heallthcare background taught me systemic thinking and empathy - skills directly transferable to game design

Tools:

Inspiration: