I am Ziyi,
game designer
based in Chicago.

Mr. President Duck!

Overview

Mr. President Duck! is a party comedy card game where players take on the roles of Mr. President, newly hired Secret Service agents at the Yellow House, and a Gooseassin who has infiltrated their ranks. Players use absurd item cards to attack one another while playing into the roles and hidden traits.

My Role

I created the game concept and established the team. I led the overall design direction, developed the core mechanics, and guided the iteration process throughout the project.

The Design

The main design challenge was deciding which avenue of comedy we wanted to explore and how to express it through the mechanics. Early iterations experimented with a physical slapping jack mechanic, which was later abandoned after playtesting showed it detracted from the game’s comedic focus.

New mechanics were tested and refined based on player feedback, with successful ideas retained and unsuccessful ones reworked or removed. After multiple playtesting sessions, the design evolved into a more role-playing and discussion-focused experience, allowing player interaction to drive the humor and more fully immerse players in the game world.

Learning

This project strengthened my understanding of playtesting as a core design process, especially how to interpret feedback and apply it in later iterations. I also improved my skills in card game system design, organization, and playtesting planning, adjusting mechanics to enhance humor in the game.

• Card Game
• Team Project

Mr. President Duck!

Overview

Mr. President Duck! is a party comedy card game where players take on the roles of Mr. President, newly hired Secret Service agents at the Yellow House, and a Gooseassin who has infiltrated their ranks. Players use absurd item cards to attack one another while playing into the roles and hidden traits.

My Role

I created the game concept and established the team. I led the overall design direction, developed the core mechanics, and guided the iteration process throughout the project.

The Design

The main design challenge was deciding which avenue of comedy we wanted to explore and how to express it through the mechanics. Early iterations experimented with a physical slapping jack mechanic, which was later abandoned after playtesting showed it detracted from the game’s comedic focus.

New mechanics were tested and refined based on player feedback, with successful ideas retained and unsuccessful ones reworked or removed. After multiple playtesting sessions, the design evolved into a more role-playing and discussion-focused experience, allowing player interaction to drive the humor and more fully immerse players in the game world.

Learning

This project strengthened my understanding of playtesting as a core design process, especially how to interpret feedback and apply it in later iterations. I also improved my skills in card game system design, organization, and playtesting planning, adjusting mechanics to enhance humor in the game.

• TTRPG
• Solo Project

Space Odyssey

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• Visual Novel
• Team Project

9 Lives

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• Video Game
• Team Project

Dream School

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• Card Game
• Team Project

Randy Raccoon's Dumpster Drive!

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• Video Game
• Team Project

Test Popper

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• Application Prototype
• Solo Project

Into The Unknown

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• Video Game
• Solo Project

Home Hunt

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• Board Game
• Solo Project