ABOUT THE PROJECT
Pentas Banjoemas is an official cultural grant project funded by Dana Indonesiana – Ministry of Culture, Republic of Indonesia. Serving a dual role as Grantee and Project Leader, I was fully responsible for the end-to-end lifecycle of the project spanning from deep historical research, conceptual drafting, and game mechanics development, to iterative playtesting and final production management.
The primary objective of Pentas Banjoemas is to preserve and revitalize the rich, traditional performing arts of the Banyumas region (such as Lengger, Ebeg, Calung, Jemblung, Sintren, Gandalia, and Bongkel). By transforming these traditional art forms into a modern, interactive, and highly engaging tabletop board game, the project provides an innovative pedagogical tool tailored for students, universities, families, museums, and modern tabletop communities.
THE CHALLENGE
Translating Intangible Heritage Into Systemic Gameplay Mechanics
Translating deep, complex, and often abstract intangible cultural heritage into structured, functional tabletop game mechanics presents a unique creative hurdle.
Key challenges included:
Preserving the exact rituals and rhythms of 7 traditional Banyumasan arts without oversimplification.
Engineering engaging, competitive mechanics that break the "boring educational game" stigma.
Designing a high volume of physical assets and card decks for instant readability.
Managing rigorous iterative playtesting sessions across diverse target user demographics.
Ensuring strict CMYK print production standards for high-quality physical componen
OUR APPROACH
Editorial thinking applied to commercial design problems
The design approach borrowed from fashion editorial conventions — treating product presentation with the same intentionality as a magazine spread — while grounding every decision in user research and conversion data. This meant making deliberate, evidence-based choices about where to be generous with space and restraint, and where to prioritize clarity and efficiency above aesthetic purity.
VISUAL DIRECTION
The visual direction bridges rich Javanese heritage with contemporary tabletop gaming aesthetics, focusing on a "Modern-Traditional Fusion." The creative language utilizes vibrant, high-contrast cultural illustrations to capture the kinetic energy and movement of performing arts like Ebeg and Lengger. The color palette features deep, sophisticated cultural tones such as terracotta, dark indigo, and warm gold accents blended with modern, clean vector lines. This ensures that historical and artistic accuracy is carefully preserved while maintaining a fresh, visually engaging appeal that captivates younger generations and families alike.
DESIGN SYSTEM
A rigorous, multi-disciplinary asset framework was engineered to support complex gameplay components, print logistics, and historical documentation.
Core elements included:
Standardized layouts, die-cut templates, and custom iconography for all card decks.
Clear structural sans-serif fonts for instructions paired with heritage-inspired display typefaces.
A functional visual vocabulary of resource tokens designed for instant readability.
Custom-engineered player boards optimized for seamless table presence and organization.
Strict CMYK print-ready color profiles and material specifications optimized for manufacturing.
FINAL SOLUTION
A Government-backed Interactive Boardgame Catalyst For Heritage Preservation
The final boardgame solution delivers a fully realized, playtested, and production-ready educational tabletop experience that successfully transforms local performing arts into an interactive learning medium. By seamlessly merging historical research with engaging game mechanics, the Pentas Banjoemas boardgame provides schools, museums, and families with a modern tool for cultural transmission. The project stands as a benchmark for cultural grant execution, successfully elevating the traditional heritage of Banyumas into a premium, engaging, and highly pedagogical boardgame experience for the 21st-century audience.
