Communication theory: Tug and Pull
Communication Theory in the Field of Design
Tug and Pull logo and art
Design is fundamentally a communicative act rather than a purely aesthetic one. As defined in communication theory, communication is the process of generating meaning by sending and receiving verbal and nonverbal symbols and signs that are influenced by multiple contexts. In the context of game design, the designer acts as the «sender,» encoding a complex message—mechanics, atmosphere, and narrative—into visual and tactile symbols. The player, acting as the «receiver,» must decode these symbols to understand not just the rules, but the emotional tone of the experience. If the encoding of the visual rhetoric—such as the layering of colors and arrangement of elements—is successful, the player perceives the intended atmosphere of immediately.
Furthermore, design operates heavily within the semiotic tradition, where communication is seen as sharing meaning through a system of signs. In our project, the turnip is not merely a vegetable, but a signifier deeply embedded in cultural history. By altering this sign—adding mutations and «GMO» labels—we are engaging in a re-coding of established symbols. This requires the designer to understand the «communal agreement» regarding the original folk tale so that the subversion reads as a deliberate twist rather than a mistake.
Game layout
Finally, the narrative paradigm suggests that humans are storytelling animals who experience life as a series of ongoing narratives. Design in board games must adhere to «narrative coherence,» meaning the visual elements must be internally consistent. If the mechanics suggest high-stakes competition but the artwork suggests a peaceful pastoral life, the narrative coherence is broken, and the communication fails. Therefore, the design must visually communicate the «mean world» of the mutated garden to prepare the player for the aggressive gameplay.
Presentation for a General Audience
Game session illustration
Welcome to «Tug and Pull», a game that takes the childhood stories you know and twists them into a battle for survival. We all remember the classic tale where a family works together to pull a giant turnip from the ground. But in our version, the story has changed. The granddaughter sent to the village for the summer doesn’t find her loving grandparents — she finds mutants! Ever since the seeds marked «GMO» ripened, the vegetable garden and its owners have undergone terrifying mutations.
Merchandise mockup
In this game, instead of cooperating, you compete. You must make your way through withered beds and face the wacky mutants who used to be your family and pets. The goal is simple but deadly: use the efforts of your hungry rivals to snatch the delicious mutant turnip for yourself. It contains the cure, and there is only enough for one!
Merchandise mockup
The experience is driven by competition, a conflict strategy where you refuse to give up your goals for others. In the garden of «Tug and Pull», there is no compromise and no accommodation. You must outwit your friends, sabotaging their attempts to harvest the cure.
So, gather six friends and prepare to ruin your relationships for the evening. Will you be the one to conquer the chaos of the garden and claim the prize? Or will you fall victim to the monsters who were once your friends?
Game session illustration
Presentation for a Professional Audience
In developing the branding for «Tug and Pull» we utilize the socio-cultural tradition, which views communication as the production of social order through symbolic processes. We are taking a culturally ingrained symbol, the cooperative Russian folk tale, and reframing it through a lens of modern anxiety regarding GMOs and isolation. This creates a «frame» that highlights conflict over cooperation, fundamentally altering the players' perception of the children' s tale.
Game box mockup
This game satisfies the need for excitement and emotional stimulation through «distracted viewing» of a familiar world gone wrong. The visuals are designed to persuade you through visual rhetoric —the jagged lines and toxic colors immediately tell you this is a dangerous place. It is a fast-paced, «hot media» experience that provides thrills and demands your total engagement.
Our target demographic is the «active audience» defined by uses and gratifications theory. These players are goal-oriented; they select games to satisfy specific needs such as social connection (bonding social capital) and tension release (diversion).By designing the game for six players, we are facilitating group communication, but specifically engineering it around «disruptive» interaction rather than promotive collaboration, forcing players to navigate conflict.
Playing cards mockup
From a visual rhetoric standpoint, the design employs specific arrangements and color layering to guide the eye and persuade the player of the game’s stakes. We appeal to two types of consumers: for those taking the «peripheral route,» the striking, acid-colored artwork serves as a strong cue to generate immediate interest. For those taking the «central route,» the strategic depth of the competitive mechanics provides the high cognitive effort required for long-term engagement.
Game session mockup
Players constantly weigh the «costs and rewards» of their actions. Helping a rival weaken the Turnip might be a necessary cost, but the ultimate reward dictates a selfish, «minimax» strategy — minimizing cost while maximizing personal benefit. This turns the gameplay into a series of calculated interpersonal risks.
Finally, by providing a shared «fantasy theme» (the mutant village), we encourage the group to chain out stories and jokes during gameplay, creating a unique group awareness and enhancing retention. «Tug and Pull» is a tool for generating a shared, although competitive, social reality.
Explanation of Theoretical Basis
The creation of these presentations was deeply rooted in the Narrative Paradigm proposed by Walter Fisher. The game’s premise relies on the audience’s familiarity with the original tale. By altering this narrative, we leverage «narrative fidelity"—the story resonates because it overlaps with the audience’s existing worldview (the folk tale), but we disrupt the «narrative coherence» of the original happy ending to create conflict. This disruption acts as the hook, since humans experience life—and games—as ongoing narratives with characters, beginnings, and ends.
Tug and Pull promotional art
The distinction between the general and professional presentations was guided by the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) .The general presentation focused on the «Peripheral Route,» utilizing emotional cues, vivid descriptions of monsters, and the promise of fun (authority of the «cool» factor) to persuade potential players who may lack the motivation to process complex mechanics. Conversely, the professional presentation targeted the «Central Route,» assuming the audience (investors or critics) has the motivation and ability to cognitively process the game’s structural validity, market positioning, and theoretical underpinnings.
Tug and Pull promotional art
We utilized Framing Theory to «select» the aspect of the turnip harvest but «emphasize» the competition and mutation, while «excluding» the original themes of family unity. This re-framing changes «what to think about» (the turnip) into «how to think about it» (as a prize to be stolen, not shared).This shift moves the game from a cooperative to a competitive conflict style, where players pursue their own goals at the expense of others, a concept derived from interpersonal conflict research.
Tug and Pull promotional art
We also applied semiotics from the Semiotic Tradition to the visual branding. The mutant turnip is a sign that must be decoded. In the «high-context» of the game’s visual design, the meaning is implicit in the jagged art style and dark colors, signaling danger without explicit text. This relies on the player’s ability to decode the «message» sent by the designer, acknowledging the gap between the sender’s intent and the receiver’s interpretation.
Tug and Pull promotional art
Finally, the game’s marketing logic draws on Uses and Gratifications Theory .We identified that the audience is «active» and seeks specific gratifications, such as Diversion (escaping the mundane) and Personal Relationships (interacting with friends, even aggressively).By pitching the game as a solution to boredom and a vehicle for social interaction, we align the product with the pre-existing needs of the players, acknowledging that they choose media to satisfy specific goals.
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