Invented by James Noble and Charles Weir, 1997.
Here are the full materials in MS Office format. You will also need a die and two counters.
The game is played on a board based on the 'design pattern relationships' diagram on the inside back pattern of the 'Gang of four' patterns book. Note that three of the associations were added for the purposes of the game.
Each team has a coloured counter and a score sheet. Both teams start with their counter on the Composite pattern.
On each turn, a team member throws a single die, and moves the counter that number of patterns following the associations between patterns. The counters of the two teams do not interact; both may land on the same pattern without effect.
The counter may go in any direction, but may not pass through the same pattern twice in a single throw. Once on the new pattern, the team throws the die again, and answer a question according to the number thrown (the colours are for commercial game counters):
Colour Title Question
1 Green Intent Describe the intent or motivation of
the pattern
2 Blue Structure Draw the structure diagram
3 Brown Collaborations Describe the collaborations for the
pattern.
4 Orange Consequences Describe one consequence of using the
pattern.
5 Purple Implementation Describe one implementation note for
Note the pattern.
6 Yellow Known Use Describe one known use. This can be
from your own experience rather than
the book if you prefer.
The other team, with the help of the patterns book, must decide if the answer is reasonably convincing. Be fair - anything which suggests reasonable knowledge should be accepted.
If the team answers convincingly, they fill in their mark for that category if they haven't got it already; if they've got it already, they get another turn. Then play passes to the other team.
The winning team is the first to answer all six categories of question, or the team with the most answers at the end of the session.