POLY CARDS
WHY
When we try to tell people about synthetic biology, Powerpoint is an easy tool to present them with the concept of biobricks. However, it is limited with electronic device and hard to show composability of biobricks. In the light of this statement, we are always exploring a more convenient and intuitive new way to promote synthetic biology and iGEM projects better to the broader public.
So, ZJU-CHINA 2015 tries to incorporate biobricks, iGEM projects into a series of cards, and names them POLY CARDS. The cards are divided into 3 series: Basic Poly Cards, Project Poly Cards and Game Poly Cards.
WHAT
Basic Poly Cards
They're designed to make promotion of synthetic biology easier and more convenient. Each card is a basic biobrick. With Basic Poly Cards, we can easily explain to the public what is biobricks, what is synthetic biology, what is biobrick, how to assemble biobricks and make them a device or a system.
Project Poly Cards
When we separate iGEM project into target objects, target gene and application, we find it easier for public to understand what synthetic biology does and how it changes the real world. These three parts are the core of a project. When they contacted with cards, they are much easier and intuitive to tell how synthetic biology develop into an application and how they bring positive changes to different areas of the world. The following cards are just part of selective projects, if you want, you could design more.
Game Poly Cards
introduce
Synthetic biology makes sense in many place . It is known to us that synthetic biology is a subject with bright future . But , in many cases , only students and researchers who study it know that . In other words , synthetic biology popularizing is a very difficult process .
Here , some famous cards games like Yu-Gi-Oh and Hearth Stone are associated . Both of them are a kind of cards games called CCG(Collectible card game)or TCG(Trading card game) . Such kind of game is based on a imaginary theme and designs hundreds or thousands of cards . This card game can be very popular all around the world .
So we get the idea that in order to popularize synthetic biology , we design a CCG based on synthetic biology . And by inviting people to join our games , we reach the aim to popularize the synthetic biology .
the game contains 3 kinds of cards : parts , balance and enzyme . In order to increasing the game experience , we simplify the rules and improve the card searching ability . Below we will show you the content and the rules of the game .
game setting
The players should confirm the specific aim of the game . After that the players will start the battle and decide who wins the game .
rules
the definition and the flow of cards
desk:at the beginning of the game , all the cards should be back up and put into a pile . They form the desk ,which means desk cards . Below , 'desk' in 'draw from the desk' and 'put back into desk' all mean desk cards.
hand:means hand cards . At the beginning of the game both players have no hand . After that they will draw from the desk as their hands . Also , at the beginning of every lab step they will draw .
recycle:the statement of some cards contains 'put into the recycle after using' . Also , some cards in the recycle will be call back because of effects of other cards .
lab:every players have a lab , in a sense , it's a battle place . Generally speaking , 'play cards from the hand' means playing to the lab and taking relevant effect.
the turn
the fast player and the slow player:draw cards to decide the fast player and the slow player , which mean the first one to play the cards and the second one . This order depends on the expression quantity of the cards they draw . Actually , if the card is not a part card , its expression quantity is zero .
the turn and the game order:the game is turn-based . Two players go through the same step but stagger in the sense of time . Below we will introduce it in detail .
the introduction of one turn
a turn is divided into two steps: lab step and express step
the cross order of the lab step and the express step: every player will go thought lab step and express step in turn . At the beginning of the game , the fast player starts his/her lab step ,and at the same time , the slow player keeps waiting . After that , the fast player's lab step will be stopped after his/her claim . Then , the slow player start his/her lab step , and at the same time , the fast player start his/her express step . After that , the slow player's lab step will be stopped after his/her claim , and at the same time , the fast player's express step will be stopped . Then , in a similar way , the fast player start his/her lab step . The game goes ahead in this order . To make sure everyone has the same lab steps and express steps . the finally step is the express step of the slow player and the waiting step of the fast player .
lab step:the lab step is divided into three parts: draw , lab , layout . after the layout step , the player claim that the lab step is over .(the express step of the opponent is also over )
express step:the express step is divided into two parts: expression and response . Response - the response can take place in any time so long as it accord with the response condition . Expression - after drawing , it expresses .
waiting step:in order to make sure that both of the players have the same rounds , at the same time of the first lab step of the fast player and the last express step of the slow player , the opponent has a waiting step . At the waiting step , the player can only respond .
clearing
The clearing step starts after the end of the express step of the slow player , for the battle of one specific expression quantity , sum up each player's expression quantity , which can decide who wins the battle .
the situation of the card
lab situation:only the circuit card and the parts card have the lab situation . The lab situation means cards play into the lab but do not get ready to express . The circuit which is in lab situation can not produce the expression effect .
expression situation:only the circuit card and the parts card have the expression situation . The expression situation means card play into the lab and build a pathway which can express successfully . The start of the expression is in the following expression step .
take immediate action:only the balance card and the parts card are relevant to 'take immediate action' . Some of the cards take immediate action . It means the card will clear its effect at the moment when it's played .
wait for taking action(layout):only the balance card and the parts card are relevant to 'wait for taking action' . Some of the cards wait for taking action. It means the card is played in the layout step and waits for respond .
respond:only the balance card and the parts card can respond . When the layout card has played into the lab and fits with its responding condition , it can respond at that time .
others
at the beginning of the game , each player draw two plasmid cards , other plasmid cards are put into the recycle
here are some words for polite players:gl - good luck ; hf - have fun ; gg - good game .
HOW
Shanghai Science and Technology Museum
Our first experience of Poly Cards is in Shanghai Science and Technology Museum. Target Participants are people visiting in the museum. After the first experience, we found that the Project Poly Cards could be easier to be accepted by people and understand the basic work and application of synthetic biology. Comparing with the Project Poly Cards, Basic Poly Cards were more difficult for the public to scratch the basic concept of biobricks and understand the core concept of synthetic biology. One main reason for this is that more professional knowledge is involved in this series of cards so it needs an organized and longer time to share. This led to the original idea of Syn-bio Share.
Syn-bio Share
For better practice of Poly Cards, cooperating with Zhejiang China Association for Science and Technology, we held a Syn-bio Share in Zhejiang Science and Technology Museum. In the process of teaching and sharing, we try to promoting synthetic biology to the public, share iGEM projects in recent years, guide them to brainstorm new ideas, and discuss about safety issue about future.
