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Board: New game console recognizes physical pieces, with an open SDK

board.fun

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Re: Board: New game console recognizes physical pieces, with an open SDK

#51

Post by 2muchcoffeeman »

jkhdigital wrote: post #28

I can tell this is much more than just “Tabletop Simulator on a tablet”, although at $500 you’re likely to get a lot of attention from the Twilight Imperium and Gloomhaven crowd. I know more than a few childless people in my local gaming circle who would drop a half-large on accessories that simplify game execution. But clearly this product isn’t about making existing board games easier to set-up/play/clean-up. I thi…

I play games like Gloomhaven and TI4. Not sure how this product would simplify anything. Far too small for any of the more complex board games. I guess I could scroll around but then what does physical piece detection give me? Then it’s $500USD. My game group and myself got Gloomhaven from Epic for free and played through the campaign together. BGA subscription is cheap. So many games have online implementations that are free. And I can buy a lot of boardgames for $500.

What’s the draw here?

Re: Board: New game console recognizes physical pieces, with an open SDK

#52

Post by embedding-shape »

nicoles wrote: post #41
MarsIronPI wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To expand on the topic of the SDK: will the SDK be open-source? Will I need to register as a developer or pay a fee to get the SDK? If the SDK is open-source with no registration or fees required, then you have my attention.

The SDK is open-source, no fees required. Coming in the next week or two. We're figuring out the specific details regarding registration, and would love feedback one way or the other if this is critical for you. If you want to be notified the moment it hits, email us: developers@board.fun

> The SDK is open-source, no fees required. Coming in the next week or two. We're figuring out the specific details regarding registration

It sounds like you've already figured out that the registration would have to be optional, as you're planning to make it open-source (it will be open-source once you release it, it isn't open-source yet :) ).

Re: Board: New game console recognizes physical pieces, with an open SDK

#53

Post by cma »

embedding-shape wrote: post #52
nicoles wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The SDK is open-source, no fees required. Coming in the next week or two. We're figuring out the specific details regarding registration, and would love feedback one way or the other if this is critical for you. If you want to be notified the moment it hits, email us: developers@board.fun

> The SDK is open-source, no fees required. Coming in the next week or two. We're figuring out the specific details regarding registration It sounds like you've already figured out that the registration would have to be optional, as you're planning to make it open-source (it will be open-source once you release it, it isn't open-source yet :) ).

Open-source could still have tivoization and require registration, like Android mandatory developer signing that is supposed to be on the way.

Re: Board: New game console recognizes physical pieces, with an open SDK

#54

Post by october8140 »

vintermann wrote: post #7

Not quite the first such product, Microsoft's original "Surface" advertised similar boardgame potential. But if it worked well, I don't know of anyone who was rich enough to try it! Hopefully the technology has matured since then.

I played games on a Surface table in 2012. It was fun but very finicy with input. I imagine this as 10+ years of better input detection technology.

Re: Board: New game console recognizes physical pieces, with an open SDK

#55

Post by october8140 »

There is a huge demand for an off the shelf device like this for TTRPGs. There are entire companies making animated maps that are predicated on people laying a TV on its back on a table and building a custom case for it. I imagine they would all love to sell their maps on a dedicated off the shelf product.

Re: Board: New game console recognizes physical pieces, with an open SDK

#56

Post by MarsIronPI »

nicoles wrote: post #41
MarsIronPI wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To expand on the topic of the SDK: will the SDK be open-source? Will I need to register as a developer or pay a fee to get the SDK? If the SDK is open-source with no registration or fees required, then you have my attention.

The SDK is open-source, no fees required. Coming in the next week or two. We're figuring out the specific details regarding registration, and would love feedback one way or the other if this is critical for you. If you want to be notified the moment it hits, email us: developers@board.fun

Cool! I don't have any concrete plans yet, but I'm looking forward to checking out the SDK when it releases. I'm relieved that you aren't going for the Xbox/Playstation/Nintendo approach.

Re: Board: New game console recognizes physical pieces, with an open SDK

#60

Post by waltbosz »

vintermann wrote: post #7

Not quite the first such product, Microsoft's original "Surface" advertised similar boardgame potential. But if it worked well, I don't know of anyone who was rich enough to try it! Hopefully the technology has matured since then.

I think I used there was a Surface used at the "Sum of all thrills" attraction in Epcot in Disney World.

It behaved very similar to the Board. It definitely had a "knob" that you placed on a screen could spin to make adjustments.

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