Project L: Square One

Fully Unlocked: The Philosophy of Our Product Design
6 months ago – Wed, May 01, 2024 at 09:29:45 AM

Hey everyone! 

I hope everyone is doing alright! We are 24 hours away from the end of the campaign. And we wanted to talk about one last thing! We've already looked at Square One’s base game, expansions, and solo mode. And now, it is time to look into the design of our products. 

You may have noticed there were no stretch goals or daily unlocks present in this campaign. We didn’t want to make you struggle for the premium content you deserved, and we could include it from the get-go. 

Thanks to our experience with Project L, we knew how to make the game tactile, smooth, and just addicting to play with. The materials, like the black core and the vibrant plastic used for pieces, were well-tested from Square One’s predecessor. 

But there were a couple of things that we could improve on to push the game to new heights. Let’s look at those:

The Handling

Project L was a nice game to handle, but there was one thing that always bugged us. If you wanted to remove the pieces from the puzzle, you probably did one of two things: 

• Flip the puzzle
• Try to take them one by one

Flipping the puzzle often ended up in pieces scattered around the table, sometimes even falling off. Taking them out, one at a time is tedious, and because of their low profile, it gets difficult at times. 

When we were in the prototyping phase, using paper versions of sequences, we noticed that people stacked the pieces on themselves and then slid the paper from underneath — effortlessly repositioning the pieces back to their supply. 

That made us think, and we began testing designs that would translate the simplicity of the paper prototype to the final product. We tried a couple of different versions.

One of them was a refresh of the old tic-tac-toe, where pieces are dropped in from above. But that didn’t work well in terms of space or the player’s comfort.

Then, world-class product designer Jaroslav Juřica (who also played a huge role in designing Project L) suggested that we should open one of the sides of the tiles and just tilt the pieces out. 

It proved to be a technological challenge, but thanks to our partners at Panda GM, we were able to implement his idea. Creating ultimate form of our sequences, which allows for easy removal of the tiles and ensures no more pieces are flying around! 

Sizing

Some might say that size doesn’t matter. We beg to disagree. The size of the sequences and pieces, ties directly into the handling aspect and gaming comfort. 

As mentioned before the pieces in Project L were too low, which made them difficult to move around. We wanted to change that with Square One, so we fiddled around with many different heights and shapes. To find a cube, that is easy to place, not too sharp or too big and clunky. 

The height wasn’t the only aspect we had to look at. The width of the piece was also really important. If the pieces were too wide, they would unnecessarily enlarge the sequences. Making the game take all of the real estate on your table. Shaving just a millimeter off each side of the piece size reduced the overall necessary play area by dozens of square centimeters.

Ultimately, we are happy with these candy-like pieces we’ve chosen. (They are not edible though). 

Printing

The UV print was a well-tested way to ensure the sequence requirements were readable and the colors were bright. 

There was one thing that bugged us though. Not only us but also a lot of players mentioned this — The Project L puzzles didn’t have any sort of identifier that you could use to make sure you’ve got all of your puzzles (other than comparing the rewards with our puzzle chart).

We wanted to change that, but placing a random number on the sequence was a no-go. So in classic Boardcubator fashion, we looked for the most elegant solution. The result is a seemingly invisible marking in the right corner of each sequence. It doesn’t disturb the design at all, yet when needed, it's right there!

Thank you for reading and for your continued support. We are excited to cross the finish line tomorrow with you by our side! 

Till then, take care!

~Michal, Jan, Petr, Patrik, Natálie, Marek, Sisi & Ferdinand

Last 48 Hours
6 months ago – Tue, Apr 30, 2024 at 07:40:41 AM

Hey folks! 

As we are nearing the end of this awesome adventure. We just wanted to take a moment to express our gratitude. 

Kickstarter likes to remind you —“Remember, there is a human behind this project” — but we also have to remember that behind the backer number, there are real people. And without you, we wouldn’t be able to get here. So from the bottom of our hearts THANK YOU!

Thanks to your trust in our studio, we were able to raise our funding goal in less than 24 hours and even surpass it by 150%. Moreover, each one of you is now a part of more than 2000 players, who will be enjoying Square One all over the world. We can’t wait to get the games to you and see you share new memories with your fellow players! 

Speaking of sharing, you’ve already done a lot for us, but it would be awesome if you considered sharing Square One with your friends and family. Who knows? It might become their new favorite game :) 

(author’s note: I might sound biased, but it is one of my favorite games) 

For now, take care! 

~Michal, Petr, Jan, Patrik, Sisi, Natálie, Marek & Ferdinand

Solo Gaming With Square One!
6 months ago – Sun, Apr 28, 2024 at 08:37:06 AM

Hi everyone! 

Have you ever set up for a game night only to have everyone cancel at the last minute? If the backup crew can't make it either, don't worry—Square One has you covered!

It features a solo mode where you'll go head-to-head with an AI opponent. The setup and player's gameplay mirror the multiplayer experience, so you can dive right in without any extra learning curve.

The AI is designed to be simple, streamlined, and easy to maintain. It prioritizes sequences with the highest rewards and aims to perform combos as frequently as possible. It comes in three levels of difficulty:

• Easy Mode: The AI performs one action per turn, either taking or resolving a sequence.
• Normal Mode: The AI uses one move per turn but can auto-resolve its sequences without using action points, making it a faster and stronger competitor.
• Hard Mode: The AI gains two action points per turn, enhancing its ability to perform combos and really challenge the player to a hard duel. 

Curious to see how it plays out? Paul Grogan of Gaming Rules! successfully tackled the AI on his channel. Watch his engaging playthrough of Square One's solo mode right here: 

Enjoy your game nights, solo style!

Have a great rest of the weekend! 

~ Michal, Jan, Sisi, Marek, Patrik, Naty, Petr & Ferdinand 

✦ Beyond the Basics: Expansion & Ambassador Pack ✦
6 months ago – Thu, Apr 25, 2024 at 06:42:50 AM

Hey folks! 

It’s been two days since launch, and the campaign is already backed by an astonishing 1745 backers! It is amazing to have such a dedicated fanbase, and we are forever grateful. 

In the last update, we’ve dove into the base game of Square One. In today’s update, we will look closely at the Joker Expansion and the Joker AP. There has been some confusion in the comments about these two being the same thing. So just to make it clear — They are two different additions to the game. 

Let’s take a look at them! 

The Joker Expansion

The Joker Expansion reaches beyond the limits of Square One, with new mechanics that allow you to farm more pieces, be more flexible, and gain more points! While also giving you more basic pieces and increasing the max player count to 6.

It features 15 brand new sequences and 4 new pieces: 

Joker Piece Explained

The headliners of the expansion are the Joker pieces. Just like in a deck of cards, the Jokers serve as a wild piece in your arsenal. They substitute for any piece, including a level-4, making them incredibly versatile. 

As you can see in the image, they allow for a lot of flexibility. You can use them to conquer a row which requires a level 4 piece that has been escaping you. But at the same time it can serve as a quick fix when you run out of level 1 pieces!

Three-piece-Reward & 4-Point Sequences

Joker pieces offer flexibility in your decision making and the three-piece-reward white sequences are here to send your engine-building into the stratosphere. In the base game of Square One the maximum amount of pieces a sequence can get you is 2. Three-piece-reward sequences, as their name suggests, twist that and reward you with 3 pieces per completion. 

They are harder to complete, but once you do finish that last row, you will be swimming in pieces like Scrooge McDuck. Which allows you to then conquer any sequence on the table. Including the hardest black sequences known to Square One! Those are also a part of the expansion, so let’s move on to them.

4-point black sequences are the new bosses of the game. Requirement-wise, they are the hardest to finish, but just like the 3-point sequences from the base game, they have four rows. This means that you can complete them with the same amount of actions. 

So if you have a big enough pool of pieces and/or jokers ready, you should definitely aim to challenge these titans! 

Joker Ambassador Pack

The Joker Ambassador pack serves as a mini-expansion to Square One and you don’t need to have Joker Expansion to use it in your game. 

It brings one new sequence to the table with the Special Joker piece. Why special? Because on top of its regular Joker abilities, the AP Joker has an additional mechanic. It can be sacrificed for a bonus action on your turn, giving you another shot at finishing your combos and cashing in those sweet points!

And that’s about it for today! In the next update, we will talk about the philosophy behind Square One’s product design. 

Until then, take care! 

~ Michal, Marek, Jan, Sisi, Patrik, Petr, and Natálie

Square One is Funded!
6 months ago – Wed, Apr 24, 2024 at 01:00:31 AM

Hey folks!

We're pleased to announce that the Square One campaign is now fully funded! And that’s all because of you! Your support means the world to us. Once again, THANK YOU!

But stay tuned, we have more to share in the upcoming days! In the previous update, we’ve already shared a in detail look at Square One’s gameplay. Next, we will look closely at Square One’s Joker expansion and the adjacent Ambassador Pack. 

Till then, take care! 

~ Boardcubator team