Project L: Square One

✦ Beyond the Basics: Expansion & Ambassador Pack ✦
8 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!
8 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 

A Deep Dive Into Square One
8 months ago – Tue, Apr 23, 2024 at 09:05:09 AM

Hi folks! 

As with any game, there are some hidden aspects that didn’t make the cut to the main page, but we would love to talk about them. So in this update, we will take a deep dive into Square One’s base game.

Exploring the following: 

• We will delve into Combos
• Show you differences in Sequences 
• Explain the polyomino printing on the pieces

Combos

Veteran Project L players might know that one of its expansions was named after a Tetris mechanic called Ghost Piece. Square One’s combos are also directly linked to the smash hit of 85’. Just like in Tetris, filling the last row in multiple of your sequences at once, makes the pieces explode rewarding you with extra points! Figuratively, of course. 

With combos, the game’s complexity shifted from single hard-to-complete puzzles to juggling multiple sequences at the same time. 

Initially, we experimented with a linear scoring system where completing each sequence awarded you an additional point completing 1 sequence got you 1 bonus point, 2 sequences got you 2, and so on.

However, this approach didn't deliver the dynamic we would love. So we opted for exponential scoring instead. 

Under the new system, completing one sequence doesn’t get you any extra points, but finishing two sequences earns you one extra point, three sequences earn two, and four sequences four. 

This structure often puts you in front of a decision: 

• Do I want to finish the sequence and boost my engine, but forfeit the combo points? 

OR

• Do I rather keep it unfinished and aim to pair it with another one, to score combos?

Sequences Are The New Puzzles

Square One takes a new approach to its puzzling part. Instead of spatial puzzles, known from Project L, you have to complete rows in sequences, which by itself is no complicated task — All sequences have rows with certain requirements, you fill your pieces in from top to bottom, one full row at a time. 

The intricacies come to light when you start working on multiple sequences at once to complete your combos and expand the victory point gain — In essence building your own puzzle out of the sequences you take. 

To expand the creative options and ways to plan your actions. Some of the sequences have alternate paths for requirements. Which means that you can complete the row with one green and one yellow or one blue piece as you can see in the second row of the image above. 

White Sequences

These are your base resource-gathering tools, as they don’t give any points by themselves and only reward you with new pieces. They are however way easier to finish than their black counterparts. This makes them perfect candidates for fast rotations and completion, allowing you to farm combos quickly in the early game. 

Completing a 2 or even 4-point combo with just white sequences is doable and it's a valid strategy at the start of the game, but it’s not enough to win. To push yourself to victory you need to switch up the gear and take on the more challenging black sequences. Let’s move on to those.

Black Sequences 

Instead of new pieces, black sequences reward you with victory points. If you aim to win the game you have to add some of these under your belt. You have to be careful though. Once you place a piece into a sequence, you can’t move it until the sequence is finished. Meaning that taking a hard 3-point black sequence too early can block a part of your pool for a couple of rounds, making you unable to rotate the combos quickly and precisely.

Ultimately, there are many strategies in Square One you can choose to follow. Some of us here at Boardcubator like to grind the edge of the combo machine, spinning white sequences and 1-point black sequences to gather the most combos. 

While others build a behemoth out of challenging 3-point sequences and pair them with white sequences in a slower more calculated approach.

The gameplay becomes even more intriguing with the Joker Expansion, and its 4-point and three-reward sequences, but we will get into that next time!

About Pieces
 

There are a couple of questions about the new Square One pieces, starting with the most obvious one — where is the spatial element? 

New players won’t feel the itch to ask this question, but it will most certainly cross into the minds of Project L lovers. If you want to read a more comprehensive update about the decisions behind these changes you can find it here → From Project L to Square One

In the early stages of Square One development, the initial idea was to have a polyomino piece exactly like in Project L. However after conducting multiple playtests, we found that the complexity of spatial puzzles made layering additional mechanics overwhelming. That’s why we narrowed sequences to "just a line of requirements," and changed the pieces into cubes with polyomino shapes printed on them.

I can hear you ask — “Why did you retain the polyominoes then?” — Well for one, they continue the Project L Universe and its visual identity. And the more technical game design reasoning stems from the effectiveness of the polyomino tree. 

We played around with different systems of numbering and symbols. One of them was a linear 1-6 numbering, which directly tied the number of pieces to their “level”. This meant we only had 6 pieces in the game and reaching the top ones proved to be unnecessarily hard. Essentially creating a game with no diversity in sequences or pieces.

The polyomino tree does both. It gives us 9 pieces to work with, while also keeping only 4 levels. This system proved itself to offer the most intuitive and efficient method for manipulating game pieces.

At the same time, it simplifies the processes of merging and splitting pieces — which is a crucial part of Square One.

In the original, when you want to get a different piece, you exchange 1 for 1 with the upgrade action. This is not possible in Square One, here you merge and split pieces depending on their value. This means you have to sacrifice multiple lower-value pieces to get those of higher value and vice versa. 

Now you might ask yourself. Why would I sacrifice a higher-value piece? The answer is simple because the requirements are relentless and you need all types of pieces all the time. 

In a way, the most important piece of the game is the tasty yellow cube, so splitting one pink level 4 to get 4 yellows can prove to be rather handy sometimes. 

And that’s all for now! In the next update, we will take a look at the Joker Expansion and Joker Ambassador Pack. Both are bringing new mechanics to the game and we are looking forward to sharing how that works! 

Stay tuned for that and until then, take care!

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

From Project L to Square One
8 months ago – Tue, Apr 23, 2024 at 09:01:37 AM

Hi,

Since revealing Square One, many of you have asked a natural question: how does Square One differ from Project L? So, in this first campaign update, we'll show you the development process of Square One, highlight some decisions we had to make on the way, and attempt to shed light on how these two games relate to each other.

Here at Boardcubator, Project L holds a deeply cherished place in our hearts. Since its release in 2018, Project L has captivated thousands of players worldwide, forming a community that we're immensely proud to be a part of. Their unwavering support, heartfelt messages, and ongoing love for the game have been truly inspiring.

Moreover, the impact of Project L extends far beyond the tabletop, enriching diverse settings and serving as a catalyst for positive change. Whether it's providing joy to autistic children or serving as a valuable educational tool in mathematics lectures, Project L has showcased the transformative power of board games. Just check out our blog series where we share real-life stories of how Project L (and board games in general) has been making a difference in people's lives.

With Square One, we set out to honor this legacy while infusing it with a fresh wave of innovation. We aimed to strike a delicate balance, creating a game that is both reminiscent of its predecessor yet distinctly different.

What’s Changed In Gameplay

As mentioned, our goal was to build upon the tried-and-true foundation of Project L's engine-building mechanics. We retained the round structure, including the limited yet powerful master action, and the ability for pieces used in completed sequences to return to the player's pool for reuse. However, we've implemented radical changes to two fundamental aspects: the Pieces and the Sequences/Puzzles.

Pieces Evolution

In Square One, all types of pieces are crucial throughout the entire game. While obtaining a few of the biggest (high-level) shapes is necessary to challenge the most difficult sequences, nearly all sequences require at least one minor piece to complete. This marks a significant departure from Project L, where players often prioritize acquiring high-level pieces and neglect minor ones.

Another major distinction lies in the methods of obtaining new pieces. While they still come as rewards from completed sequences (puzzles), Square One eliminates the "upgrade" action found in Project L. Instead, players use Split and Merge actions to figuratively split/merge their pieces, emphasizing the ongoing importance of all pieces throughout the game.

Sequences vs. Puzzles

Project L’s spatial puzzles have been replaced with sequence tiles that have specific patterns of pieces to be filled with. In Square One, success lies in orchestrating moves to complete multiple sequences simultaneously—a significant departure from Project L's focus on standalone puzzle solving.

With the majority of points now dependent on synchronization, players have the opportunity to acquire a lot of them by focusing solely on the white sequence deck—a strategy rarely viable in Project L. While pursuing black sequences remains slightly more effective, it relies heavily on the pieces you have, underscoring the importance of precise piece management described above.

Naturally, the question arises: which of the two games is better? We believe it's ultimately a matter of subjective opinion. Rather than viewing Square One as a competitor to Project L, we see them as siblings—each offering a unique experience to players.

But, do not take our word for it; here’s what Mark Streed of Dice Tower, a long-time supporter of Project L, said about Square One: 

It perfectly encapsulates our initial view: to create a game that offers a brand new perspective while preserving the timeless essence that players worldwide have come to love. And we honestly hope you’ll love Square One too!

Thanks a lot for being a part of such an amazing community.

Jan and Marek