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  • I think this is a neat product but not one I have any interest in. I play board games in part to avoid the digital world.

    If a board game needs a computer to handle the rules, then it is a needlessly complicated board game.

    by sirwhinesalot
  • Cool product. Is the SDK open? Any time I play a complex board game like Ark Nova, Spirit Island, etc. game running consumes a lot of time. So this tool is to me better showcased with a complex game that needs game-running that computers handle better. Also I'm curious about the board pieces and how more could be made. Do they have stickers on the bottom I could just transpose onto existing pieces, etc
    by arjie
  • Not the first, has everyone forgotten the Surface/PixelSense table?

    https://blog.azureinfra.com/surface/

    https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datei:Surface_table.JPG

    https://www.theverge.com/2012/6/19/3096652/microsoft-surface...

    "Microsoft Surface PixelSense 'Coffee Table' Hands On"

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qh9cOlVFItQ

    Granted, this is very hard to search for, when not being around the time it was available, as most results will be about the current tablets marketed as surface.

    by pjmlp
  • 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.

    by vintermann
  • Nice job! Very slick demo video. As a dev, a couple of things immediately stand out to me.

    1. Launching at $500 means it is going to be a "relatively" boutique product. At around the same price as an iPad Air, you're definitely going to want to focus on how the included games simply would not be playable on a more conventional touchscreen interface without the corresponding physical components.

    Which leads to my second question:

    2. Are the included physical pieces modular / generic enough such that prospective game developers could leverage them in future apps, or would they essentially need to design, 3D print, or contract out to your team to create their own props?

    by vunderba
  • I don't really play board games, but if I did I can imagine being worried about forced updates, general online connectivity, inevitable ads, microtransactions, longevity, etc being a concern.

    The current people behind Board might promise to deliver now, but who knows what will happen 5 years down the line.

    by CapsAdmin
  • 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 think the marketing dept has a lot of heavy lifting to do, convincing buyers that this isn’t just Juicero for existing board games.

    by jkhdigital
  • I was looking for more info about developing for Board on https://board.fun/pages/developers and became confused because the page mentions an SDK that can be accessed but does not explain how or link to any other information. Poking around the website some more, I found https://board.fun/pages/support?hcUrl=%2Fen-US%23article-289... which clarifies:

    > Can I add or create my own games?

    > Soon. We’re building tools that will let anyone design their own Board games, starting with developers and expanding to players. The future of play is one you can help create. Learn more at board.fun/developers.

    So I think I understand the SDK is not available yet. Can you clarify that developer tools are not yet available but are coming soon on https://board.fun/pages/developers to avoid confusion?

    by kcon

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