Been working on this project with my son for a few weeks. We designed and built the gaming table first. It utilizes plug-in accessory “trays” that hold your drink, game pieces, playing cards, etc. One type of accessory is an acrylic Player Token. Tokens are custom created with the gamer’s desired avatar and plug into the LED-backlit slot on the table. This is where the PixelBlaze comes in.
Next, we designed and built an iOS application that make use of the websockets interface on the PB. The iOS app allows you to select the number of players, their color, and their position they want to sit at around the table, and many many other features. …you can probably see where this is going…
With the power of a SINGLE pattern file on the PB with many variables, we’re then able to give each player a segment of light in front of their chair to plug in their acrylic Player Token. These are used in various ways then to indicate who the dealer is, whose turn it is, or whether the player is out or has other status - all with colors or effects of colors lighting up their Player Token.
The rest of the LED strip is used for other enhancements for gameplay like setting timers in the iOS app which then “count down” visually on the LED strip - blinking yellow at the last 5 seconds of the timer. Great for games like Boggle where you don’t have to keep watch on the hour-glass timer!
Other uses of the LED strip are “backgrounds” related to whatever board game you’re playing. You create these templates per game in the app. We’re building various accessories that can be used to hold “bank items”. In Dune, for example, the bank has water and spice game pieces. The plug-in accessories that hold these game pieces have acrylic bottoms so they light up as they’re used on the table with the PB creating the segment of color to indicate where the bank accessories go.
We’re also awaiting “Pixels” dice from their kickstarter, which will bluetooth to our iOS app and then send PB commands based on whatever number is rolled automatically. Can’t wait to see that in action, but we’re still waiting on our dice to show up.
Sound FX are also incorporated to the PB lighting effects either via the device running the iOS app or via built in bluetooth speakers under the table. The table also includes plenty of built-in AC outlets and USB A/C ports for use during gameplay.
The ease of use and power of the PB platform has made it possible to bring this project to life!
