Background and idea
I’ve always been passionate about blending technology with traditional hobbies to create unique experiences. Recently, I embarked on a project that aimed to combine my interests in smart home technology with my love for board gaming. The concept was intriguing, and I was eager to explore innovative ways to enhance our board gaming sessions through smart technology.
My initial step was to conduct a web search to see if anyone had already ventured into this niche intersection. Surprisingly, my search results were quite limited, but I did stumble upon a podcast episode (Link) that caught my attention. The podcast discussed an inventive approach to selecting board games for game nights. The hosts described a system where an NFC reader was used in conjunction with specially prepared game boxes. This setup allowed the NFC reader to automatically determine which board game would be played during a game night, based on the proximity of the box to the reader. Then the light setting would be adopted and a theming playlist would be started.
This concept was fascinating, but there was a slight hitch in adopting it directly for my project. Our gaming group tends to lean towards playing extensive and complex board games that can span weeks, months, or even up to a year. At the time of my research, we were all eagerly anticipating the release of the German version of “Frosthaven,” a game known for its depth and complexity. Given the long-term commitment required for games like “Frosthaven,” the podcast’s solution seemed less applicable to our needs. The idea of using technology to enhance our board game nights was still very appealing, but it was clear I needed to adapt the approach to better suit the nature of the games we enjoy.
Frosthaven
Frosthaven is a popular tactical combat and dungeon-crawling board game that features a unique element infusion system which plays a crucial role in its gameplay. This system is used to enhance certain abilities or actions within the game. Here’s an overview of how the element system works in Frosthaven:
Elements
Frosthaven uses six elements:
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Fire
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Ice
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Air (also known as Wind)
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Earth (Nature)
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Light
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Darkness
These elements can be infused into the environment during a player’s turn or by certain monster actions. Once infused, these elements can be consumed by players or monsters on subsequent turns to power up abilities or trigger special effects.
Infusing Elements
Elements are typically infused using specific actions on ability cards. These actions will have symbols representing one of the six elements, indicating that performing the action infuses that element into the environment. When an element is infused, it is moved from the “Inert” section of the element board to the “Strong” section.
Consuming Elements
On subsequent turns, players can consume an element that has been infused into the environment to enhance an ability on one of their cards. This usually grants additional effects or increases the power of the ability. Consuming an element moves it from the “Strong” section to the “Waning” section or from “Waning” to “Inert” if it was already in the “Waning” section at the start of the turn, indicating it cannot be used until it is infused again.
Elemental Timing
The timing of element infusion and consumption is critical. Elements infused during a player’s turn do not become available for use until the beginning of the next player’s turn, preventing the player who infused the element from immediately consuming it. This encourages strategic planning and teamwork, as players can set up powerful combos by infusing elements for their teammates to use.
Strategic Importance
The element system adds a layer of strategy to Frosthaven, as players must carefully plan their actions and coordinate with their teammates to make the most of the elements. Choosing when to infuse or consume an element, as well as which abilities to enhance, can be crucial to overcoming the game’s challenges.
Interaction with Monsters
Monsters can also infuse and consume elements, as dictated by their ability cards. This adds another layer of strategy, as players may need to consider how their actions will affect the elemental availability for both their team and their enemies.
In summary, the element system in Frosthaven is a dynamic and strategic component of the game that encourages careful planning and teamwork. Managing elements effectively can be key to success in the game’s challenging scenarios.
My take on environmental/augmented board gaming
It was apparent that our game nights for the foreseeable future would be dominated by Frosthaven. One point of the Home Assistant Podcast caught my attention. They talked about the use of reed switches connected to an ESP32 microcontroller to determine the absence of boardgame packages. Using this setup you can check the state of multiple items at a cheap price point.
Inspired, I envisioned a project that would intertwine the physical and digital realms of our board gaming experience. The core idea was to modify the elemental board of Frosthaven, employing reed switches to digitally capture its state. Initially, the concept was straightforward—based on the board’s status, various lamps around the room would illuminate in different colors. However, as often happens with projects born from a spark of inspiration, the scope expanded significantly.
Driven by enthusiasm and the possibilities that lay ahead, I embarked on this ambitious endeavor. The project evolved to not only change the lighting based on the game’s elemental board but also to integrate further into our smart home system, creating an immersive environment that responded dynamically to our gameplay.
The system in action
Video
Unfortunately, the video doesn’t accurately showcase how impressive the lighting system truly is. The camera struggles with maintaining focus and continuously attempts to adjust to the changing lighting conditions. This is particularly noticeable with the Light and Darkness elements, where the video barely shows any change. In reality, however, the room’s lighting becomes warmer or darker, significantly enhancing the atmosphere in ways that the video fails to capture.
For this video, I used only two lights to demonstrate the system. Normally, the room includes the main light and six additional lights distributed throughout the space.
Thanks
I owe immense gratitude to Anthony Jestin, whose project presentation inspired my venture. Jestin’s innovative blend of technology and board gaming not only provided a foundation for my project but also served as a guiding light, leading to a significantly enhanced Frosthaven gaming experience. Through his pioneering efforts, our game nights have transformed, merging the excitement of board gaming with the enchantment of smart technology for an unparalleled experience.
