# Ups & Downs ![[ups_and_downs_controller.png]] ## Overview My goal with this project was to create a perhaps more interesting version of the board game: *LIFE: Twists & Turns*. The latter is fun as a social game, but there's not much strategy to speak of, and the rewards and penalties that you get from the LIFE cards can swing the game wildly. If I remember correctly, there's a card that just gives the current player $900,000. Since all assets — family milestones like marriage and kids, cars, houses, and money — get turned into LIFE points at the end of the game to determine the winner, the randomness of the cards that are drawn greatly affect who will win. I thought I might be able to do something a little more interesting as far as strategy goes, but, of course, it ended up taking way longer than expected. I have the 3D model finished along with the hardware assembly, but the software has a bit to go yet. Technically, the game is playable, but I have a lot of ideas for things I'd like to add or enhance. ## Sources [GitHub Repo Link](https://github.com/TheWhetherMan/ups-and-downs) ## Game Control Hub Hardware The idea here was to have a small touchscreen with a mini-PC driving it. The game would display information during and between turns like player statuses as well as what event was drawn from the "card" pool. As it came together, the more I thought it would be fun if instead of a separate touchscreen module, there was some kind of touchscreen "table" to interact with, but that would be much more expensive and probably not super practical. As time goes on, the less fond I get of board game solutions that involve some kind of electronic touchscreen component, especially one that involves a phone or tablet, but they can add value sometimes. #wpf #3d_printing #board_games #development #blazor #projects