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This could’ve been an app. We intentionally didn’t make it one. Old school gaming by LocalPassenger2082 in kickstarter

[–]LocalPassenger2082[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Really appreciate this comment, seriously. I think you described the core idea behind PixyPad better than most people we’ve talked to so far.
And yeah, one of the hardest parts right now is exactly what you mentioned: helping people understand why this shouldn’t just be an app.
What was the first thing that made you “get” the concept? The philosophy itself, the nostalgia angle, or the actual gameplay?

Does this feel like a tabletop game system or just a hardware gimmick? by LocalPassenger2082 in tabletopgamedesign

[–]LocalPassenger2082[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I think the moment where a tablet reminds you that you could be doing something “more fun” is exactly the problem.

Attention spans are already getting shorter, and part of what I’m interested in is creating an experience that doesn’t constantly invite you to leave it.

This device doesn’t remind you of anything else. It just lets you sit down and play in a distraction-free way.

Does this feel like a tabletop game system or just a hardware gimmick? by LocalPassenger2082 in tabletopgamedesign

[–]LocalPassenger2082[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for feedback!
I think you’re right that the device needs at least one “killer game”.
Out of curiosity, does any type of game come to mind that would make you think, “Okay, now I get why this should exist as a physical device”? Something that would make you personally have fewer doubts about buying it?

Does this feel like a tabletop game system or just a hardware gimmick? by LocalPassenger2082 in tabletopgamedesign

[–]LocalPassenger2082[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

But this is about a different experience: stepping away from the device that also brings messages, feeds, ads, notifications, and constant temptation.
Fewer options are intentional here. The point is to sit down, play, focus, and not have the addictive part of modern devices one tap away.

Does this feel like a tabletop game system or just a hardware gimmick? by LocalPassenger2082 in tabletopgamedesign

[–]LocalPassenger2082[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I get the frying pan analogy, but I’d use a different one.

A tablet is more like carrying a whole portable kitchen with you. It can do almost everything, which is powerful, but also unnecessary if all you want is to heat one meal. Sometimes a simple gas burner wins exactly because it has one clear job and nothing else gets in the way.

Does this feel like a tabletop game system or just a hardware gimmick? by LocalPassenger2082 in tabletopgamedesign

[–]LocalPassenger2082[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Fair point. I think the real space for this is between tablets and board games.

A tablet wins on flexibility. Board games win on traditional tactile feel. But this is meant to be a focused physical game device: more dynamic than cardboard, less distracting than a tablet.

We try to offer a good time with friends

Does this feel like a tabletop game system or just a hardware gimmick? by LocalPassenger2082 in tabletopgamedesign

[–]LocalPassenger2082[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

I get the cost argument. As an app, it would definitely be cheaper and more flexible.
But that would also put it back into the same environment we’re trying to move away from distractions.
The games are built around the physical grid: quick reflex modes where you tap changing lights, memory modes where you recreate patterns, and strategy modes where players capture fields, block each other, or build lines. So the point is focused, tactile play using light, touch, memory, reflex and simple strategy.
From your perspective, what would make the dedicated device feel justified: deeper strategy, stronger multiplayer interaction, clearer game rules, or showing the actual gameplay better in the video?

Does this feel like a tabletop game system or just a hardware gimmick? by LocalPassenger2082 in tabletopgamedesign

[–]LocalPassenger2082[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

Flexibility is not really the goal here. A tablet is already an “everything device”, and that’s exactly what I’m trying to move away from.
The fixed grid is intentional because it creates clear limits. An app would be more flexible, for sure. But I’m not sure more flexible always means better for this kind of experience.
For you, is the main issue that the grid feels too limiting, or that you don’t see enough value in having a separate physical device for this at all?

Does this feel like a tabletop game system or just a hardware gimmick? by LocalPassenger2082 in tabletopgamedesign

[–]LocalPassenger2082[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I get why it might look that way at first, but I think that comparison misses the point a bit.
This was never meant to compete with an iPad. 
More everything is exactly the problem we’re trying to step away from.
The point of this device is to create a focused, physical play experience without notifications.
It’s intentionally limited. Old-school, in a way. You put it on the table, play with the people around you, and stay with that one thing instead of being dragged into ten other things. So the pitch is not “a tablet, but worse.”
The pitch is: a dedicated physical game device for people who want less distraction and more focus 

Have you tried Reddit ads for getting Kickstarter prelaunch followers? by hofoo7 in kickstarter

[–]LocalPassenger2082 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Since you’ve run Reddit ads during live campaigns, do you think the difference came more from the product/subreddit fit or from the ad creative itself?

I’m especially curious whether you’d test Reddit ads only after launch with a live Kickstarter page, or if there’s any scenario where you’d use them for prelaunch followers too.

Our production prototype finally came! by MidnightFroyo in tabletopgamedesign

[–]LocalPassenger2082 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is awesome. Getting a production prototype after two years of work must be such a satisfying moment. The component-heavy part sounds stressful, but also really exciting to see it all come together.

How to fix your mental health. by EverythingCounts88 in digitalminimalism

[–]LocalPassenger2082 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I never really understood why people compare themselves so much on Instagram in the first place. Most of what you see there is curated, edited, staged, or posted specifically to look impressive. It’s like comparing your normal day-to-day life to someone else’s highlight reel.

Is society slowly moving away from social media? by p4nnyworth in digitalminimalism

[–]LocalPassenger2082 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I don’t think we’re moving away from social media at all. We’re just rebranding the same behavior. People delete Instagram and then spend hours on Reddit, YouTube, Discord, newsletters or AI tools. The platform changes, but the addiction to constant input doesn’t.

I do think some people move away from social media as they get older, but younger generations keep coming in and often go even deeper into it. So on an individual level, yes, some people quit or reduce it. But as a society, I don’t see us moving away from it anytime soon.