BoardBox ~ realistic, true-to-life board games on iPad.

[movile]

Since Apple’s iPad announcement, Movile Inc. (http://www.moviletap.com/blog) has been focusing hard on making the best game for the new platform that we possibly could. Realism, depth, and interaction were our goals, and we'll let you judge how you think we did.

We are overjoyed to finally announce our latest title,

http://www.moviletap.com/press/ICONsm.jpg

BoardBox is set to be the most graphically rich and realistic looking board game set on iPad.

With dozens of features and true-to-life visuals, BoardBox is the only board game you will need on your iPad! Grab a friend and play a game of Chess, Checkers, or Reversi. Turn off the rules and make up your own! Play with a friend around the world via email!

And the list goes on….

- 15 board games, including:
.……Chess
..……Checkers
...……Reversi
....……Tic Tac Toe
.....……Go
......……International Draughts
.......……Xiangqi
........……Westernized Xiangqi
.........……plus 5 Chess and 2 Go variants!

- Email multiplayer
- 3 unique board styles: Mahogany, Granite, and Old School
- Rules and Game History provided by Wikipedia
- and MUCH more!

Included in our plans for future releases are feature updates, tons of new games, and continuing to elevate BoardBox to be the ultimate board game application on your iPad. And best of all: future updates will be 100% free! No in-app purchase content. We simply make it; you get it. FREE.

Best of all is the price: just $3.99 on launch day! Compare that to a set of travel games for $29.95 and you’ll see the value right away. Plus, it might be a little hard to shove those little plastic pieces in an email to play with your friend on the other side of the world. Or save your game for next time. Or look up the rules without carrying around a book. Or … well, I think you get the idea.

BoardBox for iPad.

http://www.moviletap.com/press/WoodChessMini.jpg (http://www.moviletap.com/press/WoodChess.jpg) http://www.moviletap.com/press/OldSchoolCheckersMini.jpg (http://www.moviletap.com/press/OldSchoolCheckers.jpg)
http://www.moviletap.com/press/GraniteChessMini.jpg (http://www.moviletap.com/press/GraniteChess.jpg) http://www.moviletap.com/press/WoodReversiMini.jpg (http://www.moviletap.com/press/WoodReversi.jpg)



Hello again!

I'm here to answer a bunch of questions regarding the way we're handling certain features and such with respect to BoardBox and the way it is played:

1) How will email multiplayer work?
We tried to make this as seamless as possible. And it pretty much is. Here are the total steps:
- Make a move, tap email, tap send.
In order to make a move, once you've opened the email,
- Tap the link in the email, make a move, tap email, tap send.

The recipient also gets a nice graphic right from the game showing them the board, rendered on the fly from within BoardBox!

Perhaps this is better illustrated in pictures, so I have more screenshots for you!

http://www.moviletap.com/press/Email1mini.jpg (http://www.moviletap.com/press/Email1.jpg) http://www.moviletap.com/press/Email2Mini.jpg


2) What are the plans for the future?
Jeez, let us release the game first! Actually, we're thinking about the future just as much as you are. We've got a bunch of new games planned (and yes, we're taking your suggestions into consideration), some tweaks to make gameplay better, international localizations, and some other cool stuff that will elevate BoardBox further. Stay tuned!

3) What's the deal with no logic engine or artificial intelligence to play against the computer?
We wanted to make this game the best quality that we could. Focus on gameplay and make a great multiplayer game. The iPad is a huge screen that can be shared with people a heck of a lot easier than an iPod touch or iPhone. Second, there simply wasn't enough time to develop a logic engine, but even with that said, the point was to create a fantastic multiplayer experience, and we think we've done that, and included worldwide email multiplayer to boot!

If you have any questions, feel free to ask and hopefully we'll be able to answer them for you! BoardBox hits the iPad App Store soon, and we can't wait for everyone to play along! Take a look at some more drool candy while you wait, including our first look at the menu system, and our Old School Chess set with plastic pieces!

http://www.moviletap.com/press/GraniteGoMini.jpg (http://www.moviletap.com/press/GraniteGo.jpg) http://www.moviletap.com/press/OldSchoolXiangQiMini.jpg (http://www.moviletap.com/press/OldSchoolXiangQi.jpg)
http://www.moviletap.com/press/WoodTicTacToeMini.jpg (http://www.moviletap.com/press/WoodTicTacToe.jpg) http://www.moviletap.com/press/WoodMenuMini.jpg (http://www.moviletap.com/press/WoodMenu.jpg)

[Miti96]

This looks awesome!

[Sinecure Industries]

Nice! The e-mail multiplayer sounds like a fun feature too.

[Mcelotto]

Lets be sincere this will suck, i don't think there will be any fun with the huge crab, If you'd like to create a board game, why not dedicate to one and see it is very fun to play? Watch out for the rating of this game.

[geb]

Well I think it looks great! I would like to see Pachisi added at some point as well :)

-- Geb --

[BulletDev]

Sounds fantastic! This is the exact thing that make me consider getting an iPad.

[Carlos-Sz]

Does it have statistics, such as winnings/losses?

In addition, it would be nice to have a board setup (e.g. without the top menu) to allow two real players like in a real board.

[cranker]

Does it have statistics, such as winnings/losses?

In addition, it would be nice to have a board setup (e.g. without the top menu) to allow two real players like in a real board.

Both great ideas :)

I would love to have a board set up for two players as well.

[Carlos-Sz]

And I hope you can add Backgammon soon! This is my favorite board game. :)

[movile]

Hi everyone! Thanks very much for your responses! It is things like this that help us nail out the features that you want to see and really give us the best feedback possible! So to answer your questions:

1) By two player board setup, I think you mean a way to hid the menu controls so that two people can play together? The main idea of the game is to grab a friend and play along. Set the iPad down on a table, hold it, or pass it between you to enjoy a game of Chess, Checkers, Reversi, or any of the other 15 games we've built in so far!

2) Backgammon is on the list for a future update. Because it plays differently than most of the other games we've included, it didn't make it into the initial deadline, but it is on its way with three variations in a future update!

We're going to have more information soon on how you can get your grubby hands on BoardBox, future updates, and a video of gameplay very soon! Thanks and keep the questions coming!

[drelbs]

Looks totally awesome, and an insta-buy if I ever get an iPad.

Next thing you guys should look into is using this engine with 3rd party "electronic gamekit" and "virtual game table" companies like Klooge Werks (http://www.kloogeinc.com/), etc to get a lot more use out of this game's engine. (Basically, import board/piece/dice graphics allowing you to (re)create any game you like using your existing engine.

[mek]

This is Awesome

So does it have a Single Player Mode with various difficulty settinges/characters to play against

two player mode {pass and play} or head to head [like how traditional chess is played, me on one side, and the opponent on the other]

if so,.I am sold and will buy on Launch day :)

[Mindfield]

I got a sneak peek of this a couple of weeks ago (screenshots etc.) and it's mighty impressive. I don't believe there is a single-player mode (yet) but I'm sure Chris can work it out if there's demand for it -- but that might take a bit given the sheer number of games and the AI algorithms that needs to be designed for each one.

As it is, it's shaping up to be a must-have iPad app for any board game afficionado, especially at that launch price. I just gotta get me an iPad eventually.

[noelbernie]

there is no IA to play against ???

[movile]

There is no computer-controlled AI component to BoardBox right now, for two reasons:

1) It was developed in mind that the iPad is large enough to bring people together to play. We also wanted it to be so that people could create their own games and share these layouts with friends via email and locally on the device.

2) Time to get the application out was limited, and we would rather have a polished app than an unpolished app with a different subset of features. With that said, we think the app is more than complete and will garner great reaction from the audience.

We think people will get on board, no pun intended, for the quality of the application and email multiplayer, which we have plans to transition into something closer to real-time in a future update.

[movile]

Oh, and that also doesn't mean that there is no AI component in the future; we'll judge that based on demand for future updates, however BoardBox is developed as a multi-player title at heart.

[noelbernie]

ok, i'll buy it with my iPad, i was just surprised ;)

to me, it seems quite important to add it in the future tho, but I agree that a polished experience across the board is more important

[Flying-Jew]

Any way you guys could add Sudoku? I know it's not multiplayer but would suit quite well, don't you think?

[movile]

The way we envision BoardBox from the start is to be universal in the sense that it will be basic enough that we can put virtually any board game on it, thanks to the large open area for which we can put the playing area. Sudoku is certainly very popular, and again, judging on demand and updates, we will see if this is the way we want to go.

I would say that you probably won't be disappointed with our first round of game additions though!

[VeganTnT]

I really hope I'm getting an ipad soon. If so I'll definitely pick this game up.

The rendering of the pieces is absolutely fantastic

[Flying-Jew]

The way we envision BoardBox from the start is to be universal in the sense that it will be basic enough that we can put virtually any board game on it, thanks to the large open area for which we can put the playing area. Sudoku is certainly very popular, and again, judging on demand and updates, we will see if this is the way we want to go.

I would say that you probably won't be disappointed with our first round of game additions though!

Can't wait to play it, honestly. It'll add to the show-off factor of the iPad. One more thing on the list on what the iPad can be (a board for games!)

[wmcwmc]

Just wondering but will there be a version later for the iPhone and iPod Touch?

[HFoG]

I really like the look and the idea of having all these games in one place is a pretty good one but I wonder how much appeal it will have without the ability for solo play. With that many games in the box I can understand why you didn't decide to do any AI at all but I think a lot of people will consider that a huge omission.

Play by mail is a great idea though and that might just be enough to tip it over. Particularly if some ingenious soul implements a play-by-mail-bot that's capable of playing against you on one or more of these games.

Are you planning on adding other games as well in future updates?

EDIT: It serves me right for not reading all of the posts before chiming in. I see that you've already addressed most of these concerns in other replies. :) Good luck to you. It looks great. And to all of you guys who want something with a great AI: go get Mü! :) (shameless plug)

[MadDesignMonkey]

Very nice guys! Looking good! I'll be snagging this one for sure on Launch day.

[Galley]

Great idea, but it definitely needs a backgammon board!

[Benegesserit]

Oh, and that also doesn't mean that there is no AI component in the future; we'll judge that based on demand for future updates, however BoardBox is developed as a multi-player title at heart.

Demand will be what you want it to be when you implement AI. Catch 22

[movile]

Hello again!

I'm here to answer a bunch of questions regarding the way we're handling certain features and such with respect to BoardBox and the way it is played:

1) How will email multiplayer work?
We tried to make this as seamless as possible. And it pretty much is. Here are the total steps:
- Make a move, tap email, tap send.
In order to make a move, once you've opened the email,
- Tap the link in the email, make a move, tap email, tap send.

The recipient also gets a nice graphic right from the game showing them the board, rendered on the fly from within BoardBox!

Perhaps this is better illustrated in pictures, so I have more screenshots for you!

http://www.moviletap.com/press/Email1mini.jpg (http://www.moviletap.com/press/Email1.jpg) http://www.moviletap.com/press/Email2Mini.jpg


2) What are the plans for the future?
Jeez, let us release the game first! Actually, we're thinking about the future just as much as you are. We've got a bunch of new games planned (and yes, we're taking your suggestions into consideration), some tweaks to make gameplay better, international localizations, and some other cool stuff that will elevate BoardBox further. Stay tuned!

3) What's the deal with no logic engine or artificial intelligence to play against the computer?
We wanted to make this game the best quality that we could. Focus on gameplay and make a great multiplayer game. The iPad is a huge screen that can be shared with people a heck of a lot easier than an iPod touch or iPhone. Second, there simply wasn't enough time to develop a logic engine, but even with that said, the point was to create a fantastic multiplayer experience, and we think we've done that, and included worldwide email multiplayer to boot!

If you have any questions, feel free to ask and hopefully we'll be able to answer them for you! BoardBox hits the iPad App Store soon, and we can't wait for everyone to play along! Take a look at some more drool candy while you wait, including our first look at the menu system, and our Old School Chess set with plastic pieces!

http://www.moviletap.com/press/GraniteGoMini.jpg (http://www.moviletap.com/press/GraniteGo.jpg) http://www.moviletap.com/press/OldSchoolXiangQiMini.jpg (http://www.moviletap.com/press/OldSchoolXiangQi.jpg)
http://www.moviletap.com/press/WoodTicTacToeMini.jpg (http://www.moviletap.com/press/WoodTicTacToe.jpg) http://www.moviletap.com/press/WoodMenuMini.jpg (http://www.moviletap.com/press/WoodMenu.jpg)

[Flying-Jew]

Since the iPad has a powerful speaker and microphone, could you add sound recognition. Then it'd be wizards chess! (I know it's near impossible but would be one of the coolest things)

[pluto6]

Gorgeous graphics. This will probably be a purchase for me on launch day.

Have you considered adding any solitaire type game specifically mahjong (the pair matching type)? There are some nice implementations on the iPhone, but all of them suffer from small pieces. the iPad would be a great size that should make that problem obsolete.

Good luck with your app!

[movile]

Thanks to everyone for the kind words! I don't see voice recognition in the near future, unfortunately, but that wizard's chess idea isn't too bad!

[movile]

Hi again everyone!

Carter Dotson over at The Portable Gamer and I had a chat about BoardBox hitting the App Store, with some conjecture about the iPad launch and the origins of our company thrown in for good measure!

Check out the podcast now at http://theportablegamer.com/2010/03/portable-podcast-episode-26/

Or head over to iTunes and check it out here (http://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-portable-gamer-iphone/id337688855)!

[salsamd]

Good stuff. Nice to connect with a developer beyond the realm of these forums...

[movile]

I can officially confirm that BoardBox will be available at launch (which was somewhat unknown previously)!

[movile]

Seems I forgot to include the link! Here it is, available in the iPad App Store!

http://www.lightintheattic.com/App_Store_Badge_EN.png (http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/boardbox/id365558871?mt=8)

[pmseltmann]

Hi movile. What do you think of Tabletop Checkers (http://forums.toucharcade.com/showthread.php?p=975125#post975125) ? It's not entirely the same, but I had the same idea when I started it. I was going to call it GameBox! But Board Box is a better name it says it all. Anyways like you I had to cut out some things to make it by launch and I focused on some other features instead. It looks like we might be competing in the future :) (Competition is a good thing. It will make both our games better). Anyways just wanted to give you a shout and say good luck with your app!

[movile]

Hi Paul!

You've got some really good ideas, especially with regards to being able to create themes and such. User content creation is very powerful. I played around with it and it works pretty darn well! Take a look at BoardBox and let me know what you think!

Good luck with Tabletop Checkers!

[Stroffolino]

This is one of those ideas (like a "piano app") that is an obvious application for the iPad, and I expect to see a lot board game collections trickling into the AppStore in the future.

Given the fierce competition that already exists, the one likely to snatch the top spot in the long run will most likely have the following:
- $0.99 price point
- beautiful, but functional graphics (look to "Game Table" for a good example - I like its version of chess pieces better than the top-down view in BoardBox, as they're more readily distinguishable).
- include detailed rules
- enforce rules with explanations
- support head-to-head play
- include AI for local play
- support remote play without forcing users to exit out to email