Light Cycles Go Turn-Based in Tron Board Game

[Tom Goldman]

Light Cycles Go Turn-Based in Tron Board Game


Tron's light cycles have been slowed down to accomodate the turn-based nature of a board game.

The fast-paced Tron [http://www.amazon.com/Tron-Legacy-Two-Disc-Blu-ray-Combo/dp/dp/B004K4N64E] light cycle game where participants drive high-powered virtual motorcycles that leave walls behind them for opponents to crash into isn't really something you'd think would translate into a board game. Nevertheless, a man has created one.

Brett King developed a Tron light cycle board game for personal use so he and his "subroutines," also known as his kids, could play. Sorry, it's not for sale. It glows through blacklight-reactive paint and uses fluorescent orange and blue acrylic for the cycle walls.

It comes with six light cycles: 3 blue and three orange. King and co. are still working on the game's rules, but they have a basic set figured out. Players take turns moving a light cycle in increments of 2 inches, 4 inches, 8 inches, or 12 inches, or they can use their turns to rotate a cycle. If a cycle hits a wall, it and its walls are removed from the game. The player with the last light cycle left wins.

The Recognizer [http://tron.wikia.com/wiki/Recognizer] is a nice touch. While the basic idea might be more exciting in the world of Tron, it could be pretty fun as designed here. I'm sure Tron fans are already trying to get King to backtrack on that "not for sale" thing.

Source: Ars Technica [http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2011/04/homemade-tron-playset.html]

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[manythings]

The actual stuff looks pretty cool but I don't think it would make a fun game.

 

[Waaghpowa]

i would totally pay for this.

 

[Sporky111]

Looks fun to me. I think, though, that it would be better with smaller lightcycles (so they aren't 3-spaces long) and a larger board it would be great. Kind of like a multiplayer, turn-based game of Centipede.

Somebody must make a flash game out of this.

 

[IndianaJonny]

Hmmm, maybe not a heart-racing as the original but I'd certainly give it a go; it has 'geek chic' written all over it.

 

[Lucane]

Looks fun to me. I think, though, that it would be better with smaller lightcycles (so they aren't 3-spaces long) and a larger board it would be great. Kind of like a multiplayer, turn-based game of Centipede.

Somebody must make a flash game out of this.

Yeah no format could give this as much justice as being in a Digital "Grid" No need to worry about Light Track pieces and such If it's automatically added/removed.

 

[BabySinclair]

It's a geek equivalent of Go. Just how offensive can you play without stumbling into a trap. Probably makes a good strategy game.

 

[OldNewNewOld]

This would have much more strategy involved then the original (real time).

But it has some flaws. To big Light Cycles and small map. Don't know about the rules.

 

[Mouse One]

Heh...I can see why he doesn't want to put it up for sale. Keep it to yourself, and the only people you need to please is your family.

 

[13lackfriday]

Looks like an awesome concept and one he should totally patent/sell to Disney.

I've got a better idea for the light-streams though. Instead of those colored transparent blocks, you could just stick a laser emitter in the back of the cycles, and use mirrors to angle them according to their path.

If power's an issue, since it is all being played on a board, I suppose you could convert it into a power-mat or something akin to lightrails or bumper cars, in which contact conducts electricity to keep them powered.

 

[Antari]

While hes probably not intersted in trying to sell it as that would land him a big lawsuit. I'd be shocked if he isn't talking with disney about them making it an official game they could sell.

 

[darkfire613]

Looks fun to me. I think, though, that it would be better with smaller lightcycles (so they aren't 3-spaces long) and a larger board it would be great. Kind of like a multiplayer, turn-based game of Centipede.

Somebody must make a flash game out of this.

A summer camp I used to go to actually had a game like that installed on the computers, where it was, as you said, multiplayer Centipede. I think it was called something like Armagedtron.

 

[Hero in a half shell]

He openly refers to his children as "subroutines"! that's hilarious.

 

[standokan]

Awesome but tragicly slow compared to the original

 

[AbstractStream]

Looks great...so how about you backtrack on that whole "not for sale" thing. Just this once.

 

[TheSchaef]

For a ruleset, I recommend using programmed movements like Robo Rally or Duck Duck Go. That gives the chaotic feeling of real-time interaction while still allowing for the strategic play of turn-based movement. It also allows people to get the jump if the cards have "speed" values that determine the order of resolution.

As compensation for advising you on the ruleset, I ask only one copy of the completed game when you take it to market and a mention in the rulebook.