Harebrained Schemes, the developers behind Shadowrun Returns have started a brand new Kickstarter in an attempt to fund their latest project, Golem Arcana.
Golem Arcana is a very interesting gaming idea, which seeks to combine the classic figure-based tabletop game with digital technology, specifically an app designed for the game.
Downloading the Golem Arcana app, which will be available on both Android and iOS platforms, will allow gamers to revel in tabletop gaming fun without all of the busywork of keeping track of stats, rules and story by hand. The app will serve as a record keeper, rulebook, and story guide all in one.
They key to tabletop-digital integration is the Tabletop Digital Interface Stylus. The TDIS utilizes microdot technology to know where your figures are on the board. When a figure is touched with the TDIS, it is immediately identified via Bluetooth on whichever device you are currently running the app on. Additionally, the TDIS has the ability to differentiate between valid and invalid taps, so touching an empty space on the game board will yield no information.
The app contains all of the information regarding the character’s moves and special abilities, as well as is aware of the terrain and any positive or negative affects it will have on your characters.
Golem Arcana represents a revolutionary advancement in gaming on several fronts. Not only is it streamlining the tabletop gaming process, allowing gamers to dive right in without the tedious process of setting up characters and going over rules, but also the technology it utilizes is combining two mediums of gaming that we have yet to see successfully integrated.
Let’s hope they achieve their lofty goal of $500,000.You can check out the Kickstarter if you wish.