Project Update: Working Star Wars Dejarik Table Finally Here!

Last month we reported on Ian Martin’s efforts to recreate a working Dejarik “Holochess” table as famously first seen in Star Wars: The New Hope. In this latest video, Martin updates us on the finished table, running through all of its features and demonstrating an example of game play. He also updates us on the augmented reality version of the game that he is working on next with AR developer Adrien Trouillaud.

Besides the impressive table and the Dejarik monsters that he sculpted, cast, and painted, Ian and cohort have also been working on the augmented reality version of the game. He demonstrates where that aspect of the project is to date and talks about the future version of it where the monsters will actually be animated and will fight each other during the attack phase, just like they do in the movie.

Ian and his brother based the rules for their table on some free rules that have been floating around on the web for a while. They have now updated those rules as they apply to their table and have produced a lovely downloadable booklet version of the rules which they plan to make available online soon. They are also working on an app that they will be making available so that you can create your own augmented reality version of Dejarik. Pretty cool stuff. I wonder how satisfying the game is to actually play? I love all of the features that he’s built into it, like the random monster sounds and the display which shows you which monsters are currently in play.

Folks attending the Barnes & Noble Mini Maker Faire in Tukwila, WA this past weekend got a chance to see Ian’s table up close and to talk with him about electronics prototyping, monster model making, and other aspects of this impressive build.

Check out my original post for many more pictures, build details, and what Ian told Make: about how the whole thing came about.

[via Laughing Squid]