u/Due-Aspect6853

Original post: https://www.reddit.com/r/twilightimperium/comments/1s52d47/working\_on\_an\_offline\_titool/

Hey guys,

a while back I shared an early idea for a custom electronic companion device for TI, and honestly the response from this community kept me going. So I wanted to come back, show you what's happened since, and — more importantly — hear what you think.

🖨️ We got a 3D printer (and learned some lessons)

The first big step was taking the plunge on a 3D printer (Bambu lab). Sounds exciting, right? It is — until you're on your 6th failed print trying to get the tolerances just right. But we got there. The encasing is now designed and printed in a hexagonal shape, because if you're building something for Twilight Imperium, it had better look the part. Getting the geometry clean and functional took way more iteration than expected, but holding the final piece in your hands made it worth every failed prototype.

📡 NFC card reading — because why not make it smart

One side of the box is dedicated to an NFC reading area. The idea is that you'll be able to tap your strategy cards and other NFC-chipped components against it for instant recognition. Getting the placement right so it reads reliably without being intrusive was a puzzle in itself, but it's in there and it works.

💡 The LED player box — this one's our favourite

This might be the feature we're most proud of. There's now a dedicated LED compartment that pulses to highlight the active player — a subtle but surprisingly effective way to keep everyone at the table on the same page during long rounds. The really fun part? Any faction logo can be used as the display face on the LED box, so you can rep your race every game. We placed the L1Z1X Mindnet logo in the prototype.

🔋 Power sorted — AA batteries

No proprietary charging cables, no hunting for a USB port mid-game. The device runs on 4 AA batteries, tucked into a dedicated compartment. Simple, accessible, replaceable. We wanted something you could power anywhere — including that friend's house where the only outlet is behind the sofa.

Where do we go from here?

This is where you come in. We've built a solid foundation but there's so much more this thing could do, and honestly the best ideas are going to come from people who actually play this game obsessively (you know who you are).