Do you sometimes feel that tabletop games can get a little too involved? Feel envy for digital RPGs that automate enemy stats? Has flipping through the many pages of a rulebook turned tedious? If you’re interested in a little more simplicity in your tabletop gaming, CMON and Xplored may have you covered with their upcoming hybrid console, Teburu.
According to CMON, Teburu will handle “game rules, enemies’ behavior, and storytelling events” while players are freed up to only concentrate “on the board and its components.”
Zombicide Evolution – Las Vegas will be the first game people can play on Teburu, and according to CMON’s trailer for the new console, they will launch on Kickstarter next year. The hybrid console and its inaugural game will be available for Gen Con attendees to try at the CMON booth next month in Indianapolis.
CMON gave more details on how Teburu works, essentially saying that the use of apps will be a key component. Teburu will be able to sense pieces on a game board—like figures for characters—and then transmit that information "to any compatible tablet or computer running the Gamemaster App."
From there, Gamemaster will look at character stats, "equipment and other modifiers" to instantly respond to player moves and automatically continue the campaign. Players won’t have to search through a thick rulebook to figure out what should happen next. Additionally, Companion Apps coordinating with Gamemaster will allow other players to "keep track of their own characters."
The trailer also says that Teburu will include various features like real-time contextual audio, interactive digital dashboards, smart dice, and interactive storytelling. Additionally, it describes Teburu as a system that can support multiple games, similar to traditional consoles like the PlayStation series.
Quick Take
My first thought about Teburu was that it sounded intriguing, but after some consideration, I could see it finding an audience, but not appealing to everyone. CMON said Teburu "seamlessly integrates the physical and digital worlds," but does it still lean too far toward the digital? Is Teburu leading to more of a video game experience than a tabletop one? People may enjoy how tabletop games can be entirely analog, prefer having control over every element of a game without electronic automation, and might actually like flipping through a physical rulebook.However, people—fortunately—have different tastes. Some might like how Teburu simplifies tabletop gaming, others might like sticking with the classic tabletop experience more. Teburu might not appeal to everyone, but it’ll probably find an audience that will enjoy it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDBm3OzOSsA
Are you interested in Teburu? Do you prefer having a physical rulebook on hand and managing every aspect of a tabletop game? Would you want some form of technology that can simplify the experience? Please leave your thoughts in the comments below.
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Alyssa Wejebe writes about games, reads about games, and plays them too. RPG, hack-and-slash, and fighting games are some of her favorite genres. She loves… More about Alyssa
