Cosmic Chains

Rule them all! No, seriously, here are the rules...
over 2 years ago – Sun, May 05, 2024 at 09:09:57 AM

Hi to the kittens and conscious machines all around the Earth orbit!
Today, we would like to share all the info about the rules put into one post. All this information has been available on the landing page since the first day of the campaign, but since there are many sections about different aspects of the game, we decided to highlight the rules separately, too. After all, Cosmic Chains delivers on both style and gameplay 🛰️️

First of all, here is our official "How to Play" video. We aimed to make the rules there as clear as possible. The video breaks down all the parts of the game as well as covers all game modes, from game setup to scoring. And don't worry if you lose the link to this video later. You will always find the QR code with it in your physical rulebook. And you can subscribe to our YouTube channel, too 🌝

A pdf-rulebook is attached below. Just click the banner if you have any questions left after watching the video or prefer to get acquainted with the game this way. Please keep in mind that the final version of the rulebook may slightly differ from what you can see here. We are adding a few more questions to the FAQ section after hundreds of playtests and final reviews. 

Also, you can try Cosmic Chains on Tabletop Simulator!

Finally, if you want to see a full game of Cosmic Chains played from beginning to end, you can watch this playthrough made by Meeple University for The Dice Tower. Tarrant and Stella had a fun game and really showed how to take over internet access on a planetary scale.

By the way, the blobots are slowly getting their positions back in the Team Battle. The information about this activity can be found in the section "Entertainment module." Make sure you tag us on Instagram (@siclenstudio) so we can give your vote to one of the teams 🤖️️️️️️

And there is another Star on the wall of fame! The newest quest is already on the campaign page in the section "Solve to unlock the prize." So, hurry up if you want to be listed in "The Shiniest Stars In Orbit," get a unique Pioneer role on our Discord server, and bring every backer one step closer to the final prize—2 blank cards you can fill in with your own effects. Let's go!

May the Сhains be with you!
over 2 years ago – Sat, May 04, 2024 at 09:06:35 AM

Today is a special day for our team. 

First of all, Maria Kolyadina, Cosmic Chains' illustrator, has a birthday! She's been a full member of our team since the first days of the project development: we created clumsy cats and shrewd blobots together with her, making the whole theme of network satellites sillier and much more fun. We wish Maria much inspiration and lots of victories in Cosmic Chains, and we can't wait for new opportunities to design other charming characters together at Siclen Studio ✨

Secondly, today is May the 4th, also known as Star Wars Day. Dmitrii, Cosmic Chains Game Designer, has been a fan of this franchise since his childhood. The ideas of good and evil, space exploration, and much pathos have been following him for many years, and we believe could somehow inspire him to design Cosmic Chains. And even though we cannot say what exactly these fluffy space rulers have to do with Jedi, we can fantasize about it. Maria made a poster of Star Chains, an imaginative merge of universes. Would you like to play such a game? 😺

By the way, what is your favorite Star Wars board game?

We have uploaded the next quest! You can find it in the section "Solve to unlock the prize." Don't forget to share your answers in the comments on the main page of the campaign. You may want to do that faster because we think there is a person who has a version and has already made it twice to "The Shiniest Stars In Orbit" wall of fame ⭐️

And the cats are still winning! The information about the team battle can be found in the section "Entertainment module." Beep!

200 backers, 2nd quest solved & DevDiary
over 2 years ago – Fri, May 03, 2024 at 08:52:08 AM

Hey, fluffy and blobby friends!
There are already 200 of you! This is amazing, thank you 🛰️️

DEVDIARY

Today, we want to share with you a brief story of how the game and this campaign were designed. Dmitrii, Cosmic Chains Game Designer and Siclen Studio CEO, made 4 DevDiary posts on BGG about different aspects of working on a board game and its delivery to Kickstarter.

DEVDIARY #1: How the trailer was made
Have you seen the trailer? We made it ourselves! More information about how exactly we made it—in the post.
DEVDIARY #2: How to design a unique game
Cosmic Chains has been played by experienced and really successful board game designers: those who create unique experiences every day. Some of their opinions you can see here:

While working on the game, we had many conversations about how unique it had to be. First, we are pretty happy with how it turned out! Second, you will find more thoughts in the post!
DEVDIARY #3: How we made our official videos
Everyone is a YouTuber—we know that! Not only did we make a gameplay overview video and video rules, but also described the whole process in the post. And here is the Gameplay Overview video, if you missed it!

DEVDIARY #4: About variability in games
Cosmic Chains is a flexible game: it offers three modes for all tastes. But is such variability needed? Recently, there's been a wide discussion on BoardGameGeek regarding variability.  Here, we share our thoughts and opinions on that.

THE QUEST AND TEAM BATTLE

The second quest has been solved. Thank you for taking part, we are one step closer to the blank cards for your own effects! Today's quest is already available. Share your answers in the comments on the main page of the campaign and make it to "The Shiniest Stars In Orbit" wall of fame ⭐️

And, by the way! The Cats are winning now in the battle of the teams! So, Team AI fans, now is the perfect time to try reclaiming your superiority 🤖

We are funded! What's next? About the quests and other activities!
over 2 years ago – Thu, May 02, 2024 at 06:42:02 AM

Hey for the cat, robot, and satellite lovers!
We are so happy to share that Cosmic Chains has just been funded! On the first day of the campaign! That's unbelievable—of course, only thanks to you. You are real fluffy and blobby Internet rulers 🙀🤖️️️️

But what's next? We've got several activities prepared for you! So, buckle up!

THE QUEST

Do you want to get the opportunity to customize Cosmic Chains with your own effects? Then check out the “SOLVE TO UNLOCK THE PRIZE” section on our landing page!

We prepared engaging daily puzzles for you to solve together with us. When all the puzzles are cracked, EVERY Cosmic Chains box will get 2 blank cards you can fill in with your own effects, and you will decipher a hint at our next project.

Also, every person who's the first to crack a puzzle (and share it in the main comments section of the campaign) will be added to our Special Thanks list, a daily “The Shiniest Stars in Orbit” wall of fame in the updates, and will also receive a unique Pioneer role on our Discord server.

By the way, we have already added today's quest to the page! Each new quest gets slightly more complex, but remember, you must be not only smart but also quick.

THE TEAMS BATTLE

Cats and Blobots just couldn’t resist starting the competition before you even get your Cosmic Chains boxes… So, they decided to begin now! This peculiar scale represents their rivalry, and they need your help to decide who’s the best.

Choose your team and take a picture of yourself, your cat, your friend’s cat, your vacuum cleaner, or any robot you have, post it on Instagram stories, and tag us as @siclenstudio! We’ll count the score each day and update the scale to see who’s winning.

You can also use TEAMS masks to take your pics!

We are live!
over 2 years ago – Wed, May 01, 2024 at 10:06:38 AM

The first message ever sent over the Internet (technically, its ancestor) 55 years ago was “lo.” The ULCA professor Leonard Kleinrock and his student, Charley Kline, attempted to type in and transmit the word "login" from UCLA to SRI, but the system crashed right after they typed in the second letter.

Today, we, Siclen Studio, a team of friends and multidisciplinary specialists living all over the globe, have logged in to Kickstarter and pressed the button “launch,” making our first project as an independent publisher live.

Cosmic Chains is a dueling game about the Internet, cats and robots, and satellites in Earth orbit. It's a tactical, flexible, and replayable one. We designed it with all our hearts and after over two years of hard work, we are so happy to finally share it with you.

And scared, too! Without your help, we are not the word “login”, we are just the first syllable of it – an achievement but… a weird fact in history.

By the way, Leonard and Charley sent the whole word just an hour after the first attempt. Would be cool to get funded fast, too, haha

All right! We have prepared discounted prices, a limited reward, a couple of activities and quests (and a reward that will be added to each box). So, let’s get started!

This is our journey to the longest Cosmic Chain in orbit! Thank you for being with us 🛰

By the way, Good Time Society is unboxing the game on their stream... right now! Take a look at Cosmic Chains and see you in the chat there: