Blackbox (2020)

A blackbox is a device, system, or object which can be viewed in terms of its inputs and outputs, or transfer characteristics, without any knowledge of its internal workings. Its implementation is "opaque" – or black. This kind of system may exchange matter with its environment. The term originates from military signal engineering and originally designated enemy equipment that was not meant to be opened due to the danger of booby traps.

Similarly, or not at all, this game is new and different each time you play it. You know for sure that you will put some time in, and hopefully get some fun out of it. Rest assured, however, that no incendiary devices are included.

This game originates from the urge to create a versatile modular sandbox simulation of a boring Euro game, also known as cube-pusher, or JASE (just another soulless euro), with the aim to re-create any of these games, and mashing them up as preferred, or not. Luckily, it got a bit sidetracked in development and while I hope, or fear, its ancestry still shines through, it became more of a beast of its own.

Blackbox consists of a large number of Modules, all of which plug into the Proto Module, and the exact composition of which decides how the game you play this time actually works, which mechanisms you will get to use, how you will score and a variety of other variables.

—description from the designer