This week I helped solder header connections for stable wiring and finished assembling the base board. I wired and soldered the save-state and turn-toggling buttons, plus a new set of LEDs for each board to light up ports and improve dice visibility. I worked on testing with the team, where we found a few small bugs to fix.
We had a setback when one LED strip lost connection and the copper pad ripped off. Because the button board and LED board were already joined, replacing that LED while keeping indexing consistent took time, but we were able to swap it and resolder everything more securely. I also helped assemble the ports and glue the visual pieces (water pattern and resource tiles) onto the board. We are ahead of schedule and have most of our stretch goals implemented. Next week I want to help finalize the presentation, record a better demo video, secure the button rods, and help debug remaining software issues.
I also had to learn more detailed CAD skills to design robust parts that could handle multiple iterations and different cut depths. I reviewed past course material, watched online videos, and asked TechSpark staff and friends for help, especially for modeling layered cuts and understanding the switch matrix. Most of what I needed came from knowledge in our earlier classes and projects, and I filled in the gaps with a few targeted videos, quick references, and small experiments.