Overview
Cube Cut is a spatial reasoning puzzle game that introduces players to modern, advanced manufacturing by challenging them to transform a raw cube into a finished part using 2D plans. Players rotate, inspect, and cut away material one block at a time, mirroring the precision and decision-making required in machining and CNC milling.

I contributed to concept development, level design, writing, SME collaboration, and the overall puzzle structure, helping translate real manufacturing principles into a simple, engaging mechanic. I created and implemented the full set of levels, developed the tutorial flow, wrote all narrative and educational content, and worked closely with SMEs to ensure the game reflected authentic manufacturing practices.

A Spatial Reasoning Puzzle for Exploring Advanced Manufacturing

4-min read

This page covers:

• Subject-matter-based concept development

• Mechanics-first design

• Puzzle design

• Playtesting and iteration

Concept & Objective
The client initially requested a large exploratory app showcasing advanced manufacturing environments and careers.

Our goals were:

• Dispel common misconceptions about manufacturing

• Introduce the variety of roles and pathways in advanced manufacturing

• Highlight the precision and problem-solving central to the field

• Create gameplay that encourages hands-on thinking

Site Visits & Discovery 

To understand modern manufacturing processes, our team conducted six weeks of site visits across seven facilities, interviewing employees ranging from CEOs to apprentices.

I documented these visits through reference photos, videos, and notes, and participated in multiple focus groups. However, after early research and technical planning, we realized the original scope wasn’t feasible and pivoted toward a game-first approach that still communicated the realities of the industry. The immersive research we had done grounded our design decisions, exposed us to real workflows, and ultimately led to the pivotal discovery that shaped the final game: a photograph of a small steel cube undergoing a precision machining test.

Cube Cut still helps reframe manufacturing as a thoughtful, detail-oriented process without exploring every facet of the subject. Instead, it uses a tactile puzzle mechanic inspired by the NIMS Step Block Test, a real assessment used to evaluate machining competency.

Prototyping & Finding the Mechanic

During an intense brainstorming session, we revisited our field materials and aligned around a core truth: advanced manufacturing is about carefully transforming raw materials into something very specific. Every little, seemingly insignificant piece of anything you can think of, like a screw used to attach a handle to a pan or the hinge in a shaving razor, needs to be intentionally manufactured. If the piece doesn't fit by the thinnest of margins, then the product doesn't work.

This insight led to the mechanic that defines Cube Cut:

Use spatial reasoning to translate 2D plans into a 3D object by cutting away pieces of a cube.

Subject-Matter-Informed Mechanics

Working with SMEs, we solved key design questions:

What happens when a player makes a mistake?

In real machining, you can always take more off but you can't put more on. We embraced this principle. A bad cut creates scrap, which impacts score and progression.

How do we score accuracy?

Scrap is tracked and integrated into unlocks, mirroring real scrap budgets in manufacturing plants. You can get through the game with a lot of scrap, but you need to be perfect if you want to unlock new cubes.

This aligned the game with authentic industry expectations while delivering a clean, intuitive puzzle loop.

Puzzle Design & Implementation 

Designing levels required careful visualization of how 2D plans translated to 3D forms. To streamline this, I built a custom setup in 3ds Max with pre-rotated instances of the main cube. By deleting geometry directly in the model, I could preview exactly what a player would see from each side.

My contributions included:

• Designing and implementing all 27 levels in the initial release

• Creating tutorial levels that teach mechanics with minimal instruction

• Designing three curated levels for the custom plan maker

• Documenting level versions, solutions, and assets

Playtesting confirmed that the tutorial flow effectively taught the mechanic through hands-on thinking, a key design goal.

Content & Writing

To help make the experience more relatable and introduce important content, we introduced Janelle, a character who appears between sets to share insights about working in advanced manufacturing.

I wrote all narrative interstitials, as well as the educational “Learn More” sections, which were reviewed and validated by SMEs. These provided players with real-world context and optional deeper dives into manufacturing careers, tools, and processes.

Playtesting & Insights

Playtests surfaced several important usability findings:

• Players didn’t always realize they could cut all the way through the cube

• Some didn’t think to tap the cube, even after rotating it

• A subset of players got stuck on early levels

These insights guided several refinements:

• Added a single, minimal instruction line in the tutorial

• Extended axis lines in the plans to better imply through-cuts

• Added an optional hint after repeated scrap in early levels

• Increased visual clarity of plan diagrams

I personally witnessed more "Aha!" moments from playtesters during the development of this project than any other that I've worked on. Seeing gameplay click with players is one of my favorite things about making games, but more importantly it assures me that the game is genuinely fun.

Iteration & Opportunities

Later refinements focused on clarity, accessibility, and smoother onboarding. The addition of the soundtrack, by an artist named none other than Delete the Cube, helped reinforce the game’s methodical, industrial tone.

Future opportunities include:

• Deepening the logic and sequential reasoning used in real machining

• Highlighting what the final, manufactured parts are used for

• Expanding tutorial clarity without removing the joy of discovery

Key Takeaways

• Mechanic-first design can reveal unexpectedly compelling learning experiences

• Real-world subject matter can inspire focused, elegant gameplay

• Minimal instruction is powerful but must be carefully balanced against frustration

• Authentic constraints (like scrap and irreversible cuts) enhance both learning value and tension

• This project remains a team favorite for its clarity, focus, and satisfying puzzle loop

CONTACT

blagania@gmail.com
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