Connect 3 in Fusion 360

I made my own take on the classic game of connect four or four in a row. One of my issues with connect 4 is how long games can take, especially when you're only trying to go for a quick game against a friends. With the connect 3, you'll be able to have faster games with a unique set up that forces players to utilize the areas they have to create danger. This is a 4 x 5 game, making it half the size of the normal.

You will need a working computer with fusion 360 installed, and preferably a mouse. Additionally, you will most definitely require a brain, eyes and fingers.

https://a360.co/3KC2DWb

In case you need any further references.

To start, we'll be basic. Create a center rectangle on the origin point, with the dimensions 5 in length, 7 in width. (Set your document to inches)

Create another center rectangle, with dimensions 6.6 x 4.6

Connect the 6.6 pieces like this

Extrude the side with a length of 5 by 1.5 inches, and the other bigger rectangle by 1.0 inches. Also extrude the inside rectangle by 0.2 inches. It should look like a base piece to hold in the playing pieces.

Create an offset plane from the top view up by 1.1 inches. Use create sketch and create a center rectangle with the dimensions 0.405 x 6.6. This will be where you drop the pieces to play the game.

Extrude the play zone piece rectangle up by 4.2 inches. After this, create 3 horizontal lines along the sides. Then, with the dimension tool, make sure they have an equal distance of 1.05 inches (each line). Then, create 4 vertical lines along the play piece and dimension tool that for 1.32 (with that distance for each line). Finally, use the lines and eyeball the center of each of the 20 new mini rectangles, and create a diameter of 0.8 inches in what you believe is the middle of the rectangle. This is the hardest part about the project, but you can zoom in and use the reference grid lines to help you. If really necessary, you can use the dimension tool and try to exactly center it. But, when you're done with one, you can use the copy and move tool, create a copy and move the new circle by 1.32 (to the right or left for the horizontal) or move the circle down by 1.05 inches (down or up).

With all of the 20 new circles made that look centered enough, then extrude all of them out by -5 inches to create the holes.

 After this, use the lines and eyeball the center of each of the 20 new mini rectangles, and create a diameter of 0.8 inches in what you believe is the middle of the rectangle. This is the hardest part about the project, but you can zoom in and use the reference grid lines to help you. If really necessary, you can use the dimension tool and try to exactly center it. But, when you're done with one, you can use the copy and move tool, create a copy and move the new circle by 1.32 (to the right or left for the horizontal) or move the circle down by 1.05 inches (down or up). It should line up perfectly, and you'll be done in no time.

With all of the 20 new circles made that look centered enough, then extrude all of them out by -5 inches to create the holes.

Create a new sketch on the underside of the play zone piece. Create a center rectangle with dimensions 5.35 by 0.405 (width). Extrude the sketch down by 0.1. Then hide that body, and create a new sketch on the underside of the play zone piece. Then create a center diameter circle with a diameter of 0.75 inches. Unhide the old body, and then extrude the circle out 0.1, and make sure the operation is set on "join". This should result in the clean slide piece

Once again, this is one of the harder parts of this project. Bring back the sketch tools from step 6 to show the vertical lines to help show the divide. Then, you'll have to use that to help create a rectangle in the center of the sketch line, with a singular rectangle with dimensions 1.1 (length), x 0.2 width. Then extrude down to the slide piece, dimensions 4.2 inches. Make sure it looks like the attached image.

With all the pieces done, it seems like you've finished. However, as a side aesthetic, it is advised to add in the pieces on the bottom. Create a new sketch on the base piece (hide the play zone piece). Then, you can randomly create as many center diameter circles as you want (have to be on their own sides), yet I would advise to make less than 7 on both sides. The diameter of these circles are 0.8 inches, and extrude them by 0.3 inches.

For this part, you will create a sketch on the play zone piece. Then, use the center diameter circle tool and hover over what appears to be the middle of the previously extruded circle. Now, a symbol appears which means that its found the exact center of that circle. Create the circle with the same dimensions of 0.8 inches. Now, extrude the circle out by -0.3 but make sure you are on the NEW BODY tool. After extruding, you should have a piece that fits in like the one in the image for this step.

With one piece in, you can now start using the move tool to help copy these pieces around to fill the board, instead of manually creating your own. Click on the body you just made, and select the create copy tool. If you want to put a piece right next to it (horizontally), then move it either -1.32 or +1.32. To move vertically, either do 1.05 or -1.05 depending on your need. Fill in the board whichever way you wish, and you should have completed 95% of the board game!

As you may have noticed throughout the images, they're normally colored into blue. But if you've been following the instructions properly, you're design shouldn't have any color. A bland design is definitely not ideal, especially for a board game, so let's fix that. Press A (appearance tool) and you can add colors to bodies of your design. The preferred version any non play piece (think base pieces) is "Aluminum - Anodized Rough Blue". Drag this onto the pieces to get the blue look. As for the pieces themselves, make sure the amount of pieces colored are equal for both teams. For the classic connect four look, use the Brass - Matte for yellow and the LED - Red for the red pieces. Color the pieces accordingly to the sides, and congratulations! You have just created a working connect 3!

You can easily customize this by changing the colors of the pieces to any theme you wish as well!