Devlog 3: The Design Is Finished, But Hardware Meets Reality

The engineering side of the project is finally finished.

The KiCad project is locked, the Gerber files have been exported, and the BOM and CPL files have been checked against the component library. I went through the board one more time and double-checked the components, footprints, resistors, capacitors, shift registers, and all 128 Hall sensors.

From a design perspective, the board is ready for manufacturing.

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The Cost Problem

This was probably the biggest reality check of the project so far.

Because the PCB is larger than 20 × 20 cm, it gets pushed out of the cheaper prototype pricing tier. On top of that, the board contains 128 Hall sensors, 16 shift registers, a large number of LEDs and hundreds of small SMD components.

Once PCB manufacturing, component costs and assembly are combined, the price for producing only a few prototype boards becomes far too high for a personal project.

I spent several hours going through the BOM and trying to bring the cost down. I looked at cheaper sensor alternatives, changed some component selections and tried to avoid additional factory setup costs wherever possible.

Unfortunately, there is only so much that can be optimized when the board itself is this large and contains this many components.

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What Happens Next?

At the moment, I am not sure whether the project will continue in its current form.

That does not mean the project is finished. The design files are complete, backed up and ready to return to if I decide to continue with it later.

The biggest thing I learned from this stage was that designing a PCB that works on paper is only part of the problem. Designing something that can actually be manufactured at a reasonable price is a completely different challenge.

This project gave me a much better understanding of Design for Manufacturability (DFM) and, more importantly, the real cost of turning a custom PCB design into physical hardware.

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Possible Next Step

If I decide to bring the project back, the most realistic solution would probably be to redesign the board as several smaller modular PCBs instead of one large 200 × 200 mm board.

That could make manufacturing significantly cheaper and would also make individual sections easier to replace, test and improve.

For now, the design is finished and safely backed up.

The next step depends on whether I can find a practical way to manufacture the hardware without making the project unnecessarily expensive.

Devlog #2: CAD Completed and Final Stretch

Quick Summary: CAD design is officially wrapped up, hardware integration is locked in, and the remaining firmware debugging is underway.

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Project Status Update

First off, full transparency: the core hardware and 3D modeling phases are virtually finished.

Rather than releasing tiny micro-updates, progress is being batched into consolidated devlogs following long development blocks. A single multi-hour workflow covered the PCB layout, CAD design adjustments, and initial firmware setup.

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Work Completed

1. CAD and 3D Modeling:

• Sourced base models for the board and chess pieces that included built-in pockets for magnets.
• Adjusted board dimensions and internal clearances to ensure a flush fit with the custom PCB.
• Status: Complete.

1. Firmware and Debugging:

• Began writing core logic and spent the majority of the day executing initial debugging passes.
• Hardware alignment is complete; software validation is in progress.

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Next Steps

• Finalize PCB layout and hardware selection (Done)
• Complete CAD adjustments and magnet housing design (Done)
• Finish firmware programming and logic validation
• Final hardware assembly and physical testing

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See you in Devlog #3!

DEVLOG #1: Concept, PCB Milestone & CAD Planning

Current Status

The PCB design phase is officially complete. A custom 200 × 200 mm PCB has been designed and prepared for fabrication.

The next step is the CAD enclosure design. Instead of modeling the entire housing from scratch, the plan is to adapt existing 3D-printable chessboard models.

The main CAD work includes:

• Scaling the internal dimensions to fit the PCB
• Aligning the board grid with the sensor positions
• Creating openings for the USB ports
• Adding appropriate mounting tolerances
• Designing internal light-isolation dividers
• Creating a bottom plate to secure the electronics

Since the CAD modifications are currently underway, this first devlog focuses on the project concept and overall hardware architecture.

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What is the Smart Chess Board?

The Smart Chess Board is an interactive physical chessboard that detects piece locations in real time using magnetic sensing and provides visual feedback through an integrated LED matrix underneath the board.

The goal is to combine the experience of playing on a traditional physical chessboard with digital features such as:

• Move detection
• Valid move indicators
• Move suggestions
• Check warnings
• Game state tracking
• Visual LED feedback

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System Architecture

The board is built around three main systems: magnetic detection, LED illumination, and microcontroller processing.

1. Hall Effect Sensors

A Hall effect sensor is positioned beneath each of the 64 squares.

Neodymium magnets are embedded into the base of each chess piece. When a piece is placed on a square, the corresponding sensor detects the magnetic field and allows the system to determine the current board state.

2. Addressable RGB LED Matrix

Addressable RGB LEDs are positioned underneath the squares alongside the sensors.

They provide visual feedback for things such as:

• Valid moves
• Selected pieces
• Check warnings
• Opponent moves
• Other board states and animations

3. ESP32 Microcontroller

The ESP32 acts as the main processing unit.

It is responsible for:

• Reading sensor data
• Tracking piece positions
• Processing the board state
• Driving LED animations
• Handling move logic
• Managing external communication

4. Custom PCB

A custom 200 × 200 mm PCB integrates the main electronics into a single board.

It contains the sensor matrix, LED traces, power distribution, and microcontroller headers, reducing the amount of manual wiring required.

5. 3D-Printed Enclosure

The enclosure will be adapted from an existing 3D-printable chessboard design.

The modified enclosure will include:

• A playing surface
• Internal light-isolation dividers between squares
• Space for the PCB and electronics
• USB access openings
• Mounting points for the PCB
• A bottom plate to secure the electronics

The goal is to create a clean enclosure that keeps the electronics protected while maintaining the appearance and feel of a traditional chessboard.

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Next Steps

The main focus for the next development stage is the CAD enclosure.

Once the enclosure dimensions and mounting system are finalized, the next milestone will be assembling the PCB, sensors, LEDs, and ESP32 into the finished board.

Devlog #7

Hello everyone!

It’s been a while since the last devlog. I actually finished this update on August 3rd, but I didn’t get around to publishing the devlog until now. So, after 14 days, I’m finally back with another update.

A lot has changed since the last devlog, so let’s go through it.

New Website Design

The first thing I changed was the overall design of the website.

The old design had a pretty obvious AI-generated look. Since I didn’t know much about HTML and web design at the time, I used AI to build most of the website.

This time, I wanted to do things differently.

I created the new design in Figma and used that concept as the base for the website. I kept the same general idea, but redesigned the pages to make everything feel more consistent and less like a typical AI-generated website.

Login System

I also added a login system.

This was honestly one of the more annoying parts to program, since authentication was something I hadn’t worked with much before. There were quite a few things to figure out and fix along the way.

I also tried adding Google Login, but for some reason it isn’t working properly yet. I’ll hopefully get that fixed in a future update.

Library

Another feature I added is the Library.

You can now save your generated posters and access them later instead of having to generate everything again.

This was something I wanted to add for a while, so I’m glad it finally made it into the project.

That’s It

And that’s pretty much everything for this update.

A lot has changed since the last devlog, especially the website design, login system, and the new library.

Hopefully, the next devlog won’t take another two weeks to arrive.

Devlog #6

Hello everyone,

Welcome to Devlog #6 of Starmap Generator.

Honestly… I didn’t think I’d be writing another devlog after the final release, but here we are.

This one will be pretty short because there’s only one big thing to talk about.

Goodbye, Render

Until now, the project was running on Render.

It was great for getting everything up and running during development, but after using it for a while, I realized the free plan just wasn’t a good long-term solution.

The biggest problem was the cold starts.

If nobody visited the website for a while, the server would go to sleep, which meant the first person opening the site sometimes had to wait 30–50 seconds before anything even loaded.

It worked… but it definitely wasn’t the experience I wanted people to have.

And beside that render is not suported by hackclub so i needed to find better alternative.

Moving to Hack Club Nest

So I decided to migrate the entire project to Hack Club Nest.

The migration went smoothly, and the website is now running at alen.hackclub.app.

The difference is honestly huge.

The server stays online 24/7, so there are no more cold starts, pages open instantly, and generating high-resolution posters is much faster than before.

Since the application does quite a bit of work behind the scenes with Skyfield and Pillow, having a server that doesn’t constantly fall asleep makes a noticeable difference.

What’s Better Now?

The move brought a few nice improvements:

• No more waiting for the server to wake up.
• Faster poster generation.
• Better overall performance.
• More stable hosting.
• A much smoother experience for anyone using the website.

Wrapping Up

I wasn’t planning on making another devlog after finishing the project, but this felt like an important enough update to share.

The project now has a permanent home, performs much better, and is finally hosted somewhere that fits what it has grown into.

Thank you all for following the development of Starmap Generator and reading these devlogs.

Have a nice day.

Devlog #5

Hello everyone,

Welcome to the final devlog of Starmap Generator.

Well… we finally made it.

After quite a few hours of coding, debugging, redesigning things, and fixing bugs I didn’t even know existed, the project is officially finished.

It’s been a really fun project to work on, and I’ve learned way more than I expected when I first started.

Looking Back

When I started this project, the idea was pretty simple.

I just wanted to build a tool that could generate star maps.

As I kept working on it, the project slowly became much bigger than I originally planned. New features kept getting added, old ones were improved, and eventually it turned into a website where you can generate your own starmap poster and even print it.

What Changed Since The Beginning?

Throughout development I made improvements almost everywhere.

The star map itself became much more accurate, the coordinate grid was improved, objects are positioned better, and the overall visualization looks much cleaner than it did in the early versions.

I also spent quite a bit of time improving the website itself. The interface is much cleaner now, navigation is easier, and everything feels more polished.

Privacy Improvements

One thing I noticed while testing was that the website could show some of my own information by default.

Obviously that wasn’t something I wanted if other people were going to use it.

So I changed it.

Now the website starts with completely neutral values, and everyone can enter their own information without seeing any personal data from me.

Performance & Bug Fixes

Not everything went smoothly during development.

I ran into a few performance problems, including memory issues and random bugs that sometimes took much longer to fix than I expected.

After a lot of testing, I managed to make the application much more stable.

Loading is faster, resource usage is lower, and generating larger star maps works much better than before.

What I Learned

This project taught me a lot.

I learned more about procedural generation, coordinate systems, frontend development, debugging larger projects, and organizing code so it’s easier to maintain.

I also spent a lot of time reading documentation and using AI to help me understand concepts that were new to me. That combination really helped me keep moving whenever I got stuck.

Looking back at the first version compared to the final one, it’s honestly nice to see how much both the project and my own skills improved.

Final Status

Starmap Generator is now officially:

• Completed
• Tested
• Optimized
• Available on GitHub
• Available online

This is the end of the project… at least for now.

There will probably always be small things I could improve, but I’m really happy with where it ended up.

Thank you to everyone who read these devlogs, left feedback, or simply followed the project from the beginning.

See you in the next project.

Have a nice day.

Devlog #4

Hello everyone,

Welcome to Devlog #4 of Starmap Generator.

Hope you all are doing great.

Today’s session felt a lot better than the last one.

I finally managed to fix one of the biggest issues that had been bothering me for a while, and now the project is really starting to feel complete.

The Grid Is Finally Fixed

The biggest update today is that I finally got the CSS grid working the way I wanted.

It took way more experimenting than I expected. I kept changing things, refreshing the page, breaking the layout, fixing it again… and eventually everything just clicked.

Now the elements are finally where they’re supposed to be, and the whole interface feels much more stable.

About Yesterday…

I’m still a little annoyed about yesterday’s time tracker deciding that a 5-hour coding session was only 1 hour.

There’s nothing I can really do about it now, but looking back, those “missing” hours definitely weren’t wasted. A lot of today’s progress only happened because of all the work I put in yesterday.

So I guess it wasn’t completely for nothing.

The Website

I also want to say something about the design.

I’m not a web designer, and this isn’t meant to be the most beautiful website you’ll ever see.

It’s pretty simple, but it works, and honestly I’m happy with that.

Considering this is one of my first bigger web projects, I’m really proud of how everything has come together. I’ve learned a lot while building it, and that’s probably the most important part.

Almost Finished

At this point, there really isn’t much left to do.

There are still a few small things I want to clean up, but if everything goes according to plan, I should be able to finish the entire project tomorrow.

It’s kind of crazy seeing something that started as just an idea getting this close to the finish line.

I think that’s all for this devlog.

If you have any suggestions, feedback, or notice something that could be improved, feel free to leave a comment or open an issue on GitHub.

Thank you all so much for reading.

Have a nice day.

Devlog #3

Hello everyone,

Welcome to Devlog #3 of Starmap Generator.

Hope you all are doing great.

Today was… a long one.

I ended up spending around 5 hours working on the project, and honestly, most of that time was just coding, testing, breaking things, fixing them, and repeating the whole process again.

Now here’s something funny.

For some reason, my time tracker decided that today’s 5-hour session was actually… 1 hour.

I have absolutely no idea how that happened.

So if the analytics ever tell you I barely worked today, just know they’re lying. 😅

The Website Is Finally Alive

The biggest update is that the project has officially become semi-functional on the web.

It’s definitely not finished yet, but the frontend and backend are finally talking to each other.

Seeing everything actually work inside a browser instead of only running locally feels like a huge step forward.

There are still plenty of things to improve, but at least now the project is starting to look like an actual website instead of just a collection of files.

How I Got Here

Just like before, I spent a lot of time reading documentation and figuring things out.

Whenever I got stuck, I also used AI to help me understand concepts or point me in the right direction.

I’m still learning a lot as I build this project, so combining documentation with AI has honestly been one of the biggest reasons I’ve been able to keep making progress.

What’s Next?

Now that the website is finally up and running, the next goal is making everything smoother.

There are still bugs to fix, the UI needs a lot more work, and I want to start adding the features that will make the generator feel complete instead of just functional.

There’s still a long way to go, but seeing everything slowly come together is really motivating.

I think that’s all for this devlog.

As always, if you have any ideas, suggestions, or feedback, feel free to leave a comment or open an issue on GitHub.

Thank you all so much for reading.

Have a nice day.

Devlog #2

Hello everyone,
Welcome to Devlog #2 of Starmap Generator.
Hope you all are doing great.

Okay, now let me explain quickly of my recent changes or update on the site.

I am not sure but maybe this will be a bit shorter devlog, maybeeee…. since I’m trying not to bore anyone reading this, but I really want to keep these devlogs raw and unfiltered.
Okay now lemme explain.

Constellations & Core Features
Sooo, the big news is that today I finally finished all the basic functions.

The generator now does exactly what every proper starmap is supposed to do.

And the coolest part? Constellations are officially working.

The stars actually connect and form patterns now, just like a real night sky.

How did I do it?
If you ask how I managed to pull this off so fast, then ummm…

To be honest, I did a massive deep dive into the documentation, and I also used AI to help me figure out the math and logic behind the star positioning.

I’m not gonna lie, combining AI with reading documentation saved a lot of time here because I am still a bit limited by my current knowledge.
But it works now.

Moving to HTML (The Web Site)
Currently, I have already started working on the HTML side of things because I want to implement this whole generator into an actual website.

Right now, it looks super basic and has almost no CSS, so it is pretty ugly.

But don’t worry, as soon as I finish setting up the web structure, I will fix the design and make it look clean. The goal is to make it so anyone can just open their browser and generate their own starmap.

Oh…
The devlog doesn’t seem that small anymore. I’m sorry for that.

I guess that’s it for this devlog. My 10-hour clock is still ticking, but the foundation is officially ready.

If you didn’t understand any of the points, please do comment and I will try to explain it to you there.

Thank You all so much for reading.

Have a nice day.

Devlog #1: Reviving the Starmap Generator 🌌Hey everyone! I’m jumping back into an old project that’s been sitting on the shelf for a while, waiting to be finished – the Starmap Generator.I’ve decided it’s time to finally wrap it up and get it done. However, this time I have a clear plan and a strict time limit:10 Hours Max: I’m not going to spend weeks dragging this out. I’m capping my time at a maximum of 10 hours of work to polish the features, clean up the code, and get it fully completed on my end.🚀 What’s the plan next?Once those 10 hours are up, the code is finished, and everything is officially published, I’d love to hand over the torch. Since I’m currently limited by my knowledge when it comes to taking it to the next level (like turning it into a larger web app or a more complex system), I’m looking for someone who knows their way around that side of things to step in after the release.If you have the skills and want to take my foundational code and turn it into something much bigger, definitely reach out once it’s live!But first, let’s take it step by step. My 10-hour clock starts now—stay tuned for the next update! 🚀

Devlog #6: The Final Design is Ready!

After hours of routing traces, tweaking tolerances, and reorganizing my Fusion 360 project tree, VoltStrip V2.0 has officially reached its final form!

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The Finished Look

The latest design in the project gallery shows the absolute final version of the macropad. Everything is perfectly in place:

• 4 Mechanical Switch Sockets: Spaced out precisely for a clean and comfortable typing experience.
• ** 0.91” OLED Display:** The cutout is perfectly flushed with the top cover.
• ** EC11 Rotary Encoder:** Sits exactly where it needs to be for easy volume control and layer scrolling.
• ** Premium Branding:** Custom “VOLTSTRIP V2.0” branding and a sleek QR code are integrated directly onto the faceplate/PCB layer for that high-end, open-source aesthetic.

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What’s Next?

The PCB layout is fully routed, and the 3D-printable enclosure parts (lid and BottomShellSolid) are perfectly aligned and ready for production.

Status Update: Since I cannot physically manufacture or assemble it without the Hack Club support and hardware shipment, the digital phase of the project is officially wrapped up!

All the files have been successfully pushed to GitHub, and the README.md is fully updated. Now, we wait for the hardware to arrive! 🚀

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Got any thoughts on the final layout or the integrated faceplate branding? Drop a comment below or open an issue!

Devlog #5: Enclosure and Design are Ready! (Voltstrip V2.0)

A huge step forward — the 3D design and the complete enclosure for Voltstrip V2.0 are officially done! After playing around with dimensions, alignment, and fine details, everything has finally clicked into place.

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What’s Been Done

• ** Main Enclosure Design:** All mechanical components (4 switches and a rotary encoder) are perfectly positioned on the top plate. The honeycomb details on the sides give the enclosure a great visual contrast and a premium look.
• ** QR Code & Branding:** After a fierce battle trying to import SVG files into Fusion 360 (which completely refused to cooperate), I shifted the workflow to Tinkercad and Bambu Studio. The QR code was successfully imported, scaled up for better scanability, and debossed deep enough for the printer to cleanly resolve it. Right above it, the striking text "VOLTSTRIP V2.0" has been added.
• ** Final Visualization:** All components have been assembled and verified in Fusion 360 — aesthetically and geometrically, the macropad looks exactly as I envisioned.

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Current Status & Plan

• ** Fixing Minor Bugs:** All that’s left is to go through the model and fix a few small cosmetic and technical glitches, double-check the switch tolerances, and ensure the USB-C cutout is millimeter-accurate so the electronics don’t bind.
• Finishing the Project: I plan to fully finish the entire macropad starting tomorrow — locking in all files, generating the final STL/STEP versions, and prepping the repository for the Hack Club review.

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Let’s push to the finish line!

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What do you think about the honeycomb design and the QR code placement? Let me know in the comments or open an issue!

Devlog #4: Initial Programming, Enclosure Tweaks, and PCB Progress

Today was all about making a gradual transition into the software phase while continuing to refine the hardware components. The project is moving forward steadily, with focus split between early code setup and design optimization.

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1. Firmware & Programming: Taking it Slow

Today marked the official start of the programming phase. I didn’t want to rush into the complex stuff right away, so I kept the pace deliberate and steady:

• ** Base Environment Setup:** Configured the initial workspace and initialized the core environment.
• Solid Foundation: Focused on laying down a rock-solid structural foundation for the code, ensuring the basic logic is clean before expanding into more advanced scripts.

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2. CAD Design: Enclosure Tweaks (Work in Progress)

Spent some time back in the modeling software to iron out the physical design. It’s not completely wrapped up yet, but the main housing is getting closer to completion:

• ** Refined the Main Body:** Adjusted a few dimensions and fitments on the main enclosure to ensure a cleaner look and better structural integrity.
• ** Next Up for CAD:** The main body tweaks are done, leaving only the lid (cover) left to design and finalize.

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3. Hardware: Polishing the PCB

The rest of the session was dedicated to cleaning up the electronics layout and fixing the remaining board elements:

• ** Trace Cleanup:** Ran a pass over the PCB design to clean up the remaining traces and check clearances.
• ** Layout Optimization:** Tweaked the overall layout to optimize the paths, making sure the board is solid and well-routed.

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What’s Next?

• Designing the enclosure lid to finally close up the physical model.
• Diving deeper into the firmware functionality now that the environment is set up.

One step at a time! 🏁

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Have you ever worked on integrating a custom PCB with a 3D-printed enclosure? Share your tips or feedback in the comments below!

🚀 STARDANCE DEVLOG: DAY 4The Base is Perfect, but the Lid is Destroying Me…Day 4 has been a total emotional rollercoaster. It started off amazing, but ended with me closing Fusion 360 because my brain completely melted. 🤯🛠️ What’s Done (The Good Part)I managed to fully finish the case base! Since there’s no room inside the case for the PCB and component screws, I decided to go with external mounting ears in the corners.External Mounting Ears: Sketched them out in the corners, extruded them downwards by about 6mm, and joined them to the base.Solid Build: It looks incredibly clean and ready for 3D printing.Cutouts: The USB cutout and the PCB standoffs are also perfectly in place.🛑 Where I Got Stuck (The Bad Part)And then I started working on the top lid… and everything went downhill. I’m trying to achieve that awesome high-profile look where the lid is raised and the plastic precisely surrounds the switches, OLED display, and encoder.Here is what drove me crazy today:DXF Hell: I generated the plate layout using an online plate generator and imported the DXF into Fusion. Of course, it imported 10 times larger than it should be (classic scaling/units issue). 📉Lost in Options: I tried to shrink it down using Sketch Scale, but the program started messing with me with some weird Precision 0.123 settings. The units got messed up, and whenever I activate the lid component, everything else turns translucent so I can’t even see what I’m alignment-checking against.“Kinda-Sorta” 3D Body: In the end, I managed to extrude some random body, but it looks terrible. The switch cutouts are misaligned, the encoder isn’t even showing up, and I have no idea how to precisely cut the opening for the OLED screen since I don’t have its 3D model on the PCB layout.Current Mood: Had to close the program for today because my head hurts and I got sick of constantly hitting Ctrl + Z. 🛑🙋‍♂️ SOS! Need Some Help (Question for the Comments)Guys, I honestly have no idea what I’m doing with this lid right now. If anyone has experience designing keyboard/macropad cases in Fusion 360, please help me out!What’s the easiest and most accurate way to “drill” the cutouts for 4 Cherry switches, an EC11 encoder, and an OLED screen so that they actually fit perfectly after 3D printing?Do you have a foolproof trick for importing DXF files without ruining the scale, or is it better to just draw everything manually over the PCB layout?Any advice, tutorial, or step-by-step guidance would literally save my life for Day 5. Let me know below! 👇

Devlog #3: PCB Done! ✅ Design: Complete.
PCB: Verified.
Image: Attached below. I’m officially closing the chapter on the PCB design today. It’s my first one, so it’s not fancy, but I couldn’t be happier with the result. Next up: 3D modeling the enclosure. Let’s get to work! 💻🖨️

Devlog #2: Finally making moves! 🚀 Yesterday was a bit of a struggle, but today felt like a win. I powered through the PCB schematic, finished the layout, and managed to hunt down and fix all the errors!I’m left with a few lingering warnings (check the second image). Are these actually important, or just “noise”? Would love some advice from the pros here!On top of the board work, I’ve officially started drafting the enclosure. It’s looking solid, and I’m aiming to have the design finished by tomorrow. Let’s keep this momentum going!

This is my first devlog.​Working on the OrpheusPad or Macropad project has been a real challenge that turned into a pretty frustrating experience. I started with a lot of enthusiasm, following the instructions from Hackpad, and spent hours in KiCad trying to put together the PCB design. Every step was a struggle—from resolving those annoying DRC errors to dealing with library configurations that were giving me a headache. ​Just when I thought I was close to the finish line and tried to finally link those libraries, the system failed me. The Windows manager glitched and KiCad crashed. Since I hadn’t manually saved my progress, and all my attempts to pull something from those .bak and .lck files failed, I’m back to square one. Now I have to start everything from scratch. It was a painful but useful lesson about how important it is to constantly hit “Save” and have a well-organized workspace. ​Besides losing my nerves over the technical issues, I’m now struggling with whether this is even worth it. I tried to open the submission form to order parts, but I keep getting an error. I don’t even know if the project is still active or if it’s already finished. I really don’t want to waste time drawing the board if the form doesn’t work or if the program has long since closed, so that’s my main dilemma before I decide to dive back into the work. So yeah for now i dont have any images for work but I will try again tomorrow.