Game Presskit
Diatoms
A Game of Microscopic Proportions
Designer: Sabrina Culyba
Publisher: Ludoliminal
#DiatomsTheGame – @ludoliminal on instagram, bluesky (also twitter)
Game Summary:
Diatoms is a puzzly tile-placement, pattern-making game where you create microscopic mosaics out of single-cell algae. Vie with your fellow players to collect diatoms for your mosaic: take turns placing tiles representing algae colonies, earning diatoms of different colors and shapes, then strategically place these diatoms on your own mosaic, taking care to consider how your arrangement will be scored by the judges at the end of the game. Everyone will create a unique mosaic, but only one player will win first place for their microscopic art.
Official Images and Video:
Previous
Next
Online Presence
Official Site: https://diatomsthegame.com
Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ludoliminal/diatoms
Board Game Geek: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/370210/diatoms
Hashtag: #DiatomsTheGame
Current Prototype Rulebook: https://ludoliminal.com/diatoms/rules
Limited Physical, Tabletop Simulator and Screentop.gg demos available for press/content creators: contact us
Game Stats
Ages: 8+
Core Mechanics: Tile-Placement, Pattern-Making
Supports: 2-4 players
Time: 30-40 minutes
Solo/Puzzle Variant:
Time: 15 minutes
Release Dates & History
September 26, 2023 – Kickstarter launch (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ludoliminal/diatoms)
Summer/Fall 2024 – Anticipated Retail Release
Brief Game Development History
In 2021, Ludoliminal founder Sabrina Culyba was selected as an Carina Initiatives’ Astra Fund Fellow with a grant to create a thinky, family-weight game to support math identity. Diatoms was developed over the following 2 years, with the game largely design-complete by December of 2022. Diatoms will be Ludoliminal’s first published title.
Awards
Game Credits
Prototype:
- Game Design: Sabrina Culyba
- Game Development: Sabrina Culyba
- Additional Game Development: David Culyba
- Art Direction: Sabrina Culyba
- Visual Design: Sabrina Culyba
- Foundational Support: Carina Initiatives
Additional Final Game Credits:
- Illustration: Nim Ben-Reuven
- Additional Visual Design: Nim Ben-Reuven
About Ludoliminal
Ludoliminal is an award-winning indie game design and publishing studio located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. Founded in late 2020 by Sabrina Culyba, Ludoliminal’s original works focus on original, unique games for families to enjoy together. Ludoliminal also provides consultation and facilitation for games (both digital and analog) for playtesting, and for game jams. Ludoliminal was founded on the value that games and game-making are positive forces for humans to understand and support themselves and the world.
Official Website: https://ludoliminal.com
instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ludoliminal/
twitter: https://twitter.com/ludoliminal
About the Designer
Sabrina Culyba (she/her) is a game designer whose professional work has spanned online games, VR, mobile apps, location-based entertainment, books, and board games. She is the author of The Transformational Framework, a process tool for teams working on transformational games. She is a 2021 Astra Fellow, a 2023 Game Design Fellow at Carnegie Mellon’s Center for Transformational Play, and the recipient of the 2023 Cardboard Edison award for her forthcoming board game Diatoms. Sabrina serves on the boards for Global Game Jam and Broke the Game. She is the co-host for the yearly XR Brain Jam at the Games for Change Festival. Sabrina lives in Pittsburgh with her amazing partner and their two small humans, where she makes games and collaborates on other game-related endeavors under the umbrella of her independent studio, Ludoliminal. Once you’ve finished reading this, she suggests you look up “diatom microscopic art” and follow her into the niche rabbit-hole of this obscure artform.
linked in: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabrinaculyba/
linktree: https://linktr.ee/sabrina.c
twitter: https://twitter.com/saeru
(Culyba is pronounced “Sul-bah”)
