Logic game

I think I get what you're saying. Not a bad idea. We're considering having bus bars. The big dispute was that Ben was trying to make a very complicated puzzle came and I was trying to create an educational tool. The bus bars just happened to be the pressure point.

When you were discussing connections and the limitations of not being able to have a many to one type connection, I started to think about the old 150 in 1 electronics project kits that were available when I was a kid. 

The board connections were just springs and used small pieces of wire with the ends stripped to make the connections.   This would be cost effective and would allow more complicated puzzles to programmed into the game.

Good luck with the build and keep up the good work!

Steve

Where is the bus bar debate?

At the Taxi Rank or Train Station?

Another option would have the connectors be stackable, you can then simplify the board but then increment the difficulty later to require the stack/split connections.

Something like this very (very) rough image.

e14 sells stackable connectors

You'd require less signals by using a bus or two.

You don't need buses. You just need two connectors at each input so you can daisy chain the signal.

In my experience logic gets boring fast if you can't advance the complexity of circuits. Fortunately you don't need buss bars to have signals go to multiple inputs. All you need is two connectors at each input. One brings the signal there and the other one lets you connect another jumper to the next input, daisy-chain. So whether Ben was trying to make it complicated or just make it comlicatable doesn't matter as the solution is trivial. I would make the connector gendered in some way (output connector at one end of the cable and input connector at the other) so that you can't connect two outputs to each other. Possibly use magnets in the "plugs" and "jacks" but polarized so input plugs are repelled by output jacks and vice versa.

That was my Idea, too. The offset magnets stack perfekt on another and the cables could be stored away in the stacked form after play.

I agree that the prime directive here should be to make an educational tool, but at the same time I feel like could be "too simple" with the limitations of not including bus bars.

In my mind there are 2 possible solutions:

     1. Include them as an optional extra or "expansion pack"

     2. Find a way to do it without adding too much complexity. ie stacking connectors, mounted.

Either way, I would argue that the addition of further complexity or expandablility would broaden your market. This could be a great teaching tool but why stop there? It could also be a great puzzle game for adults. There's no reason it can't appeal to both markets.

Secondly, love the magnetic connectors. Found these online Dia 3/8x1/8" Countersunk Magnets | CMS Magnetics  The look like they have potential to work well.
Like if you had a plastic "cap" that housed a wire with a ring terminal and a screw went through this magnet into the plastic to hold it all together.