Choose and build a layout
You now have a visual comparison in build/<project-id>/README.md from the layout search. Choosing a candidate is a design decision: the first result is a useful starting point, but convenience during play matters too.
Read the shortlist
Section titled “Read the shortlist”Start with the gallery’s top-down and rendered views. Open report.md in the same folder for the ranked dimensions and rejection details; each candidate also has a saved file such as candidate-001.json.
| Report value | What to consider |
|---|---|
| Outside size and occupied height | How much room the design occupies, including walls and floors. Does it leave the space you intended for boards and rules? |
| Shape and axis | How the compartments are divided and which direction the pattern runs. The drawing will make this easier to assess. |
| Number of panels | How many pieces you will cut and assemble. |
| Panel area and cutting length | Useful comparisons of material and cutting work, rather than quoted fabrication time or cost. |
BGI ranks these values in order: occupied height first, then panel count, panel area, and cutting length. It does not rank how easy it will be to pick up a card stack or hand out player pieces.
Inspect drawings and parts
Section titled “Inspect drawings and parts”A bgi game.bgi.yaml run has already built every retained candidate. Open candidate-001/README.md for the contents, dimensions, part list, and assembly order. Its preview/layout.svg shows the compartments; preview/parts.svg shows the flat panels. Compare another candidate by opening its sibling folder.
The saved candidate JSON is a recipe. For a deliberate separate build, such as a kerf experiment, use:
bgi build game.bgi.yaml --solution build/first-insert/candidate-001.json --output insert-bundleReplace first-insert with your project’s ID and use a candidate filename listed in your report. The command reconstructs that design from your project and checks it while producing the panels, joints, and cutting files in a new directory.
Review it as a game owner
Section titled “Review it as a game owner”Check the design against the way you set up, play, and pack away the game:
- Contents: each card stack, player set, and loose component has its intended place. A group shares one compartment; it does not add internal walls between its members.
- Handling: fingers can reach the contents, cards can be lifted out, and stacks are not inconveniently deep. Handling space must come from your measurements and allowances.
- Packing: the board, rulebook, and other reserved items still have their space. Existing boxes can be removed, and the lid can close.
- Construction: the part count and assembly sequence are practical for you. With removable trays, review their clearances and the order in which they must be lifted out.
These decisions may reveal that the original storage choices need changing. Edit the project YAML and run bgi game.bgi.yaml again. To preserve a useful feature while BGI rearranges the rest, see manual and mixed layouts.
Keep the project and its chosen result together
Section titled “Keep the project and its chosen result together”Save game.bgi.yaml, the chosen candidate JSON, and the generated bundle together. The YAML describes your intent; the candidate records the selected arrangement; the bundle contains the actual parts and cutting files.
A candidate belongs to the construction settings used to find it. Changes to contents, dimensions, thickness, or joint fit generally require a new search. A kerf adjustment changes the cutting path and can normally be applied when rebuilding the saved solution. BGI checks that the candidate still matches the project.
Continue with Prepare your material, then Cut and assemble. Extra output options, such as a CSV parts list, are listed in the command reference.