The Fortune-telling Cube

The Fortune-telling Cube can create 3456 possible, full-sentence fortunes! It has the same appeal as the famous Magic 8 Ball and Ouija Board. However, the Fortune-telling Cube is far more sophisticated and more entertaining. The Cube doesn’t have to be solved, but simply randomized. (The Cube is lots of fun, but, sadly, the fortunes are no more accurate than those of the Magic 8 Ball!)

The Fortune-telling Cube is a "phrase-randomizer" based upon a Rubik's Cube mechanism. One of 24 possible starting phrases is combined with one of 6 possible middle phrases and with one of 24 possible ending phrases to make up the 3456 possible grammatically-correct sentences.

Here's how it works:
   1. Randomize the cube.
   2. Without looking, select one of the RED edge faces -- the starting phrase of the fortune.
   3. Follow the pointer to the WHITE central face -- the middle phrase of the fortune.
   4. Follow the pointer to the BLUE corner face -- the ending phrase of the fortune.

Sometimes the phrases will be topsy-turvy, but easy enough to read. (See the supplemental photos for several examples.)

Step 1: What You Will Need

Materials:
   Rubik's Cube
   Avery-type Labels, 2-2"x4" labels per 4"x6" sheet

Tools:
   Your fingers
   Scissors
   Computer
   Color Printer

The materials should cost less than $20.

Comments

[DemeGeek]

Would you be able to use a 4 by 4 by 4 cube for this project.

[DHagen]

Hey BUddy, that's a cool idea. At first I thought it wouldn't work at all with a 4x4x4 cube. I thought the sentence structures would have to be too complicated. But it could work with the same 3-part sentences. The instructions would be slightly more complicated. Something like: "Randomize the cube, then, with your eyes closed pick any red face for the start. Go to the adjacent white central face for the middle phrase, and then go to the nearest blue corner for the ending phrase." (See picture 1.) Or you could still use the little pointers, but for the ending phrase you would sometimes have to go across the cube to the far side. (See picture 2.) Now you have 48 starting phrases, 24 middle phrases, and 24 ending phrases for 27648 possible fortunes! Of course the stickers would have to be resized. Next you're going to ask me about 5x5x5 cubes.

[DHagen]

The Pictures:

[DemeGeek]

Thanks for the reply! I was just wondering because I have one here. :P Though now I am curious, have you thought of how a 5x5x5 cube could work?

[DHagen]

OK, you asked for it. Here are my thoughts for making a 5x5x5 Fortune-telling Cube. See my diagram (click to enlarge): This will make 4-part gramatically-correct sentences. With 72 starting phrases, 48 first-middle phrases, 6 second-middle phrases, and 24 ending phrases, this will give 497,664 possible fortunes!

[DemeGeek]

I know that you will hate me for this but for a 6x6x6, would that be too much? :P

[enrhedando]

Fabuloso!! gracias Thanks kiss

[juliossr]

A very entertaining Idea/concept. This should be marketed by the Proprietor of the cube-design. I'm sure that it will be financially rewarding.

[shieldliger101]

Is there anyway to stop the white sticker paper from becoming dirty?

[DHagen]

Thanks for suggesting an improvement. You could protect the sticker paper by applying a clear plastic layer. Do this after printing the labels in Step 3, and before cutting them out in Step 4. I found that 2" clear packaging tape works great for this. (Avoid wrinkles by first sticking one end of the tape down on a table, then aligning the label sheet under the raised portion of the tape.) You could also use the clear sticky plastic sheets used for screen protectors.

[Javin007]

Duuuuuuuude. You may very well be onto something huge. If you could come up with the right combination, and put it on one of those mini-rubik's cubes, this could totally be the ultimate dungeon-master's randomization die. Pretty sure nobody has anything like a 3456 sided die. Not that I'm a geek or anything... O.O

[DHagen]

Great idea for a new application! Here's how to make your 3456-sided die (I think): For the Starts put: 1, 2, 3, ..., 24 (24 total). For the Middles: + 0, + 24, + 48, ..., + 120 (6 total). For the Ends: + 0, + 144, + 288, ... + 3312 (24 total). The smallest value will be 1 + 0 + 0 = 1. The largest value will be 24 + 120 + 3312 = 3456.

[DHagen]

Also, I failed to mention earlier, there are lots of combinations possible other than the 1D3456 described above. You can make these other combos by doubling up on the numbers (e.g. Starts could have 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, etc.) and then applying the same sort of mathematical logic for the rest of the cube.

[DemeGeek]

But also the thing is somebody could see what moves they had to do from the current number to the one that they need, you cannot on a regular die.

[DemeGeek]

What are the dimensions of your cube? different manufactures use different sizes.

[jose4805]

hey that awsome, can i put number on the cube and match it on table list

[DHagen]

Thanks, Jose. Numbers will work (see my answer to Javin007 in the intro page), but I'm not sure about your "match it" part. Also, you can try things out with the Digital version (see Step 9).

[BixcLaY]

Profetional rubic cube player

[Mr.A-Z]

Cool 'ible ! By the way , Where did you get the sticker template ?( or you made it yourself? )

[DHagen]

DIM (did it myself). Using MS Word, I set up for a 4x6 page size and then used the Draw utility -- set up the "grid" for a good spacing, played with the line widths and colors, drew lots of boxes, moved them around, checked out the printing, etc., etc. BTW, if you have Word, I uploaded the doc files.

[Mr.A-Z]

Err...I'm sorry, I mean, Maybe you have a link for the templates from the inet? well, thanks for the upload very much! Great 'ible!

[DHagen]

Viewers, Thanks for all of the kind comments, and for providing some great new ideas for this Instructable! If you want to try out something new, don't miss Step 9 -- the Digital Version. If you have MS Excel, this is, by far, the easiest way to try something out before going to the trouble of making a Fortune-telling Cube. In the Excel file go to Row 270 and you will find a blank table ("DIY"). Enter your fortune phrases, then go back to the top and enter "9" into the box specifying the theme you want to see. Press F9 (PCs) or Cmd= (Macs) to randomize your "fortune".

[kcls]

Nice 'ible! FYI, the last picture in the intro has a typo. Instead of saying "Sorry, the answer will always be not precise" it says "Sorry, the answer will aways be not precise". Just a pointer!

[DHagen]

Thanks! It's fixed now. (BTW, I had to read your comment three times to see the difference in your two "Sorry..."s!) Good job of editing. Let me know if you find any other errors.

[lynettewood]

Brilliant idea. Thanks, L.Wood

[kcls]

Your welcome! That's why I put them in bold, I figured it would be hard to tell :D

[claudiu.tudoras]

(removed by author or community request)

[lynettewood]

Create your very own sentences. I did that and at a small party had everyone reach into a cloth bag and pull out their fortunes. Frankly it was amazing and a bit scary at how appropriate the fortunes were for each. Its fun and easy, so make up your own sentences. Have fun being creative. Sincerely, Lynette Wood, a creative artist in largo, fl

[CrLz]

(Rubix cube) * (magic 8-ball) = Awesome idea!

[prodo123]

Do I hear an investment? :O this should make a ton of money

[Rogy]

Have you use a ORIGINAL Rubik's cube dor that? Oh, lol I'm working in a translate to spanish for your DOC, :D

[DemeGeek]

Are most printers able to use this? I am just wondering if mine can.

[DemeGeek]

How do you know where to look for your fortune? Is it just the first one you see is the one you use?

[DHagen]

The start is on the honor system. In practice, it's easy. Just roll the cube around with your eyes closed, stop, then open your eyes and read the red square that's at the top (and the only one that is right-side-up).

[DemeGeek]

That makes sense, thanks for the reply!

[RaNDoMLeiGH]

Oh, I love this! I do card readings and this would be so funny to have on my table at a psychic fair. The Shakespearean insults idea is fantastic! Dungeon master dude, I doff my flea-bitten cap at thy poxied visage. That is also a clever idea. I used to be a paralegal and legislative assistant a long time ago. I was a little surprised to find out that an astounding number of attorneys and lawmakers keep a Magic 8-Ball in their offices. Some refer to them regularly.

[nickodemus]

This is awesome!

[BeanGolem]

You could do some interesting "refrigerator poetry" type phrases, too. "As a bird chirps -- three hammers -- fly diligently"

[SiderAnne]

Ooooh! Haiku cube (or Hai-kube if you will) would be interesting! Or Shakespearean insults!

[BeanGolem]

I think the Haikube would be fantastic. If you don't like things too gibberishy, you could related all the phrases to some theme.