Forgive me for what might be a bit of a rambling description of what I’d like to do in my final…
SOME CONTEXT
First, a little context might help. I’m very interested in the human act of managing mood and emotion in an attempt to create a level, positive or perhaps neutral emotional stasis. When I think about this abstractly, I often imagine or envision an emotional stasis as a semi-translucent object that we each hold. This object can come in many forms but I know that mine is prism shaped. These objects that we all hold are glowing and the colour that they show signifies what their mood is. Warm, bright, static tones for more positive moods and cool, perhaps oscillating tones for negative moods. I also think that it’s interesting that human beings spend so much time managing their state independently and with help from others.
I think it might be interesting to pull a couple of these ideas out into the form of a game that starts off as a one player and then requires the help of others to win.
AN IDEA
This will be a collaborative game using a sensor and arduino based controller with many inputs – specifically too many inputs for one set of hands to manage. The controller moves a small character around a simple world displayed on the screen, powered by a p5.js sketch.
This is how I’m imaging this controller. It’s made from frosted acrylic and has a strip of leds inside.
Mounted to the controller is a gold joystick and a button.
These two inputs are expected to be controlled by the main user. There are several other buttons and light sensors mounted to the prism.
When the game begins the single user navigates the character around the screen using this very bright and colourful glowing controller. As the game continues the triggering of other inputs is required meaning that other people have to participate in order to win the game together.
CONCERNS
I’m a little worried that this might be overly complicated to create, particularly because of the fact that it relies on a game that I haven’t fleshed out or considered the context of.
What I DO know is that I love the aspects of simplicity that are a part of the app game Thomas Was Alone. It was so emotionally driven and the characters were nothing but triangles and rectangles of different proportions.
IDEA HIGHLIGHTS
I’m open to changing this idea slightly but I think that I know what I like about it. I think that I simply enjoy the idea that something would take collaboration to accomplish. I like the idea of a bunch of people having to touch or press buttons on an object, like some kind of input heavy version of twister, perhaps. I also like the idea of colour being a signifier of progress in the experience. So these are things…
INITIAL SYSTEMS PLAN
Come up with an initial system plan for your final project. Make a drawing of what the major functional elements are and how they communicate with each other. Figure out the elements and space needed, come up with a plan, a system diagram, and an initial bill of materials. Put your project plan, timeline, system diagram and brief description and testing plan, on your blog.
MORE DETAILS
space – an area of 4ft long by 4ft wide, brightly lit with the ability for at least three people to stand around a table.
materials
– acrylic
– acrylic glue
– clear zipties
– joystick and mount
– button
– three light sensors
– three switches or buttons
– arduino
– breadboard
– power jack
– laptop & p5.js
– LED Strip & transistor or MOSFET
ASHLEY JANE LEWIS 