Week 12: Interactive Prototype 3 - Final Prototype

What is the key function or interaction for your concept?

The user moves the character (Meow Meow Cat) forward through a series of coloured dots.  Users have a set amount of time to complete the game and are given visual cues through a timer and a changing background (from Daytime to nighttime).

I wanted to included a physical element to this prototype but without rebuilding the floor-dot-buttons from the previous prototype (or using the keyboard as an input).  Instead, I have continued to use the Makey Makey device but have substituted the dots you press with your feet for playdough you tap with your hands.

How does it work?

The user taps corresponding coloured balls of playdough to those displayed on screen.   A Makey Makey is used to connect the playdough controls with the computer.  A countdown timer is used to show users how long they have to complete a basic level (25 dots).  The background screen colour also changes colour with the timer to indicate the passage of time (sunshine to nighttime).  User's high scores are also displayed in the top left corner

What do you want to know about your prototype?

• Does the background colour changing simulate the change in time, specifically from daytime to nighttime (in lieu of an actual sun being on the stage)
• Do users like being able to see their high score on the screen (they had previously remembered them)

How do you want IP3 to work?

1. A testing computer is set-up connected to playdough through a Makey Makey device.
1. Four coloured balls of playdough have corresponding dots on them to the dots in the game. 
2. A wire is run from each ball of playdough to the Makey Makey.
3. A stick to tap the playdough is coated with reflective material and is connected to the grounding wire attached to the Makey Makey.
4. When the balls are tapped,  a signal is sent from the dots to the Makey Makey to the computer.  Each four colours corresponds to an arrow key.
2. User sits in front of the playdough and screen, ready to begin and is given verbal instruction:
1. There are four coloured balls in front of you
2. With the stick, tap the corresponding colour to the colour on the screen to move your character forward
3. Level ends when you reach the end of the row of dots
4. You only have 25 seconds to complete a level.  The background colour will change every 5 seconds to show the passage of time from day-time to night-time.
3. There is a start button that the tester will click to begin game
4. Game can end by either reaching the end of the row of dots or by pressing the 'end game' button.
5. Screen includes character on far left-hand side, a row of coloured dots (four colours with patterns), timer in top left corner, 'Begin game' and 'stop' buttons on top right-hand corner, 'High score' display in top right-hand corner below buttons.
6. User taps coloured playdough to move character forward
7. High-scores are records on the screen at the end of each game
8. Users can restart and replay as many times as they like 
9. User can stop play at any time

What is not included

• Appearance of sun or moon moving across the 'sky - only appearance of change through background colour
• More than one level (and level progression)
• Written instructions/walk through

Week 6: Class Responsibility Collaboration (CRC)

In this week's lecture we looked at Class Responsibility Collaboration (CRC) cards.  First was to look at the objects.  For my game, they are: stage, player (cat), path of dots, sun, start/stop, timer.

I then created a card for each of these and looked at the attributes (variables) and abilities (functions). 

This process raised an interesting question for my game, what moves?  I had to quickly sketch it up to understand the relationship between the moving objects.  Using this, I was able to refine my goal for the next prototype (IP1) - how do the movements work and work together. 

So far, I have:

• the player moves along the path (right) of coloured dots through keyboard inputs 
• the path is longer than the screen so the path has to move as well
• the path moves to the left as the player moves (e.g. it does not move independently, if the player doesn't move, the path doesn't move)
• sun starts near the middle and moves to the end of the path
• how fast the sun moves depends on the level
• the sun's movement is a fixed speed and time
• if the sun reaches the end before the player reaches the sun = game over
• if the sun goes off screen but has not reached end yet, timer informs player of time left

Writing out all the movements, it feels a little complicated.  It might also be confusing to have the sun go off the screen.

Current:
Goal is to reach sun (location) for nap before sun reaches end of path (second location)

Suggested change:
Goal is to reach end of path (location) before sun (day) becomes night (timer)

I am going to ruminate a bit more on this change and discuss it at our next workshop for more feedback.