Week 9: Interactive Prototype 2 - MakeyMakey

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 are timed and are given auditory feedback for correct or incorrect moves.

How does it work?

The user taps corresponding coloured dots on the floor with their feet to those displayed on screen.   A Makey Makey is used to connect the dots on the floor with the computer.  A timer will be used to test how long it takes users to complete a basic level (25 dots).

What do you want to know about your prototype?

• What formation of dots is both challenging (users need to use both feet, can't press multiple dots at once) and fun (is not so hard that user gives up early on or does not want to play)
• How long it takes a user to complete a basic level (25 dots) and how that time improves over multiple goes.

How do you want IP2 to work?

1. A testing computer is set-up connected to large dots on the floor through a Makey Makey device.
1. Two cardboards circles (for each of the four dots) lined with alfoil are connected through a ring of sponges that make a spring.  When the circle is stepped on, the sponges compress connecting the two circles and the alfoil.
2. A wire is run from the bottom circle of each of the four dots to a strip of copper (connecting all the bottom circles) and then to the grounding wire attached to the Makey Makey.
3. Separate wires are run from the top circle of each dot to a control on the Makey Makey.  Each four colours corresponds to an arrow key.
2. Dots are set-up in a set formation (two different formations will be tested)
3. User stands in front of the dots ready to begin and is given verbal instruction:
1. There are coloured dots on the floor in front of you
2. Tap the corresponding colour dot on the floor to the screen to move your character forward
3. Level ends when you reach the end of the row of dots
4. There is a start button that the tester will click to begin game
5. Game can end by either reaching the end of the row of dots or by pressing the 'end game' button.
6. 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.
7. User taps coloured dots to move character forward
8. Time how long users take to reach end of row.
9. Users can restart and replay as many times as they like 
10. User can stop play at any time

What is not included

• Winning or losing (reaching end by a certain time)
• 'Chasing the sun' part of the concept (sunshine changing colour to night time with timer)
• More than one level (and level progression)
• Written instructions/walk through
• On screen record of high scores

Week 8: Physical interactions

This week in class we looked at three existing digital experiences (email, Twitter and Super Mario Brothers) and had to come up with 5 new ways of physically interacting with them.

 

  

Email

Core interactions

• new message
• write message
• send message
• view inbox
• move or delete message

Ideas

1. Sandbox
   movements in sand associated with specific actions
2. Physical drawers
   drawers on a desk with actions associated with drawers; interactive elements (block) do something when you transfer between drawers
3. Coloured balls
   similar to drawers but colour indicates action; when viewing an email, the colour you choose decides action (red for delete)
4. Physical box with coloured lights
   box is scrollable and has digital display
5. Physical letter
   uses the tactile sensation of writing a letter that then scans image-to-text and shreds original (like a fax/shredder)

Twitter

Core interactions

• scroll newsfeed
• compose tweet
• send tweet
• quote or retweet
• follow someone

Ideas

1. Floor mat
   uses a floor mat that you would stand on/tap to compose tweet; layout would be like old mobile phone keypad
2. Rollerdex
   scroll through to scroll through newsfeed; can scroll forward and backward; touch sensors on 'cards' would perform simple actions like retweet
3. Deck of cards
   to promote slow, deliberate reading; hold card up to sensor to load next tweet in feed
4. Chips/box
5. Morse code
   morse code tapper, switches for actions

Super Mario Brothers

Core interaction

• move forward and back
• jump

Ideas

• Bike
  pedal forward and back; get off saddle to jump
• Semaphore flags
  different combinations for different moves
• Box of water
  sensors on box, splash to indicate action
• Foot pads
  two foot sensors (left and right) to simulate movement; handrail touch to move backwards; jump to jump
• Row boat
  left row for back, right row for forward, row both to jump

Summary

This was a really interesting exercise, I was definitely running out of idea steam by the time I got to 5.  I also felt like I was repeating elements of my ideas, it was hard to think outside the box.  Super Mario was much easier as the interactions were simpler, email and twitter had so many behaviours that I found my ideas centered towards one or two interactions and not the full interaction of these applications.

Week 5: Interactive Prototype I - ActionScript

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.  Each level increases in complexity and speed, so user speed is a factor.

How does it work?

The user uses the keyboard arrows (up, down, left, right) to move the character.  The keyboard will be modified so each arrow direction represents a different colour.  A timer will be used to test how long it takes users to complete a level.

What do you want to know about your prototype?

• How the player moves (player moves with input, path moves in response to player)
• How long a user takes to complete a level
• Does viewing a timer affect user performance

How do you want IP1 to work?

1. A testing computer is set-up with a modified keyboard.  Coloured dots are blu-tacked on to arrows.
2. User sits down at a testing computer ready to play
3. User reads on-screen instructions:
1. Your keyboard arrows have been replaced with coloured dots.
2. Press the corresponding colour from screen to keyboard to move your character forward
3. Level ends when you reach the end of the row of dots
4. There is a start button that users click to begin game
5. Screen includes character on far left-hand side, a row of coloured dots (four colours), timer in top left corner, start, stop, and reset buttons on top right hand corner.
6. User presses 'coloured' arrow keys to move character forward
7. Time how long users take to reach end of row.
8. Users can restart and replay as many times as they like 
9. User can stop play at any time

What is not included

• Exit button to close program
• Winning or losing (reaching end by a certain time)
• More than one level (and level progression)

Week 3: Video Prototype concept

After brainstorming a lot over the past week, I was struggling to come up with an idea that:

• i didn't hate
• felt original 
• wasn't just a tweak of an existing game.

I have worked an idea now into a beginning concept that I am finally happy enough to move forward with. As we have a workshop class tomorrow and the video prototype is due next week - I am relieved.  I have also tried to keep in mind how this idea will play out for other types of prototypes (e.g. physical prototype with the makey makey).  

Initial concept: game mash-up

Lemmings x Twister

Elements of Lemmings:

• cute animal
• move through levels 
• overarching goal (in lemmings = don't die)

Elements of Twister

• interact with coloured dots
• more colours = more complexity
• 'game' choose colour order

Game description

• Animal moves through levels trying to reach/chase something (it's pack, it's prey, whatever)
• To move along a level you must pass through/step on coloured circles
• As levels increase complexity of coloured path increases as does time
• To step on coloured circle you must press corresponding key (left, right, up, down corresponds with 4 different colours)
• The faster you move, the closer you get to what you're chasing (pacl)
• As levels increase, speed of pack also increases.

Animal ideas

• Honey badger chasing things to eat "Honey Badger Hurry"
• Wolverine chasing pack
• Cat chasing sunny spot

Week 2: Prototype ideation 2

Following our first workshop on game mash-up ideation, I had a closer look at the games available and brainstormed more options.

I hadn't played a few of the games before, so I started with playing a game of each of the paper games to gain a better understanding of what each game had to other.

Sprouts: one of the games I hadn't played before

I then thought about elements from different games and combined them to create a new game mash-up.

Week 2: Prototype ideation 1

This semester we have to create four prototypes.  To generate concepts, we have two options: wearable social interventions or game mash-ups.  In our pracs this week we looked at idea generation for these two options.

Wearable social intervention

In small groups we brainstormed social faux-pas and then possible wearable technologies to either hide or highlight the problem.

Social faux-pas

• interrupting people mid-conversation
• awkward silences
• asking people if they are pregnant (or about age/weight)
• talking with mouth open
• walking/standing on wrong side of footpath or escalator
• walking against the flow of traffic
• stopping in the middle of a moving crowd
• loud music on public transport
• talking on a quiet carriage
• taking phone calls when you talking to other people
• talking to people when they have headphones in
• invading personal space
• reading over people's shoulders

Wearable ideas

• Advanced mood ring shows when you are embarrassed 
• Lapel pin with mic, interrupts conversation if it hears certain words (pregnant, age, etc)
• shirt or button that changes colour is people are too close

Game Mash-ups

We picked one game from each category of paper, board and arcade games, and analysed them. What did we like about the game, how was it constructed, what made it unique?

Paper - Hangman

• points system
• small words are harder
• patterns of choosing letters
• add extra lives by adding extra lines to extend gameplay - house rules
• puzzle
• minimal props 
• rewards knowledge
• competitive

Board - Guess Who?

• Changeable photos
• puzzle by elimination
• can be easy if you choose wrong person
• flicking - physical action
• short, quick game play

Lemmings - Arcade

• Levels are the muzzle
• multiple solutions
• cute, design and noise
• funny

We then picked two games from different categories, pulled out a feature of them, and mashed them to create a new game.

For our game, we chose Hangman (cheating death) and Lemmings (cute/adorable/emotionally invested).