Kaboom! Concept development and prototyping (Fabian and Zhou Yang)

Project description:

The idea is inspired by the traditional game catching. The game will consists of two teams preferably equal number of people on both sides. Each side will be wearing slippers with LED lights of different colors to differentiate from the other team. (Red and Blue) The objective of the game is to turn the LED lights of the opposite team into the other color. (Red to blue or vice versa.) They can do it by attempting to position their LED light in front of the light sensors placed at the back of the slippers players are all wearing. The game ends when one side of the team had all their members’ LED light changed color.

Areas of changes/improvements in concept:

Since the start of the development process we had make the following changes /improvements to the prototype:

  1. We had changed the medium from shoes to slippers to create a more comical image of our prototype since it is designed for a game.
  2. Change in the sensors was also made as we realized the player catching another player has the tendency to “kill” himself/herself if he/she stomps his/her feet as it might trigger his/her own LED light. Therefore, light sensors are used instead of the players.
  3. The format of the game is changed as well. Before this, the game consisted of catch, healer and the rest of the players. However, we realized the structure of the game is not workable. For example, what if the catcher catch another player and he/she turns into the catcher. Does that particular person start catching people? If so how does the healer “heal” him/her. The conflict in gameplay caused us to change the gameplay into two teams of players. The two teams will try to change the color of the LED light of the opposite team.
  4. There will be a timing the led lights can be lighted up. It will be triggered preferably by a button the player can operate. It will have a cool down period. Therefore, the player needs to time when he/she wants to light his/her LED light when approaching a player from the opposite team. If time incorrectly, he/she will be at a vulnerable position to be “attacked” by a player(s) from the opposite team.

Process:

Testing out the blue and red LED lights.

Fixing the LED lights onto the slippers for testing.

Assembling the arduino set up on the slippers.

Major issues:

We faced the following problems while prototyping:

1. The LED lights were unstable. They were showing random colors and blinking in random manners.

2. The LED lights were not responsive when we interacted with it.

These are some of the issues we faced while building our prototype. After troubleshooting, we realized most of the problems were solved after we change some of the parts as they are aging and thus malfunctioning.

3. Due to time constraints and our lack of knowledge and practice in Arduino we could not get the light sensors to work. In the end, we created a button function for the set up to mimic the triggering of the LED lights when the light sensor is activated.

References:

https://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Control-an-RGB-LED-Strip-Arduino-Tutorial/

https://create.arduino.cc/projecthub/gol73/innovation-lab-5-push-button-rgb-led-color-change-6f4453

Our code:

Project testing:

From the video, the LED lights are changing colors through the press of buttons to mimic the triggering of light sensors which will result in color change. However, we are having difficulty to make the LED lights response in a consistent manner.

Narratives for Interaction Sharing: Firewatch

Firewatch is an indie adventure game developed by Campo Santo. You took on the role of Henry who decided to take on the job as a fire lookout in the woods to get away from the hectic city life after his wife passed away. His only contact with the rest of the world is Delilah, his supervisor. Strange things begin to happen during his work which forced him to investigate. Throughout the investigations, he will account various challenges, and you must make decisions based on his interpretation of the situation. 

I feel that one of the reasons that draw me to Firewatch is its game environment. I love the art style of the gaming environment. The natural surroundings that you are in are well crafted and feel immersive. The realism in the surrounding light during a different time of the day is an impressive part of the game. The sounds of nature such as the sound of running water, birds chirping, wind howling and the rustling of leaves all add on to the realistic and inviting feel of the game. It makes you feel that you are in the wild interacting with nature. The attention to details and the effort put in creating the overall immersive gaming environment engage you. It makes you want to explore the places around you and discover new things. The game brings joy in seeing new places and gives many incentives for you to set into the unknown.

Henry’s relationship with Delilah is also another area of the game that interests me. I feel that the use of walkie-talkie as the primary form of communication between the two characters is refreshing. Through their conversation over the walkie-talkie, they slowly and patiently build up their trust and understanding with each other. The lack of face to face communication did not affect their relationship which I feel is very intriguing. The conversions between them are also personal and down to earth. It also allows you to build a personal understanding and connection with them. Over time, it makes you feel that they are people you know. The sentimental values created by the human conversations will trigger the emotional side of you.

Overall I feel Firewatch is a great first person adventure game. It prompts you to explore and discover new territories through creating meaningful interactions with the gaming world. The character development is fantastic. With merely the communication over the walkie-talkie, it allows you to feel engage in the connection between Henry and Delilah. It is a game worth playing and spending your time on.

Narratives for Interaction: Documentation and Progress XI

PROJECT OCCUPATION

Goh Cher See | Nicholas Makoto | Zhou Yang

These are the scenes for the ending of the game. It will consists of a final event which will provide the player with three choices. Each choice will leads to a different ending. There will be three different endings in total. 

Narratives for Interaction: Documentation and Progress X

PROJECT OCCUPATION

Goh Cher See | Nicholas Makoto | Zhou Yang

*UPDATE*

These are the trial scenes for our game project. These scenes tell the story of how sook ching was being carried out. We want to show the fear and uncertainties it created during that period. It also shows the moral dilemma the main character had to go through when faced with people he had a personal connection with.

 

Max Assignment 5: Lozano-Hemmer’s Shadow Boxes + cv.jit.centroids Documentation

For the Lozano-Hemmer’s Shadow Boxes patch, I played around with the values to create different effects for the visual output. I combined a cv.jit.centroids patch with it to add sound effect to the overall patch. The following is the documentation for the combined patch. Enjoy! 😀

The cv.jit.centroids patch can be found here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4F34FL8BN4

Max Assignment 4: Face Tracker Video Documentation (With Video Velocity)

For the face tracking patch, I learnt how to map the face of Will Smith on top of my face for visual output. I added the video velocity effect with cv.jit.HSflow to see how it will work out with the face tracking patch. It managed to create some beautiful  and interactive effects. The following is the documentation for the combined patch. Enjoy! 😀

The patch for the effect can be found here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBOwZVyQG7o

Narratives for Interaction: Documentation and Progress IX

In game narrative content

Goh Cher See | Nicholas Makoto | Zhou Yang


The transition from the main game page to chapter one game page:

Dialogue:

This is the first time I am holding a gun. I was given a rifle along with my friends. We were trained to shoot and take cover from enemy fire. With a few days, we were sent to the front. We thought together with the British; we could protect our family from the Japanese.

We were wrong.

I miss them.


Content for chapter one

Introduction:

On the 8th of December 1941, with the major world powers engaging in power struggle throughout Europe, the Japanese took the opportunity to expand its empire through fighting various battles in an effort to drive out the white colonial master from Asia.

Photo 1: The push

In merely 55 days of fighting, the Japanese Imperial Army drive the British Empire forces down the Malay Peninsular for over 600 miles.

The war was at our doorstep.

Photo 2: Battle for Singapore

After suffering a series of defeats, the British finally realized that they are fighting an army that is at least on equal footing with them.

Photo 3: British surrendering

15th February 1942, after more than a hundred years of colonial rule over Singapore, British surrendered unconditionally.

Photo 4: Japanese marching into the city

For those left in Singapore, what lay ahead was over three years of pain and suffering.

Photo 5: Plan to capture all Chinese rebels

The Japanese want to get rid of all its anti-Japanese elements in Singapore as they did not want guerrilla activity. They wanted to ensure the Chinese community was subdued.

Photo 6: Sook Chin

All Chinese male above the age of 18 must report to detention centers for mass registration. There were supposed to be no exceptions. There were 250,000 men on the island during the Japanese Occupation. For many, this was their final journey.

The massacre that history would call Sook Chin had just begun.


Transition from chapter one game page to chapter one game play

Dialogue:

When the Japanese came to Singapore, everyone was afraid. They ordered all the Chinese from the Chinese communities to report to them. My dad and went with his neighbors. The other people from the neighborhood went with them as well.

I never saw my dad again.


Main game play

Dialogues for character interaction


Character 1

Name: Tan Jiao Ming

Age: 23

Occupation: Warehouse labourer.

Family background: The eldest son of his family. He lives with his parents. Two siblings: a younger brother and sister.


TJM (Tan Jiao Ming): Please let me go! I didn’t do anything wrong. I’m innocent. Please.

T (Traitor): We shall see. Are you part of the Delta force member?

TJM: No, I’m not! Please let me go.

T: STOP LYING!!! (1) * Fine, we can sit here all day until you tell the truth. (2)

TJM: I am telling the truth. Please. I did not take part in the war. Please let me go.

T: ADMIT IT NOW!!! (1) * It is time to tell the truth. (2)

TJM: I really know nothing of the Delta force. Please let me go. I beg you. Please.

T: Are you kidding me? Letting you go? A rebel to the Imperial Japanese Army? (1) * You have to give me something so I can let you go. You understand me? (2)

TJM: You have to believe me. I did and know nothing. Please let me go. I’m begging you.

T: TELL THE TRUTH NOW OR I WILL KILL YOU!!! (1) * You have to give me something. (2)

TJM: Please…I really know nothing about the Delta force. Please let me go home. Please…

T: Take him away. He is one of them. (1) * He can go. (2)


Character 2

Name: Ong Jia Yan

Age: 35

Occupation: Business man.

Family background: Married. Five children: three boys and two girls.


OJY (Ong Jia Yan): What do you want from me? I know nothing.

T: Are you sure? (1) We shall see about that. (2)*

OJY: …

T: Keeping quiet is not going to help you. (1) Tell me what you know. (2) *

OJY: Please just let me go. I seriously know nothing. I wouldn’t be of any help to you.

T: You better tell me what you know. Or else… (1) Mr Ong, I am sure you have a family. It will be pretty sad if anything happens to them. (2)*

OJY: What do you want from me? Please do not hurt them.

T: Why don’t you start by telling me things that I want to know? (1) They will be fine if you tell me what you know. Surely your family is more important than anything else. (2) *

OJY: …

T: Come on Mr Ong, I don’t know how long more I can keep up with this. (1) Come on Mr Ong, think about your family. Just by telling us where those rebels are operating, you can go home with your family and get protection from the Imperial Army. (2)*

OJY: I don’t know much… but I know one of their operating bases is located at the warehouse near the dock. They stored weapons and supplies there.

T: Tell me more! You definite know more than you say! (1) Anything else you want to tell me? I don’t think that is enough to keep your family safe.

OJY: …

T: TALK!!! (1) …(2)*

OJY: Their main operating base is located underground in one of the farms opposite the river bank. The exact location I’m not too sure. That’s…that’s all I know. Please do not tell people that I told you about all these. That’s all I know. Can…can I go now?

T: Take him away. (1)  You may go now. (2)*


Neighbour 

Name: Yan Hong Yi

Age: 45

Occupation: Postman

Family background: The father of three children, two girls and a boy. His wife died two years ago due to malaria.

He lived next to your house and you went to regular fishing trip with him from time to time.


YHY (Yan Hong Yi): Ah Huang is that you?

T: Mr Yan, please know where you are now. (1)* Mr Yan had being a while since we last met. (2)

YHY: Why are you working for the Japanese? What will people think of you?

T: I don’t care. Just tell me anything you know about the rebels. (1)* I don’t have a choice. You think I want to do this? (2)

YHY: I don’t know what you talking about.

T: Mr Yan this is for your own good. If you do not co-operate with us, I’m afraid I can’t protect you from the Japanese (1)* Please Mr Ong tell me something so I can help you. (2)

YHY: What are you talking about Ah Huang? Do not forget you are a Chinese yourself. How can you expect me to help the Japanese?

T: Come on give me a break. Helping the Imperial Army is the only way to survive. (1)* I will guarantee protection for you and your family if you provide me with information. (2)

YHY: I got nothing to offer. And even if I did, I will rather die than tell you. Betraying your own people. You will meet with no good end.

T: Take him away. (1)* (Only left with the “Take him away” option)


Childhood friend 

Name: Xia Han

Age: 25

Occupation: Factory Worker

Family background: The second eldest child in her family. She lives with her father. Her mother died of malaria two years ago. Three siblings: two younger brothers and one elder sister.

She is your childhood friend. The two of you used to play together back in the earlier days. She told you she wants to be a teacher when she grows up.

XH (Xia Han): Peh Huang!?

T: Xia Han, do you know why you are here? (1) …(2)*

XH: What are you doing here? Why are you working for the Japanese?

T: That is none of your concern. Please answer my question. (1) I don’t have a choice. I must protect my family. (2)*

XH: What will people think of you? How will your family cope with you as a traitor to the people?

T: Just answer my question! (1) I don’t care what people think of me. My family is what matters to me.

XH: Please, Peh Huang you need to stop doing things for the Japanese.

T: I don’t think you understand the situation here. (1) How? I can’t just stop. It is the Imperial Army you are talking about.

XH: Huang, do you have any idea the harm you are doing to the people? Do you have any idea?

T: I don’t care. That’s nothing I can do. (1) I know. But what do you want me to do? Do you think I want to do this? (2)*

XH: Huang being a traitor is not going to save you and your family in the long run. They will ask you to do more and more. And that’s when you will see the true colours of the Japanese. You need to find a way to get out of this.

T: Please shut up. I don’t want to hear all these. (1) Han, please… (2)*

XH: Huang we know each other for so long. I know you are not a bad person.

T: I don’t want to hear any of these. (1) Please stop. (2)*

XH: Huang please…

T: Take her away. (1) I am going to let you go. Please stay safe. (2)*


Transition from the end of chapter one page to chapter two game page

Dialogue:

They were, I think some spies for the Japanese. They started going around and pointing out people. The people that were pointed out were told to stand up. There was this man in his fifties who was my neighbor. He was pointed out, and he stood up. When no one was looking, I signaled to him to sit down. Those that were standing were put in lorries and sent away.

They have never heard again.


Credits

My father provided the Chinese who were fighting against the Japanese in mainland China with money through buying of bonds. He hid them on the roof of the house. During the sook chin operation, the Japanese managed to find the bonds, and he was arrested, I don’t know how it was discovered. Someone must have told them. The soldier arrested him and took him away.

We never saw him again.

 

Narratives for Interaction: Documentation and Progress VIII

PROJECT OCCUPATION

Goh Cher See | Nicholas Makoto | Zhou Yang

Project Occupation Game Art

We have completed the game scene to the point whereby the traitor will be faced with moral dilemma of interrogating people that he knows.  

Updates:

We are still having problems with the gaming mechanics in terms of coding. For demonstration purpose, we are planning to use scripted scenes to explain our game flow if we are not able to resolve the issues before the final presentation.

At the same time we are also working on the narrative content of the game. We are trying to include first hand accounts by witnesses to give the game a more personal connection with its players. We will also be adding in bits of stories that led up to Sook Chin to give enough information for the players to have a clearer understanding of the event.