Beyond the Screen: Creating Physical Video Games

Created for the New Game Makers series of workshops: http://bentomiso.com/blog/70/10-07-2012/Beyond-the-Screen-Creating-Physical-Video-Games

The term “full body gaming” might conjure up images of Microsoft Kinect or Nintendo Wii games but there is actually a rich history of physical computing that goes beyond the living room.

In this 45-minute lecture, we will ignore the mouse/keyboard/gamepad as the typical gaming inputs and instead explore ways in which we can sense things that happen in the real world via sensors and then have them cause tangible, physical reactions.

Transcript

1. klab.ca/newgamemakers Google+: klab.ca/+ Twitter: @pearlchen Creating Physical Video Games Beyond the Screen Pearl Chen pearl@karma-laboratory.com with and Sunday, 12 August, 12
2. klab.ca/newgamemakers The future is already here — it's just not very evenly distributed. William Gibson Sunday, 12 August, 12
3. About me ( Illustration created using modified output from visualize.me and my LinkedIn profile. ) Some Comp Sci classes back there too Sunday, 12 August, 12
4. Some of my web projects Sunday, 12 August, 12
5. Some of non-web my projects Sunday, 12 August, 12
6. What inspires me A-Nerve by CuteCircuit Sunday, 12 August, 12
7. The Third Industrial Revolution From The Economist, April 2012 A number of remarkable technologies are converging: clever software, novel materials, more dexterous robots, new processes (notably 3D printing) and a whole range of web-based services. The factory of the past was based on cranking out zillions of identical products. The factory of the future will focus on mass customisation. Sunday, 12 August, 12
8. Microcontrollers 1975: Microchip PIC MaKey MaKey Arduino Sunday, 12 August, 12
9. Hardware startups becoming viable [The founder] also shared a photo of the first Pebble prototype using an Arduino and some similarly cobbled-together hardware. That was four years ago. Pebble Kickstarter campaign as of June 2012 via Slashgear Sunday, 12 August, 12
10. Looking at the trends • Small, yet mighty • Multi-screen • Always on • $$$ ! $ Steve Mann - world’s first cyborg Project Glass by Google Sunday, 12 August, 12
11. klab.ca/newgamemakers How does this relate to game makers? ★ Grab some popcorn • Examples of games moving beyond the screen ★ Hands-on section • “Paper” prototype a physical game idea using littleBits, paper, scissors, markers, tape, etc. • Explore taking your prototype further by adding code via the Arduino platform. Sunday, 12 August, 12
12. klab.ca/newgamemakers Examples Sunday, 12 August, 12
13. klab.ca/newgamemakers Nintendo Wii (2006) Wii by Nintendo Visit this link to find out more about accelerometers. Sunday, 12 August, 12
14. klab.ca/newgamemakers Guitar Hero (2005) & Rock Band (2007) Rock Band by Harmonix Sunday, 12 August, 12
15. klab.ca/newgamemakers Taiko no Tatsujin aka Taiko Drum Master (2001) Taiko no Tatsujin arcade by Namco An arcade come back? Vancouver: EXP Restaurant + Bar (soon) New York: Babycastles (NY Times article on them) Sunday, 12 August, 12
16. klab.ca/newgamemakers Dance Dance Revolution (1998) Dance Dance Revolution arcade by Konami Sunday, 12 August, 12
17. klab.ca/newgamemakers Xbox Kinect (2010) Dance Central by Harmonix KInect by Microsoft Sunday, 12 August, 12
18. klab.ca/newgamemakers An aside: Computer vision • Computer (or machine) vision is also a very old technique. • No physical hardware inputs at all -- just software analyzing a video feed. Blob detection example using openCV and ofxKinect for openFrameworks. (Image credit) Sunday, 12 August, 12
19. klab.ca/newgamemakers Recurse (2010) Recurse by Matt Parker Alternative use for phone cameras Instant Heart Rate app by Azumio Sunday, 12 August, 12
20. klab.ca/newgamemakers PainStation (2001) The artwork formerly known as PainStation by Volker Morawe and Tilman Reiff Sunday, 12 August, 12
21. klab.ca/newgamemakers ascii fighter (2004) ascii fighter by Paul Litherland [QuickTime video] Sunday, 12 August, 12
22. klab.ca/newgamemakers Duello (2011) Duello created by Matt Parker Sunday, 12 August, 12
23. klab.ca/newgamemakers Johann Sebastian Joust (2011) JS Joust by Douglas Wilson (h/t The Verge) Sunday, 12 August, 12
24. klab.ca/newgamemakers B.U.T.T.O.N. (Brutally Unfair Tactics Totally OK Now) (2011) B.U.T.T.O.N. co-designed by Douglas Wilson (inspired by “Animal Tracker Mode” in Wii Party) Sunday, 12 August, 12
25. klab.ca/newgamemakers Light Trikes (2012) Light Trikes created by Frog for SXSW 2012 Sunday, 12 August, 12
26. klab.ca/newgamemakers Connect Four (2012) Connect Four created by Frog for SXSW 2012 Sunday, 12 August, 12
27. klab.ca/newgamemakers Neighbourhoodie (2009) / Project HoodiePlay (2010) Neighbourhoodie created @ CFC Media Lab by students: Rose Bianchini, David McCallum, and Kathleen Climie (with help from Angella Mackey and David Bouchard) Project HoodiePlay created @ CFC Media Lab for 01SJ by: David McCallum, Angella Mackey and Kate Hartman Sunday, 12 August, 12
28. klab.ca/newgamemakers Prom Pong (2009) Prom Pong created by Ed Keeble Sunday, 12 August, 12
29. klab.ca/newgamemakers Mary Mack 5000 (2011) Mary Mack 5000 created at Eyebeam by Kaho Abe and Lina Fenequito Sunday, 12 August, 12
30. klab.ca/newgamemakers An aside: Wearables in Toronto • We seem to have a high concentration of makers who work in wearables... • Toronto wearables meetup (http://blog.ocad.ca/wordpress/socialbodylab/toronto-wearables-meetup/) • OCAD’s Social Body Lab (http://blog.ocad.ca/wordpress/socialbodylab/) • (And remember that Steve Mann is based out of U of T too.) Sunday, 12 August, 12
31. klab.ca/newgamemakers Another aside: Alternative Reality Games (ARG) • ARGs can cross many mediums e.g. writing, video, audio, web, mobile • They happen in “the real world” but player must accept the basic premise or deceit of the ARG story • Many ARGs tend to lean toward viral marketing like I Love Bees for Halo 2 (2004) • Or social gaming like World Without Oil (2007) created by Jane McGonigal Sunday, 12 August, 12
32. klab.ca/newgamemakers littleBits Sunday, 12 August, 12
33. klab.ca/newgamemakers Electronics components you can connect Electronics inputs and outputs using LittleBits as an example of various components Sunday, 12 August, 12
34. klab.ca/newgamemakers Show. Don’t tell. • Break out into groups of 4-5 people. You’ll each get a littleBits box set. Additional (optional but “rare”) components: • Motion detector switch • Light detector switch • Fan • Brainstorm some simple game mechanics using an input and an output module. • Paper prototype some (1 or 2) of these ideas. • Show-and-tell demo in about 1 hour. “Wizard of Oz” or fake what can’t be built now. Sunday, 12 August, 12
35. klab.ca/newgamemakers Arduino Sunday, 12 August, 12
36. klab.ca/newgamemakers Intro to Arduino (via the LilyPad) LilyPad ProtoSnap from Sparkfun ➡Getting Started Tutorial DO NOT BREAK PROTOSNAP APART! ➡Example Sketches Sunday, 12 August, 12
37. klab.ca/newgamemakers Coding Challenge Write an Arduino sketch that keeps “score”. • Light up an LED each time you click on a button. • When you reach 5 points: buzzzzzzzz! (You win.) • Bonus: Try to remove points when an opponent blocks your light sensor. Sunday, 12 August, 12
38. klab.ca/newgamemakers Advanced Arduino Sunday, 12 August, 12
39. klab.ca/newgamemakers Android Development Kit (ADK) Arduino Mega ADK 1 + 1 = 3 Things already available on your phone Electronics components you can add Super awesome stuff! Sunday, 12 August, 12
40. klab.ca/newgamemakers Things already available on your phone touch screen camera wifi/3G accelerometer GPS mass storage proximity/light sensors temperature sensor microphone NFC Sunday, 12 August, 12
41. klab.ca/newgamemakers Additional Resources • Fashionable Technology by Sabine Seymour • Design of the Elastic Mind exhibition catalogue microsite (or book) from MOMA show in 2008 • Programming Interactivity (2nd Edition) by Joshua Noble • Making Things Talk (2nd Edition) by Tom Igoe • Electronics store listings for Toronto (compiled by me) Sunday, 12 August, 12
42. klab.ca/newgamemakers Thank you! Oh, and check out some upcoming Arduino workshops! Sign up for mailing list on karma-laboratory.com. Sunday, 12 August, 12