Media Computing Project

As a result of the early planning phase of this year's summer lab, three project concepts have evolved. After an open round of feedback, one of the following ideas will be further developed into a working demo.

1. Pool Billard

Not just a game, but a serious sport, pool embodies the principle of
“easy to learn - hard to master” and is played in bars and pubs all
around the world. Selfevidently this successful concept has been ported
to the computer countless times since the very beginnings of computer
game history.

Our implementation would be a straight-forward adaption of classic pool.
We would be using a positive projection parralax to make the balls and
boundaries stick out of the table. Multitouch gestures or a special
input device could be used to fire the cue ball.
Summary

Pros:

• easy to learn / hard to master
• good natural use of motion parallax
• multi-touch gestures and/or creative input devices
• good use of 3D: objects sticking out
• 2D interaction plane

Cons:

• needs all sides table access
• strictly alternating gameplay
• no stress
• no excertion
• obstructing gestures can destroy the 3D illusion

2. Whack’a'Mole

A classic on every funfair: Taking a hammer and hitting little creatures that randomly pop out of holes.

We would be developing a digital version of the classic. Our work could for example feature little i10 HiWi and assistant avatars, not necessarily to be hit by a hammer, but maybe perform some unique touch gesture on them. Optionally they could all run through a maze, which is only partly visible, so head movement is required to look around obstructions.
Summary

Pros:

• good 3D use: objects sticking out
• 2D interaction plane
• stressful reaction tests
• excertion
• use of creative input devices
• compliant to one-sided table access
• smack Malte’s table with a hammer (:

Cons:

• no interaction between players
• no meaningful use of multi-touch
• no meaningful use of motion parrallax
• no real 3D playing field
• input devices on the playing field can destroy the 3D-illusion

3. Pipes

Pipes is a popular arcade game and has been around in various forms since the early eighties. Aim of this single player game is to build a preferably long water pipe out of diffents pieces. While at the one end water is already flowing into the pipe, the player must hurry to reach a drain point. The game ends when water leaks or the pipe is completed.

We are planning to take Pipes to a new level. By extending the playing field into the third dimension we are fully utilizing the given potential of our head tracking technology. While the playing field remains fixed, players will be confronted with the challenge of understanding the surroundings by moving their head and finding parts by looking around objects. By forcing a lot of movement, the immersion increases drastically. We also want to introduce a two player version, where each player builds his own pipe inside a shared playing field. Players will be taking turns in a chess-clock-style kind of gameplay. While the active player places his part, only his water is flowing. The passive player will be able to interfere by using a small 2D interface on the side. Possibilities include damaging pipes, placing obstructions or increasing the water-level. Interaction can be strictly limited to controls outside the playing field, so no interference can destroy the 3D illusion. While the game is more stressful than ever and we have two players needing to physically switch positions constantly, we expect excertion to be an additional bonus to the games fun factor.
Summary

Pros:

• real dynamic 3D playing field
• simple, non-obstructing interactions
• competitive, simultaneous multilayer
• meaningful use of motion parrallax
• compliant to one-sided table access
• excertion
• stress

Cons:

• no meaningful multi-touch interaction

Vote

All interested folks can vote on their favorite project under the following link:
summer lab poll
Your vote as well as your feedback are very welcome.