DECO2300 Digital Prototyping Course Reflection

This is my first semester in University of Queensland, therefore this course will definitely be the first batch of course I took in here. The reason that I took this course is because I think that this course will be a fun and interesting course that gives me an opportunity to learn how to develop a game which I have not done any thing similar like this before back in my own country.

After a fews month the semester is come to an end, this course did taught me a lot of stuff which include what/where/when/how to make an prototype, also how to develop a game using ActionScript3 by Flash. It also gave me a platform to shows my video editing skills and sound editing skills to the others, which is one of my hobby.

Along the course, although there are really tons of stuff to work on such as blog post, video, prototype, documentation, contact class's exercise, other coursework and else. And it usually used up all my time(even sleeping time) to finish up the work. But it still make me felt worthy when we are able to finish the project and give joy to others while playing the games. And it is so proud to get things done.

On the other hand, some times does having some problem on implementing idea into code, especially when I have no ActionScript background to develop game. The tutorial class really give a big boost to me which having good tutor and they are able to clear the rainy cloud when I am having doubt on what I am doing.

Last but not least, having a taste of MakeyMakey. I saw this technology few years ago but I didn't even think of I have a chance to play it. By the time I knew that we are using this technology to come out our own physical controller in this course, I am so exciting that I do really have a chance to play it like how others play it in the video!! Then, I found out that the device are very cheap and I might want to buy one of these and play with it in the future as well.

So, Thank you for support me to done this course!! See you next semester!!

Interactive Prototype 3 - Testing and Evaluation

According to the testing approach that I had planned. Which is having a testing session in extra testing session held in Advanced Engineering Building on 9th November 2015 for classmate to come along and test my interactive prototype 3 by following a standard procedure that I had created, then require them to do complete a short feedback form so I can gather information about this video prototype.

The feedback form and response shown beloware contain of two the of questionnaire which is quantitative and qualitative question.

Quantitative Question
How do you feel the overall gameplay

2 users voted 5 - 40.00%
3 users voted 4 - 33.34%

1 users voted 3 - 16.66%

Please scale the user interface design

1 users vote 5 - 16.66%
4 users vote 4 - 66.68%

1 users vote 3 - 16.66%

Are you having fun while testing the game?

Perfectly having 6 out of 6 users who tested the game said they are having fun while testing the game.

Do you find out it is hard to play?

Perfectly having 6 out of 6 users who tested the game said they don't find out is hard to play.

Do you understand how to play the game clearly?

Perfectly having 6 out of 6 users who tested the game said they understand clearly how to play.

Will the background music too annoy or overpower to you?

1 yes

3 no

2 average

Did you find out any bug in the game? Please state if yes

No for all

Qualitative Question

Any comment to improve the game play experience?

separate screens could let users see their own bombs.

Adding more player !!

chase people

personally i prefer to show player their remaining bumbs

having 2 screen so that player can see their own deployed bomb and cannot see their opponents

Photos taken on 9th November 2015 Extra Testing Session

In conclusion, majority of the users give a higher rate to the game play which mean that the game play is having a good interface and gaming experience with clear understanding what is the game about. Then they think that the control method of the game are not difficult as well. Also, I had put in background music and sound effect to the game, I was wondering will the sound too annoy when they are playing, so i ask a question about does it annoy them or is too overpower sound, but based on the users evaluation, they think that the sound is not annoying and good to have it.

On the other hand, they game might having some bugs which I might missed out, by having a question about "Do you found any bugs, if yes please state" will give an opportunity for me to know whether does there any thing i missed out so that i can fixed it. But so far that users haven't found any bug that visible which needs to be fix. Lastly, users have leave some feedback/comment in my questionnaire to give me extra information about what can i improve on. It is basically talk about by having two different screen to play the game, so that your opponent are not able to saw your bomb but you can see it your self, it helps the player know where exactly they put the bomb and also how many bombs they have deployed. 

Interactive Prototype 3 Full Description

Concept
WarZone is a multiplayer versus game that mash up by extracting two different fundamental and mechanism classic game. The first game is Battleship, based on its features, I had extracted its fundamental, which include versus, limited visual, guessing and planning. Then, the second game is Pac Man, taken the avoiding, collecting and constancy movement of the player. The ultimate goal for this game is to defeat enemy through various way such as invisible bomb or power up items.
Purpose of Prototyping In the previous prototype, it contain the basic implementation of the game and it is able to let user play the game by using custom made controller so it will get rid of the traditional digital input from user. It is a great success as the combination of the control and the custom made ring is merged perfectly. After the testing, I had gathered lot information to improve the game. Therefore, the purpose of this interactive prototype 3 is to provide a workable game for user to test whether does the improvement of the latest iteration development based on the previous test result, feedback and extra functions able to improve the game experience and does it closer to the fundamental idea of the mash up game.

Current Iteration Implement
- Added Background Music
- Added Explosion Sound Effect
- Added Player 2
- Remove Red dot
- Invisible Bomb
- Added Explosion Effect
- Added Main Menu
- Added Credit Page
- Added Introduction/Instruction Page
- Added end game scenario

Future Implementation
- More Players
- Split screen
- Different maps

Extracted Fundamental and Feature List

Battleship

• Versus feature(multiplayer)
• Limited vision(player only able to saw their own map, others are not observable)
• Guessing(player need to guess where exactly opponent's ship deploy on)
• Planning(deploy your own ship that avoid bombard by enemy)

Pac Man

• Avoiding(avoid ghost or die)
• Collecting(collect dotted or big dotted)
• Constance Movement(even though player didn't not control it, it still move toward its direction)

Player Goals

-Winning Condition: Opponent Life Heart drop to 0.

-Losing Condition: Self Life Heart drop to 0.

How to defeat Opponents

-Place Invisible Bomb by pressing specific key(opponent will die if they step on it)

Interactive Prototype 2 - Testing and Evaluation

According to the testing approach that I had planned. Which is having a testing session in practical B class for classmate to come along and test my interactive prototype 2 by following a standard procedure that I had created, then require them to do complete a short feedback form so I can gather information about this video prototype.

The feedback form and response shown beloware contain of two the of questionnaire which is quantitative and qualitative question.

Quantitative Question
How do you find the game play?
Perfectly having 9 out of 9 users who have tested to vote they like the game.

Is it too hard to use the MakeyMakey to play the game?
4 voted Average - 44.44%
4 voted No - 44.44%
1 voted Yes - 11.12%

Scale the Control
4 voted 4 - 44.44%
5 voted 3 - 55.56%

Is this ideal good about combining MakeyMakey and WarZone Game?
Perfectly having 9 out of 9 users who have tested to vote the ideal of combining both are good.

Qualitative Questions
What kind of song would you like to hear from this game for the next interactive prototype?

Highway to Hell

Not sure, something like the Supermario Theme?

Metal

Elevator music

Epic orchestral music

Eye of Tiger. Techno remix.

something fast paced and fun

no idea yet

music instrument

Any comment for me to improve the game?

Good control

Controller design is really fun, maybe just try to make them so they don't tangle really easily.

by adding sound

The green part needs to be broken more so that its easier to touch and send a response. Sometimes my fingers touch each other and makes two controls active at the same time

I think the concept and implementation are solid, however having a two player mode could make this game more competitive and fun.

Maybe the little point of sensitivity on each ring could be a little bigger so its just a little easier to press. I love the wearable tech, its really fun.

try and make a better lay out so you dont have to remember which finger it is. eg the forward ring is for up and the furthest down ring is for down. Maybe only use 3 fingers for this

for the ring, just be careful the short circuit

use resisable ring

Photo taken on 9th October 2015 Friday Practical B Testing Session

In conclusion, majority of the users who have tested the physical controller to play the game think that the controller are no that hard to control and they rate the controller as a average to good controller. Also, they think that the controller are very well to combine with the game WarZone to play with it will become a challenging and interesting game. 

Other than that, I have came out a question about what kind of song should I put into the game to make it more interesting, from the feedback we can see that users are more likely to have a music that sounds epic and fast-paced theme music. It gave me a rough idea to put what music into the last interactive prototype.

Lastly, most of the comment are talk about the physical controller, the sensible area of the ring are too small to sense and the size of the ring are really a big problem to different users which having different size of finger. Therefore, it gave me an idea that if i want to implement this controller, i should create a resizable ring to fix the current problem.

Week 11: In Class Exercise

Imagine a Theremin Duet or orchestra. Generate concepts for consistently reproducing & representing 3D movement in space that allows a musical composition to be accurately played on a Theremin.

Camera such as PlayStation®Camera or Xbox Kinect

Use the camera to detect heat energy and motions, then the monitor will provide will the user's hand motion and the visual instruction for them to know where exactly their hand at and what sound will exactly produce. The user is able to follow the sequence that show on the monitor to perform music.

Playstation VR(Virtual Reality Headset)

Users will wear the playstation vr to view the virtual environment which contain the Theremin Duet instrument and play with it.

Harmful laser beam

Install a device that able to project laser beam to the Theremin Duet, it will detect depth and what note to play.

The criteria to be judge are based on the following:
1. Accuracy
2. Responsiveness
3. Affordability
4. Portability
5. Easy to use
6. Ease of implement

Interactive Prototype 2 - Full Description

Concept
WarZone is a multiplayer versus game that mash up by extracting two different fundamental and mechanism classic game. The first game is Battleship, based on its features, I had extracted its fundamental, which include versus, limited visual, guessing and planning. Then, the second game is Pac Man, taken the avoiding, collecting and constancy movement of the player. The ultimate goal for this game is to defeat enemy through various way such as invisible bomb or power up items.

Current Iteration Implement
- Added Physical controller (ring)
- Added Game HUD
- Added Scoreboard

Future Implementation
- Background Music
- Sound Effect
- Controllable Player 2
- Invisible Bomb
- Explosion Effect
- Main Menu
- End game

Extracted Fundamental and Feature List

Battleship

• Versus feature(multiplayer)
• Limited vision(player only able to saw their own map, others are not observable)
• Guessing(player need to guess where exactly opponent's ship deploy on)
• Planning(deploy your own ship that avoid bombard by enemy)

Pac Man

• Avoiding(avoid ghost or die)
• Collecting(collect dotted or big dotted)
• Constance Movement(even though player didn't not control it, it still move toward its direction)

Player Goals

-Winning Condition: Opponent Life Heart drop to 0.

-Losing Condition: Self Life Heart drop to 0.

How to defeat Opponents

-Place Invisible Bomb by pressing specific key(opponent will die if they step on it)

Week 10: No Class (IT'S HOLIDAY!!) + Progress

One day holiday straight after the mid semester break!!

Was trying to continue the MakeyMakey physical controller by cutting all the irritating tough wire clothe.

Also, by watching some video to gather some idea for my game.

...
...
...

Other than that.. It's holiday! lets rest.. hahahah

Week 9: In Class Exercise

Restaurant Dining Experience

What is the existing experience? From different stakeholder P.O.V?
-fine dining experience
-casual dining experience
-theme dining experience

What external/internal factors impact on the experience?
-external : advertisement, weather, branding, price of competitor
-internal : atmosphere, taste of food, quality of ingredient, services from waiter and waitress

What aspects of the existing experience could be enhanced/augmented/supported with technology?

-Envinroment: Dynamically change the ambient background of the restaurant by installing LED screen all over the restaurant such as seasonal(spring, summer, autumn, winter) or special days(christmas), although it is very expensive.

-Atmosphere: having choosable ambient music for each of the table(low volume which barely hear by other table)

-Self service ordering: having a tablet on the table that helps customer who have yet to service by waiters.

How would introducing technology in to this context change the experience?
Nowadays technology are getting more and more involve into real life experience. We can introduce the technology by emphasising the enhancement of environment and improving of profit to current restaurant. Of course, these all implementation needs money, so we need to give customer know that how much does it cost but how much can it bring to the company.

What experience scenarios might you test with the technology?

The experience scenarios i would like to test out with is to ask customer order food through the self service ordering system and change the ambient music which they like to by using provided device. Then ask feedback from them whenever they are ready.

Interactive Prototype 1 - Testing and Evaluation

According to the testing approach that I had planned. Which is having a testing session in practical B class for classmate to come along and test my interactive prototype 1, then require them to do complete a short feedback form so I can gather information about this video prototype.

The feedback form and response shown beloware contain of two the of questionnaire which is quantitative and qualitative question.

Quantitative Questions
Does it too easy for the game play?
3 Yes - 42.85%
4 No - 57.15%

Does the game interest you?
Perfectly granted all yes.

Please rate the game environment
4 vote 5 - 57.15%
3 vote 4 - 42.85%

Please rate the game play
4 vote 5 - 57.15%
2 vote 4 - 28.57%
1 vote 1 - 14.28%

Does it hard to control?
3 vote Yes - 42.85%
4 vote No - 57.15%

Do you need more information to play the game based on the current step?
1 vote no - 14.29%
6 vote yes - 85.71%

Qualitative Question
Please give some comment or feedback for the improvement.

1. need a instruction; 2. should keep moving of players by pressing button once.

With the basic set up it's hard to tell exactly how other elements of the game will work, but for the controls it worked well. The speed of players seems quite good.

Put some information on the side to show how many bombs there are left.

I can tell its going to be a really good game when you are finished with it.I like how you keep the red dot simple and mimilistic, it makes it more scary. You could have levels and the later levels have different maps that are more advance. its great.

picking up powerups around the maze could be cool. also being able the go teleport from one side to the other like pacman

Maybe add that people can't hit their own bombs or they die. Adds another level of difficulty.

add a score board

First interactive prototype testing screening

In conclusion, based on the evaluation result I have gathered, we can see that majority of people think that the interactive prototype 1 is too easy to play, it is an interesting game which has a good game environment, but it require more information to play the current interaction developed due to I didn't include the instructions in the game so that users need to find out them selves whether which key is to move and deploy bomb, and what they need to do and what they can do. Other than that the comment that users gave are basically about it doesn't contain enough element to play the game which it only contain some of the basic function to test out. Also, by adding some feature to make the game more interesting such as power up items, information about player and bomb, different maps and player should keep moving instead of just standing there if key is not press.

Week 8: In Class Exercise

Given these application:

Email, Twitter, Super Mario Bros (the plat-former game)

1. Come up with at least 5 different physical interactions for each.

2. What are the elements/controls of each application that would afford an alternative interaction method?

3. How would you map the interactions onto/into physical objects/actions?

Email

1. A scan device that able to scan the work place and transmit it into a digital form, and project email form others.

2. A work place that enable user to write their message/email or even draw graphic/image or place items that want to scan to compose the email.

3. A typical rubbish can to throw unwanted email.

4. Send email by pressing the button on the scan device.

5. The scan device include a speaker to notice user there's a new email came in.

Twitter

1. A device to enable voice recognition that post voice tweet.

2. A device that having projection function that project tweet message on desired place while user press it.

3. The device include built in speaker to read desired tweet by voice command from user.

4. A camera to record video and post video tweet.

5. A unique button which separate from the device to delete tweet.

Super mario brother

1. A camera to scan player gesture to perform skill.

2. A track mill if player wan to move around.

3. Voice recognition device to accept some basic command such as pause, stop, start.

4. Wearable device that able to detect user heart rate and calories used.

5.  A monitor to show the game.

Interactive Prototype 1 - Full Description

Prototype Concept

WarZone is a multiplayer versus game that mash up by extracting two different fundamental and mechanism classic game. The first game is Battleship, based on its features, I had extracted its fundamental, which include versus, limited visual, guessing and planning. Then, the second game is Pac Man, taken the avoiding, collecting and constancy movement of the player. The ultimate goal for this game is to defeat enemy through various way such as invisible bomb or power up items. 

Obstacles Problems

Decision Made --> Obstacles Solved

There are several problem occurred when i was developing the interactive prototype, which is how to write them into object-oriented program, how to do collision detection and choice of weapon. For the instance of writing it into an object-oriented program, i had decided to follow the pong tutorial that provided by the course, so that i am able to write it into an OO programming. Secondly, although there are collision detection tutorial in the learning resources, but it does not allow me to solve the problem of my character still passing through the wall as the control in the tutorial is all within the same class. Hence, I done a research on that and i am able to found a tutorial that helps me to solve the problem. Last but not least, the choice of weapon does make me worry about it which it does not able to deploy bomb or other weapon, then it will reduce the experience of the game idea. But luckily, OO programming helps to solve the problem because i separated them all by classes and link between the parent and child class, it does not only look neat and also functioning well to each other.

The current stated is just first prototype which does not implement and polished interface. 

Current Implemented

-Moving character by W,S,A,D

-Deploy bomb by X (only deploy but not collide)

-Reload bomb by R

-Speed up movement by left-Shift

-Collide with the wall

-Red dot chasing player

Future Implement

- Scoreboard

- End Game

- Player 2

- Invisible Bomb

- Music

Extracted Fundamental and Feature List

Battleship

• Versus feature(multiplayer)
• Limited vision(player only able to saw their own map, others are not observable)
• Guessing(player need to guess where exactly opponent's ship deploy on)
• Planning(deploy your own ship that avoid bombard by enemy)

Pac Man

• Avoiding(avoid ghost or die)
• Collecting(collect dotted or big dotted)
• Constance Movement(even though player didn't not control it, it still move toward its direction)

Player Goals

-Winning Condition: Opponent Life Heart drop to 0.

-Losing Condition: Self Life Heart drop to 0.

How to defeat Opponents

-Place Invisible Bomb by pressing specific key(opponent will die if they step on it)

Week 7: In Class Exercise

This week's lecture are focusing on testing question for each of the prototype. Therefore it came out some exercise to let us practice what are we did wrong and how to improve based on the following question.

Revisit your user-testing questions from the video prototype. Or consider the ones for your next testing round.

Which are quantitative & which are qualitative?

Quantitative

-Are you able to understand the game play?

-Will you try out the game when it release?

-Do you think the game is interesting or/and exciting?

-Will you introduce your friends to play the game?

-Please rate the game

-Please rate the video

Qualitative

-Improvement and/or comment?

Do you fall into any of the traps outlined previously?

-No compound question

-No leading question

How could you rephrase the questions?

Due to not fall into any trap so none to rephrase. But it can be include more qualitative question to improve the questionnaire.

Week 6: In Class Exercise

Exercise
Create CRC cards for a scenario(or 2) you what to test in future prototypes
The main features for player is that the user is able to manipulate the player to move up down left right and deploy. On the other hand, the main feature for bomb is to detect whether that bomb is belongs to which player and whoever touch the bomb will die ( except the bomb's owner). The following diagram are Player Object CRC class and Bomb Object CRC class.

What is a testing scenario that you want for your concept?
I will invite two friend to play the game. The game will begin as two different player spawn at a different coordinate, then they need to move around in the maze and deploy invisible bomb, then lure their opponent to the bomb they have deployed and reduce their opponent health. While opponent step on the bomb they will reduce 1 health then reset coordinate location to the starting point. If player's health reach zero, then the game end. By conducting several testing with different player, I would be able to gather enough information to implement the end game.

What are the nouns (objects) in the scenario?
-Player
-Bomb

What are the verbs (responsibilities)?
Player: the verb in player is to deploy bomb and lure opponent.
Bomb: the verb in bomb is to detect player and determine whether to explode.

Who are the collaborators?
Each of them are the collaborator to each others.

Week 5: In Class Exercise

Pexemic Interaction
There are several suggestion after watched the kickstarter video provide by pexemic interaction. One of the suggestion is about the product detect a movement of a object which user are holding are intending to control the screen, might as well it just detect human hand gesture to control the screen although it might cause another problem which is more than one hand. It is redundant to have an extra controller. Other than that, the product uses recognising human body technique to control the screen output such as when a user facing other direction it will pause the output. It is irritate if the user decided that part of the video he doesn't want to watch so he want to skip it without fast forward because might have some other people want to watch it, but when he is facing other direction like newspaper, then the product will pause the video, it is really irritating. Also, it might have a setting for user to choose whether they wanted to turn on the multi user mode or not, because there are different age group of user in a family. For example, if a family with kids, the multi user mode is not suitable because the kid might run around in the living room then the product detect some body then it split the screen to 2 or 3 or more, whenever kid run out of the product sense area, it turn back to normal screen.

Microsoft Courier
It is a good product which have lot of interesting feature that might help to reduce waste of paper. I am such a person who does not like to use paper, whenever i look at paper work i will felt sleepy and also we cannot fully utilise the paper because the content of writing are not huge, it will cause of wasting paper equivalent to wasting money. Therefore, this product would be a very good choice to solve the problem of mine but it does need time to learn how to use it because of the complexity.

Vending Machine

 For example, step one, two and three can be placed align from top to bottom. The following figure is the paper prototype I create for the vending machine:
First of all, this product is having a really bad design due to the complexity and messy interface. Although it does have a instruction and step to follow, it is still too annoying because of too many button, words, icon that cause confusion. Some of the button that are not use frequently can be place at bottom part of the interface so that user will not accidentally press it. Also, the sequence of the step for adding value can be arrange nicest to make the product more easy to learn.

Above is a rough interface design that i create for the vending machine.

WarZone Full Description & Video Prototype

The Idea of WarZone

WarZone is a multiplayer versus game that mash up by extracting two different fundamental and mechanism classic game which shown as below. 

Extracted Fundamental and Feature List

Battleship

• Versus feature(multiplayer)
• Limited vision(player only able to saw their own map, others are not observable)
• Guessing(player need to guess where exactly opponent's ship deploy on)
• Planning(deploy your own ship that avoid bombard by enemy)

Pac Man

• Avoiding(avoid ghost or die)
• Collecting(collect dotted or big dotted)
• Constance Movement(even though player didn't not control it, it still move toward its direction)

Combining these all fundamentals and features, Where WarZone was BORN!! 
It is a game that require players to think, plan and trick. 
Given such a scenario, PlayerBlue VS PlayerRed,

Player Red Deploy an Invisible Bomb that he think that Player Blue will pass by.

 Unfortunately, Player Blue step on the other bomb that Player Red has deployed earlier.  

Therefore, Player Blue Lost 1 Life Heart

Player Red then grab the Blue Potion that corresponding colour to Player Blue

Then Player Red happen to chase Player Blue Up, Hence, Player Blue Die.

Game Over while last man standing.

Player Goals

-Winning Condition: Opponent Life Heart drop to 0.

-Losing Condition: Self Life Heart drop to 0.

How to defeat Opponents

-Place Invisible Bomb by pressing specific key(opponent will die if they step on it)

-Collect Potion that corresponding colour to opponent then can use it to kill them by bang on them.

-Collect Random Power Up/Weapon in the map and use it as Trap.

-While Trap is installed, trigger it by pressing specific key

Unique Controller
Each player have 6 rings, each of the ring are different control which contain "Move Up", "Move Down", "Move Left", "Move Right", "DeployBomb", "TriggerTrap". 

Player can customise themselves whether they want to wear the ring on which finger. As this is a guessing versus game, player might trick opponent by wearing the ring on different finger.

============================Video!!!=============================

This is my video prototype for WarZone!

Please feel free to watch it and give feed back through survey form!

Survey form link given below!

http://goo.gl/forms/h5ZwP9xSFr