DECO2300 Week10 Minestructor prototype 2

I have recently completed the second iteration of my Minestructor prototype. Most peculiar about this iteration is the physical input system that I created for the game. But I will first talk about the changes I made to the game since my first prototype testing session.

The most poignant criticism I received from my first interactive prototype concerned the use of my 'obstructors', which would give players the ability to make the game nigh un-winnable for their opponents if exploited correctly. I decided to make the implementation of this mechanic the primary focus for my second prototype. But I also needed to make the interaction physical, so merely nerfing the advantage these blocks granted to the player would not have satisfied my goals.

Inspiration came to me in a peculiar form whilst I was playing a flash game in class, what if I utilised RNG. I began considering different forms of implementation of an RNG mechanic through physical means. I quickly thought of an aim and power module, primarily due to the influence of Angry Birds in the flash community, and began focusing on a simple, yet innovative design.

I had to create a clever physical prototype that was not merely an external directional pad, I thought of an aiming mechanism similiar in design to an egg timer and a crank to adjust power. My design for the aiming mechanism was consistent throughout the creation of my prototype, as it formed the crux of my physical prototype. My initial idea for a power crank had to be scrapped in favour of a simplistic up down power control mechanic. This was in part due to the limited inputs of the Makey makey, though this design decision allowed me to implement another innovative feature in my physical prototype. Instead of only having a button to fire the obstructor, I included a 'hand scanner' on the play pad, merely a space in the circuit that would need a flat palm to connect it, which I believe added an extra layer of immersion in the product.

My finished product became a dark game pad that would take the player out of the fast paced minesweeper click-athon and force them to carefully execute their next move. A simple loop of randomiser algorithms allowed me to encode a shot spread that would have the obstructors influencing gameplay in un-expected forms.