Cycle 3 – Ashley Browne
Posted: April 28, 2022 Filed under: Uncategorized 1 Comment »For cycle 3, I wanted to finalize the hardware for my video synthesizer and continue to work on the game portion so that the experience would be better suited for both players. This resulted in me making an audio file that was split into separate sets of headphones where Player 1 had a separate set of instructions from Player 2. For the player using the video synthesizer, they were instructed to turn the signals on and off and mix the channels so that it matched the tempo of the music playing through the headphones. For player 2, they used a makeymakey as a game controller where their goal was to collect as many items using the flower character within the 2 minute timer. Since they both played at the same time, Player 1 could choose to hinder Player 2’s game or not. It was fun to watch how people interacted together.
Also, for one of the input signals, I used an isadora patch that used a webcam live feed that watched the players as they worked together.
I received a lot of feedback and reactions to the aesthetics of the experience– lots of people enjoyed the nostalgic feeling it gave them seeing the CRT tv and being able to interact with it in a new way. People also enjoyed the free stickers I gave out!
Overall, I’m really happy with how the project turned out. In another iteration or cycle, I’d love to further develop the makeymakey controller so that it was similar to the video synthesizer– like using the same hardware casing and tactile buttons.
Ashley, it was great to experience this as if I were at a friend’s place playing video games it was nostalgic for me. I wonder how the next iteration, might offer more nonverbal cueing so we as participants can get right into the game.