Scaffolding: Concept Review | Arc Apellago

  

Scaffolding: Concept Review

The game I'm planning on making my controller for is Arc Apellago. It's a 2D open-air platformer game about a mysterious assassin who wields special spirit energy. The game is extremely fluid and satisfying to play but still very simple in it's controls which I think will be perfect for this project. I think this game would benefit from an alternative controller as it isn't too special from other platformers without one. While the game is fun, aesthetically pleasing, and unique in some ways, changing the way the player interacts with this game would make it a lot more unique.

The Game

My first concept for an alternative controller is to use eye tracking software along with a webcam to allow the player to move the mouse. This game requires both WASD and mouse movement to play it to its fullest. The eye tracking software will be used for mouse movement and an Arduino strapped to a glove will be used for walking forward and backward, jumping, and dashing. Tilting the player's hand to the right will make the character walk right, left will walk left, tilting the player's hand up will make the character jump and tilting their hand down will make the character perform a dash ability.

My second concept is similar to my first in that it also uses eye tracking software but instead in this case the eye tracking software would be mapped to the WASD movement of walking forward, backward, jumping, and dashing and instead a ball mouse would be used for the mouse component. I think this concept is interesting as it would allow a player with a disability, or someone with use of only one arm or hand to play a simple platformer game. I also think the fluid motion of this game pairs well with the concept of a ball mouse. I believe I would need to connect the ball mouse to the Arduino to read it's inputs and use them in conjunction with the eye tracking software so the Arduino would still be used.

My final concept is similar to my first one as it will use eye tracking software and the user's hand but this time instead of an accelerometer on a glove, the user's bare hand will be enough. Using the light sensor on the Arduino I plan to create a series of gestures that the player can replicate with their hand and will be read using the light sensor. When the light is blocked out the Arduino will read this as an input and depending on how long, frequent, etc. the light is blocked out the gesture will be read and understood as a specific input by the system.