After more research into my project and from the feedback I got in class, I would like to create a game where through Processing, on the screen, there appears rain drops, an empty pot and a timer. Outside of the screen, the player will also be holding a similar looking pot that has an IR LED attached to it and below the screen will be an IR camera. I would like the IR to detect the persons movement on an x-axis/horizontal movement so that the pot on screen appears to move with the person. The goal of the game is to collect as many water droplets in a specified amount of time to grow your plant – this will happen in approximately 4 stages, e.g. 15 droplets will produce a sprout, 25 will produce a flower bud and so on.
Equipment and construction needs:
- IR camera and LED
- Screen
- Plant pot with IR LED
Programming:
- Program a timer that starts and stops
- Raindrops that fall across the screen but stop once they ‘enter’ the pot
- The pot itself that will move across the x-axis and also its changing states of growth
3 most difficult, complicated, frightening aspects:
- Being a novice at coding, my first and biggest fear is the software coding aspect of the project (and that basically sounds like the whole thing but) I have not yet worked at all with IR sensors and processing so I know I will find this very difficult. I’m not sure how aligning the visuals with the IR will work yet.
- Making the transitions between each phase of the plant growth seem natural.
- Making the droplets fall into the ‘pot’ for a desired number and restarting the game once at full capacity etc.