IDEA
Cole and I plan on making a game similar to the popular VR game “Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes.” This is a two-player game where one person is faced with a bomb and a timer counting down till it explodes. Depending on the level, the bomb will look different each time with a series of lights, buttons, symbols, etc. The bomb diffuser will have to communicate with a second player, the instructions reader. The instructions reader will have a list of instructions that they will have to communicate with the bomb diffuser within the time limit so they both together are able to diffuse the bomb. These instructions will be dependent on what the bomb defuser sees on-screen (Processing) or the Arduino board, so two-way communication is critical for success.
GAME MECHANICS
Defusing the Bomb:
The bomb will be diffused when all the tasks provided by the instructions reader are completed. Tasks will include interaction with the on-screen bomb as well as the Arduino inputs such as lights, buttons, and dials.
Communication:
We plan to give LED signals (visible to the bomb diffuser only) which they would have to communicate to the instructions reader. Based on the LED pattern, the instructions reader will be prompted to ask a series of questions from the bomb diffuser based on what they see in front of them. According to the replies, the instructions reader will provide appropriate instructions to the bomb diffuser to diffuse the bomb.
The Instructions Giving Process:
Each set of LEDs would correspond to a particular set of tasks. These tasks would unfold layer by layer by constant communication between instructions giver and bomb diffuser as to what the latter sees and what the former instructs to do based on that.
We will have different LED signals like different LED combinations lighting up (same or different colors), some or all blinking LEDs, speed of the blink, a combination of LED colors, blinks and numbers, etc. We plan to categorize the LED signals into broad to narrow structure which will enable the instructions-giver to navigate through and provide appropriate instructions. For example, the first category will be the number of LEDs lighting up. The diffuser will answer this question and suppose they say 4 LEDs are lit. Then the instruction giver will read the instructions corresponding to that and say, for example, press the blue button. After pressing the button, the diffuser needs to answer the next question, which in turn will enable them to get another instruction.
The purpose of each LED set will be to enable the bomb diffuser to cut a wire; and to cut this wire, there would be intermediate steps of above-mentioned question/answers (communication between the instructions-giver and bomb diffuser) and small tasks like pressing buttons, being at an appropriate distance from a sensor, etc. After a couple of them, the bomb diffuser will be instructed to cut a particular wire.
Once the wire is cut, the task provided by this set of LEDs is finished and the next set of LEDs will light up for the next wire to be cut.
Game Over:
The game will get over in one of the 3 cases:
- The bomb diffuser is able to cut all the wires within the time limit where the players win
- The time runs out and the bomb explodes; the players lose here
- Or the players cut a wrong wire, so still, the bomb explodes and they lose
We plan that if any of the intermediate instructions go wrong (for example the red button is pressed instead of the blue) before the wire cut action, those errors will result in the reduction of the time.
PRELIMINARY IMPLEMENTATION IDEA
- We plan to create an array with a list of all possible LED combinations.
- This array will drive our entire program
- Depending on the series/types/color of LEDs lighting up, we will have the appropriate interface on Processing and appropriate wait for a particular set of inputs from the Arduino board. Once the set of actions are completed, we get another set of LED lightings (by picking a random index in our array).
TWO OR ONE PLAYER?
The way we plan to make our interface, this game can be played by either 2 or 1 player. However, the game is more fun and interesting when you are communicating with a friend.
In our game, the instructions will be amiable in the start menu. If 2 players are playing the game, each can open the Processing interface on their laptops. The instructions giver can open the instructions page while the bomb diffuser can continue to the bomb-diffusing screen. Arduino will be attached to the second player’s laptop. Then, the players can communicate and play the game.
If it is only one player, then the player will have the option to look at the instructions. In such a case, the player will themselves have to read the appropriate instructions based on what they see and perform the tasks.