DAT206: Group project using Kinect

In our group project, we are using the Kinect with OpenKinect, which is an open community-driven API that is used to access the Kinect's sensors and camera, and also allows Processing to control the tilt. The Kinect was only just released last year, so for the first time in IDAT, we will be using the many capabilities that have never before been exploited in a project.

Originally meant as an interactive peripheral for the Xbox 360, in response to Sony's PlayStation Move and the incumbent Wiimote, many opportunities became true after Spanish hacker Héctor Martín Cantero managed to create the first open-source driver for the device in response to an Adafruit competition bounty. The OpenKinect project was founded after Héctor posted the hack on Github, and is available in various programming languages; the version we're using is the Processing variant, which includes the necessary libraries in order to access the API. OpenKinect is in continuous development, and many more programming languages are being added as development progresses.

Our game will be themed on zombie survival, and the goal of the game is to survive the whole duration of the game without getting touched by zombies, and defend yourself against them. We are going to try and fuse two Kinect devices to create a 3D world, and use the tracking features in the OpenKinect API to detect the player's movement and interactions against the zombies, and to detect collisions that would result in the player's heath being subtracted. We are also going to use an object to act as the gun, which the player uses against the zombies. The Kinect will detect the player's interaction with the object, and whenever the player pulls the trigger, it fires the gun, and if the gun is aimed well at the zombies, the zombie then gets killed.

IDAT 106: Plymopoly - Environmental & Contextual Aspects

In our current group work, the game is based on the Monopoly idea, but adapted to suit commerce in a real-life environment, with a vision to boost commerce in the area, and to increase the use of QR codes for delivering promotions. As our project takes place in the city, ideas pulled from the original game had to be adapted to suit retail so then delivery of promotions can be delivered effectively, and also to add an aspect to the game where both gameplay and specially-created offers are used.

Most of the time, the Plymopoly game takes place in shopping and commercial areas, which is a mixed environment because the main areas in the city are indoors and outdoors, and also have varying degrees of footfall, which depends on many factors such as weather, economic and other events that take place at the same time, such as student nights that take place occasionally in Drake Circus.

Drake Circus has an estimated 74 stores, whilst the main shopping districts of New George Street, Armada Way and side street Cornwall Street have an estimated 150 stores and businesses. Together, they make up about 224 shops and businesses inside the main city centre districts. Drake Circus is inside, whilst New George Street and Armada Way are mostly outside, with the latter having an inside section below Sainsbury's.

The online environment depends on how the connectivity is affected, and how reliable it is. Because of the mobile nature of the game, connectivity is required, and the game would not work if connectivity is not available, so 3G and available Wi-fi is a major pre-requisite for participation as it needs to access the internet to read QR codes, update the status of properties and register leader board statistics. Also, a working camera built-in to the device is also required because the project relies on QR codes and applications that support QR code capturing. The websites that are going to be used in the project are optimised for smaller screens and will use less bandwidth, so then the project will be accessible to all, especially those that don't have an extensive mobile internet plan.

The game will take place in an environment where the amount of people movement is expected to be high, particularly in central areas. As nothing but QR codes and handheld devices (i.e. smartphones) are involved, there are no obstacles in regards to equipment placement that will occur in the project. The most tech-savvy are likely to be the biggest users of the project, although it will be expected that casual smartphone users would also take part as well.

(Main group blog about the project is at http://www.thelockwood.co.uk/idat209/. This posting will also be cross-posted there for collation with related postings.)

IDAT 101: Blog review day

Today, in IDAT, we look into each others blogs. So far, a particular blog (which of course I won't name as he'll probably start putting something on soonish, in fact he is now doing it as we speak!) hasn't got anything on, not even a single thing (despite that he put a disclaimer as a build up to his blog, then it disappointingly resulted in an empty space)! Oh well, c'est la vie!