We strove to achieve a very high degree of modularity when constructing the game. Spending an extra few minutes designing an attachment that used a screw and nut instead of adhesive saved us extensive time in the debugging stage when it was extremely easy to open up our game, access the inside, and replace parts as needed.
Frame & Panels
We constructed a frame out of aluminum angle extrusion. This made for a robust and lightweight mounting platform on which we attached all our other hardware. Having this skeleton meant that all of our main components could be attached in a reversible fashion, which let us have easy access to the interior of the game for debugging.
We constructed a frame out of aluminum angle extrusion. This made for a robust and lightweight mounting platform on which we attached all our other hardware. Having this skeleton meant that all of our main components could be attached in a reversible fashion, which let us have easy access to the interior of the game for debugging.
Front console
The front console contained our difficulty potentiometer, foot indicators, card reader, and peripheral attachment points. Each of these was simply screwed into the front panel which allowed for quick debugging.
The front console contained our difficulty potentiometer, foot indicators, card reader, and peripheral attachment points. Each of these was simply screwed into the front panel which allowed for quick debugging.
Gameplay Base
The Gameplay Base contained all of the moving elements of the game, as well as housed our microcontrollers and circuits. We sized the base so it could simply slide into the frame and rest on two aluminum rails. This let us test the base outside of the frame before integration. Again, almost everything from our servo motors to the main mountain was attached using screws or other reversible processes which allowed for quick disassembly when things went wrong.
The Gameplay Base contained all of the moving elements of the game, as well as housed our microcontrollers and circuits. We sized the base so it could simply slide into the frame and rest on two aluminum rails. This let us test the base outside of the frame before integration. Again, almost everything from our servo motors to the main mountain was attached using screws or other reversible processes which allowed for quick disassembly when things went wrong.
Peripherals
We constructed two guns and four snowshoes that the players used throughout the game. The guns originally shot foam darts, but we opened them up and replaced the insides with an IR detector, a buzzer, and a vibration motor. The snowshoes were constructed out of a plywood base with a chipboard top for aesthetics and a foam-board bottom for sound dampening. A combination of velcro and buckle straps were used to attach the snowshoes to the players' feet. IR sensors reflected off the floor and detected when the snowshoe was raised off the ground. The focus of the peripherals was robustness. We definitely sacrificed aesthetics to ensure that these parts wouldn't break as people abused them.
We constructed two guns and four snowshoes that the players used throughout the game. The guns originally shot foam darts, but we opened them up and replaced the insides with an IR detector, a buzzer, and a vibration motor. The snowshoes were constructed out of a plywood base with a chipboard top for aesthetics and a foam-board bottom for sound dampening. A combination of velcro and buckle straps were used to attach the snowshoes to the players' feet. IR sensors reflected off the floor and detected when the snowshoe was raised off the ground. The focus of the peripherals was robustness. We definitely sacrificed aesthetics to ensure that these parts wouldn't break as people abused them.
Backlit Display
One of our stretch goals was to create a backlit display that changed color from orange to blue as the game progressed from the "daytime" to "nighttime" stages. The display consisted of a laser-engraved acrylic sheet secured inside a masonite housing. Evenly-spaced LEDs along the four edges provided uniform illumination of the artistic engraving. A black vinyl backing was used to further accentuate the lighting effect.
One of our stretch goals was to create a backlit display that changed color from orange to blue as the game progressed from the "daytime" to "nighttime" stages. The display consisted of a laser-engraved acrylic sheet secured inside a masonite housing. Evenly-spaced LEDs along the four edges provided uniform illumination of the artistic engraving. A black vinyl backing was used to further accentuate the lighting effect.