Design Intention:
Comparison of the spaces
I am going to compare the spaces to make clear what the differences are between the two potential spaces that we are considering to use for our project. We have all the information we need for the 6m cylinder as it is available on the Igloo Visions website or we can experiment with the cylinder over on the Avenue Campus. The XR box however, is a creation of our own design so the function and features are not yet set in stone. We can only document the planned design choices, which may possibly change with the progress of the project.
| Components and features | 6m Cylinder | XR Box |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | Footprint: 6.15m | |
| Floor Surface: 28.27m² | ||
| Height: 2.55m | Footprint: 4m | |
| Floor Surface: 16mm² | ||
| Height: 3m | ||
| Visual Tech | 360 degree | |
| Projection Mapping | 360 degree | |
| Projection Mapping | ||
| Sound Tech | 5.1 Surround System | Surround System required |
| Interaction Options | Mobile Device - App Support | |
| Console Controller | ||
| Gesture Control | Potentials: | |
| iPad/other tablet | ||
| controller | ||
| Other Hardware | Computer Support | TBD |
| Software | TBC | Sparck Projection Mapping |
| After Effects | ||
| Unity | ||
| Set-up | 3-5 Hours | |
| Requires Technician | TBC | |
| Mobility | Availability TBC | Flatpack pop-up for ease of set-up |
Reflection
Both of the spaces proposed for our game development use similar technologies but the 6m Cylinder provides more potential means of interaction - gesture control. The 6m Cylinder also already has the hardware and software ready to use for us and if we were to incorporate the use of a controller in our interaction design, the adaption for this would be very simple as it is already set-up.
Using the box idea, a lot of our design ideas can be tested in the 6m cylinder option, and then used to inform the design of our box experience. The technical limitations of not having the hardware available and not having the knowledge of these technologies means that we will struggle to build a complete space that accurately represents our design of the box.
Considering these limitations and how we are tested in Semester Two, it is possible to still design our experience around the box but adapt what our final deliverable will look like. It may be that we have to make some adaptions to the materials and hardware used so we still have something to present to the public at the arcade event.
To summarise, we are able to design our game idea around either of the spaces proposed. The design of the final product may just look different to what we build as our final deliverable. Therefore the decision for which space we decide to use needs to rely solely on the experience of the player. We need to gather more feedback through testing to work out which space best emulates our essential experience.