Musical Embrace: Instructional Video

Team Fanatic’s "Musical Embrace"

Musical Embrace is a collaborative two player game that, in a playful and performative manner, explores awkwardness and the sorts of interactions that arise with being in a stranger's personal space. 

The game begins by selecting two strangers and guiding them to a overhanging bar which has attached to it a Wii Balance board. 

Players will have attached to them pieces of foam so as prevent any kind of risk and will then be encouraged to work alongside their partner to locate the allocated sounds through the process of applying pressure to the various areas of the board. 

There will be two very distinct sounds to look out for. Each will be presented to the players prior to play and will impact the number of points received; along with their progress

For each “Good" sound the two collide with, they will then be provided with 2 points. Whilst for each “Bad" sound that the two collide with, a point will be taken away. 

So as to make players aware of the sort of invisible playing field that they will be interacting with, a sound will toll each time the two collide with the bordering perimeter; hence informing them to rethink their game plan. 

Once time is called and the game concludes, points will be tallied up and presented to each pair. 

In order to encourage close collaborations, players will not be allowed to interact with the board with their hands, however will be urged to embrace their partner to apply weight, stead themselves and control movement. 

ABSTRACT : 

Through "Musical Embrace", we are able to invite individuals who would be uncomfortable with close bodily interaction into an environment that explores awkward interactions as means of breaking down barriers in a lighthearted and performative manner. 

The problem with games that encourage uncomfortable bodily interactions between players is because it conflicts with a person's belief of the social boundaries and what should and should not be crossed by a stranger.

In order to address the problem, we designed the game so that it was in a lighthearted and performative manner, not indicative of anything suggestive and focused on collaboratively working together to achieve a common goal. 

From our experience in designing "Musical embrace", we have come to realise that by implementing a collaborative and performative aspect that games can be utilised to explore novel and personal bodily interactions between strangers. 

Whilst the game may not be world changing, we hope that it will help make aware the social and developmental benefits that come with bypassing the initial awkwardness of close bodily interactions and working co-operatively with another for a common cause. 

New idea- which follows on from initial idea.

Game Description:

Musical embrace is a collaborative two player game where in players have Wii- balance boards strapped to their chest and are encouraged to press their chest together in a manner, so that all 4 corners of the 2 boards measure the same intensity, based on different sounds. 

Each corner represents a different instrument, so if 2 corners are pressed together, 1 instrument gets louder until all 8 are equally pressed in order to hear the entire song. This game would explore the awkwardness of pushing one's bodies together. Moreover since there is no screen, it urges the players to focus on their partner. 

Unlike other games, which has an obvious scoring system, this game is more focused on working in pairs and using their body to create music 

Novelty: 

- its novel because it utilises the board in an unorthodox manner. As opposed to  having it on the floor and interacting it with one's feet, the board is now strapped to ones chest and players are expected to interact with it by pushing against one another's chests. 

- its novel because it is a fully collaborative game thats uses sounds as a means to explore awkwardness and invasion of personal space.

Contribution: 

- it proves to us that there are more than one way of interacting with the wii- balance board. 

- This game will also help people with social disorders such as Aspergers syndrome. These people have difficulties communicating with other people in ordinary social situations. this encourages the player to make eye contact with the opposing player and interact with them on a confronting level. By making the person accustom to these feelings and unfamiliar situations it will assist them in overcoming some difficulties associated with these disorders.

Technical issues: 

- script (probably in flash etc) wherein by button presses turn different itunes files on and changes their volume - ask friendly people at lab for assistance in scripting 

- getting two wii boards - solution: Use the school one as well as borrow's floyd's 

- getting the wii boards to work  - solution: Looking through tutorials and asking other's for help. 

Article concerning problems associated with co-op play

Hey guys,
This is the article I mentioned beforehand regarding the problems that arise as a result of sharing the game space with another.
http://www.digra.org/dl/db/06276.16354.pdf

Its not only informative, however will definitely help us think of ways of improving our games- especially in a novel sense.

A.

New Idea...

So, we are now starting to use the Wii board in a more abstract way. So we have decided to strap the board to the players back.
The game revolves are chase, memory, sound and pitch recognition.
The game we will develop will be for two players, though it has potential to be further developed into a larger scaled mutliplayer game.
Each player will be allocated 4 sounds to their boards, at different pitches and to specific buttons on the WII board. The sounds will be played in a random order, one player at a time. The opposing player must remember the order the sounds were played and in and what pitch. They player must then tap each button in the same order they were played. They player must also hit the buttons softly or hardly depending if the pitch of the sound was loud or quite.
The player will gain a point for getting it correct. If they get it wrong, it is the next players turn.
Game space:
The players will be allocated a certain space for the game to be played to keep it in control. The players will chase each other in the allocated space and use it as they wish to make it as difficult for the opposing player to tap the board.

Hope i covered everything :)

Feedback from today’s madness session

Hey Guys,
listed below is the feedback that we received in today’s madness session. There were some really interesting suggestions - especially regarding the use of the wii board- and so- with that said- am sure we will be able to radicalise our game further.
Also, accompanying the list is Chad’s game suggestion which i believe could definitely be taken into account as it involves strapping the board onto one’s back (hence turning players into controllers) and playing an unorthodox game of musical chairs.


FEEDBACK:
 - was not novel enough and should be further explored - especially the notion of moving players around in a manner that is similar to that of moving around a joystick

- concept was tad unclear- needs to be refined more
- resembles wii-skiing far too much
- attempt it in a different location - e.g. the train - one wherein it is the space around you that balances you as opposed to you
- Herding notion was deemed by some to be an interesting concept
- utilising the board in different ways e.g.
               - tapping on it to control speed
               - making use of its weight sensitivity
- incorporating a teetering element where in too much leaning could cause you leave the boundary set for it
- the wii fit has already established such a thing- novelty + contribution already been filled
- take note of the social aspect of it and of incorporating another board
- abuse game design of the wii board - strap it to chest or back- intimate game?
                                                           - interact with each other’s board
                                                           - could be used to measure hugs?
                                                           - chest bump sumo
- target weights - so have the player try to come up with ways of getting to a certain weight - social game
- turning props into players- this could tie in with the previous idea of reaching a target weight.

CHAD’S IDEA:
Musical chairs + Wii fit/balance board  (strapped onto back)

Players are allocated an area on the board that they will be expected to to apply pressure to the minute the music stops. the last person to apply required amount of pressure will be out.

- design question: How would it run if you had more than one board?

Research

Stumbled upon this and am pretty certain that much of what is mentioned could be utilised in some manner.

http://www.themotorstory.com/The_Motor_Story/Balance.html