Initial concept sketches

Going with the game idea...

Ok so I have decided to run with making a game.

I briefly looked into using blender for this however, due to time constraints I will use processing as my idea will be conveyed just as well.

So the goal is to create a tube like thing that objects or shapes fall through and the user has to catch. The idea being the shapes are the data and the user catches them in a bucket which is the data type.

Still intent to use more colour this project!

Text to support project

My project was looking at primitive data types within Java. In my game a type is represented by the shape the user has selected (left and right mouse buttons change this “type”), either a square, circle or a triangle. In Java we will call these respectively; a Character (a single key stoke), an Integer (a number) and a Boolean (true of false). The shapes moving through the “pipe” are described as values. These shapes must be matched with the correct shape which is controlled by the user, otherwise the program will fail (Game Over). For example, trying to squeeze a circle into a triangle would be like telling the computer to hold 4,587,361 in a space it has allotted for either “True” or “False”. Imagine asking the computer if 1+1=2 and it said “4,587,361". For the sake of simplicity I haven’t covered java machine casting at runtime type checking, so please be aware in some cases a circle should be able to fit into both a square and a triangle!

The game doesn’t end if you just miss one shape, as I wanted to show that software can run with bugs (errors) in it. As the game progresses so does the complexity, more shapes will appear at a greater frequency, just as they would in a larger program. Obviously a larger program can potentially hide more ‘bugs’, therefore the higher you score the more ‘life’ the pipe gets back. This ‘health’ is represented by the colour of the pipe.

Idea 1 - Game

Look at using java or blender, to make a simple game that would require the user to slot various shapes in various sockets

cost  - 1 - Nothing

time - 2 - Maybe 2-3 days.

Pros - costs nothing, no new skills need, would be one of the more interesting ideas for me to do

Cons - Time could get away from me, wouldn't be learning new skills just improving others

Idea 2 - Toy

Very similar to the game only will be much simpler and be a wooden frame that blocks of different shapes can slot in and out of.

cost - $50-100 + would need to borrow tools, and steal some wood stain(very expensive and need different colours but small amounts).

time - 1 - Could probably get this done in a day, other than waiting for glue and varnish to dry

Pros - Would be the most fun to make, having something physical is appealing.

Cons - Might be too simple, expensive(car still needs a front bumper!).

Idea 3 - Animation

essentially idea one but playing itself.

cost - Nothing

time - 3 - Mare time than I think I have -Would need to learn how to use blender or 3DSM :s

Pros - costs nothing, would learn a lot.

Cons - Would take a very long time, essentially the same as the game.

ANNOYING!

Ok so it sounds terrible. I have removed all of those noises. Tried lots of different variants but it is very unplesent. Have now re-themed it so all of the noises are sythetic music.

Bugs now have a pulsing sound created using a sine wave frequency when moused over
also made them pulse(grow shrink) in time with the noise to make them more like "soundshapes".

The other noises have been replaced by various "tunes" that I think fit the movement/reaction. Will see if I can upload them

Sounds

added a cats purr for a moused over happy bug
added a ladies scream for when a bug dies and all the other run around
added an explosion for when a bug was hit
added a babies giggle for when the cursor was stolen

additions

Bugs now react with the edge of there pen. If they are stuck on the wall they gradually go blue. If they are there to long they pop and die. This scares all the other bugs making them less happy and sends them all running around randomly for a couple of seconds.

Also if the user has a collection of more than 5 bugs under the cursor the bugs steal it and the user is left cursor-less.