Game for Space
Jia Liang Cai, An Lin Liu
(i)The first game Journal; Phase 1
- Get the initial idea of the game
- Creating the basic plan and game rules on paper
- Buying or crafting hopter for further game test
Project Hopter Master
Number of players:2-3 players per team
Gadgets: Several Hopter, folding fans
Space: A medium-size stairs
In this first Journal, we had some initial ideas for the game of space. The mind map（Figure A）shown below just represents the first thought of the game but not the final demonstration. We mixed the idea of stairs, hopter, and a folding fan.
（Figure A）
So the core gameplay of this game is similar to the sport called a puck. Players will play the game as a group. Each group gets one launcher and two supporters. The launcher the hopter from the bottom of the stairs and the other 2 supporters will use the folding fans to get the hopter up to its final destination by blowing the wind to it. The stairs will be separated into different sections that match different points. The player’s score is related to the final destination of the hopter of where it landed. In addition, there are several special areas on the stairs which award players extra points. The goal is to get the highest score. The image (Figure B)below shows the initial thought of the game rules.
Game Rules:
In the next journal, we are aiming to get our first playtest done, We will test this prototype on a stair and see whether it works or not.
Question List
- Which space are you going to choose:
We would like to choose a space with stairs (like the stairs in front of our classroom or the stairs near the entrance gate).
- What are the boundaries of that space:
Just on the stairs.
- What features does the space has that can be utilized:
Altitude difference, stages
- How do the players relate to the space:
One player standing at the bottom of the stairs with the hopter, others standing on the stairs holding the folding fan.
The players will need to change their positions via horizontal and vertical axis (x and y-axis) which increase the mobility and depth of the game. Unlike a flat platform, the player will need to think about how they can move freely and quickly on the stages while blowing the wind at the same time which introduces additional game experiences.
- How can you quickly and clearly communicate the game rules:
Using a folding fan and game skills make the hopter fly to a specific position on the stairs.
Second Journal
How to make a hopter
In this Journal, we start to test our game prototype by gathering several hopter. Originally, we planned to order some hopter and folding fans from an online store. Due to the delivery and finance problem, we are unable to get this stuff. So we decided to craft all these hopters and fans by ourselves. These are the Model we made for the test.
This is the first prototype of the hopter that we plan to use straw and paper.
Model 2
This second model is made of paper, it’s easy to make but can only be dropped upside down. If we blow the wind to it, it could fly a distance.
References about how to make a hopter:
- https://baobao.baidu.com/article/fe20f12b89975fecc513f47c273b0bef.html
- https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1sy4y1S7D1?from=search&seid=10977800058041686049&spm_id_from=333.337.0.0
- https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1A5411t7xe?from=search&seid=10977800058041686049&spm_id_from=333.337.0.0
How to make a Folding Fan
References about how to make a folding fan:
- https://jingyan.baidu.com/article/47a29f24e0dbc18015239976.html
- https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1A54y177od
The third game Journal
We made our final recording of our game for space. We tested not only our main prototype but also two other variants of our designs. It’s all included in the video which is attached below.