Anger Flanker (ICM+Phycomp) Final 1.1
On 8 November 2017, Anger Flanker went through a user testing session with our mock up made out of cardboards and a made-believe game for the user to imagine, experience and give their feedbacks. The session played an immense role for Anger Flanker, it sets new perimeters where my teammates and I did not consider.
Our interactive piece is mainly driven by a research study that is based on positive emotions and how too much of it is unhealthy for you. There is this preconceived notion of a counterintuitive method that could help the regular people. Studies showed that in order for someone to be happy, he has to go through a negative emotion before the positive.
The beginning stages of Anger Flanker was designed to make the user feel angry when they play the game. The game will be impossible to win. The presence of the web camera will detect the emotions on their face, if the user is angry, the API will read it as high and change the nature of the game – the game will be easier, and the environment – the LED light surrounding the cover, will change colour. You may read the first post of the game here to have a comprehensive understanding.
However, after the user testing and consolidating feedbacks, we have decided to create a change that would make our work unified. Our first version had too many layers that the user find it difficult to understand and relate back to the message of the whole game.
Some of the feedbacks that we collected were;
1) The cover is slightly too low
2) The game console was confusing, user did not know whether to push or move the console
3) User could not understand what the whole purpose of the game for
4) They were smiling most of the time, no room for anger
5) They love the fabrication idea, they find it unique
6) They would want the game to be more impactful
After deliberating on the different feedbacks that we received, we decided to change the process slightly. Still staying true to the concept, we decided that by having the user to exert actions suggesting anger and making the game an outlet where the user could possibly vent their frustration would tie in well with our concept. We are removing the emotional tracker and replacing it with a ultrasonic sensor instead and activating sound.
Th process - The game
The user will be greeted by a splash page with instructions to tell the user what they should do. Once they perform one of the actions (hitting either of the force sensor, banging their head, shouting) they will immediately start the game.
As the user perform each of the actions, cracks will be seen on the wall. The game will eventually end with a hidden message behind the wall which says 'Anger is temporary, be happy' - as an example.
- This is work in progress -
