In my previous project, my team discussed about the idea of “interactive”. In order to understand the concept of “Interactive”, I did quite a few researches and had a broader comprehension of the idea, and in the mid term project, I implemented what I’d learnt previously. From the initial of building a simple but fun game, my group made some attempts and finalized our project as the flip game, which the players can try for a long time to optimize their operation and reach the final goal: turn all lights off. We think that such game with a little challenging element and brainwork required, in other words, a puzzle game, may be more interactive.
The idea “interactive” can be simply concluded with three phase: “Input”, “Process” and “Output” .In our midterm project “Lights Off (3×3)”, the input component is a IR remote controller, and the signal is processed through the program stored in the Arduino, and then reflects in the form of lights on and off. I also learnt from the previous experience that to a project accomplishing a single specified function is usually more effective than creating a vague over-all platform, and “The simplicity is beauty.” becomes the main principle of the design of this project, which not only means to be simple, but using the simplicity to arouse thoughts and imagination of the users. In our design, the whole outlook serves the principle well with almost no distraction above and covers the messy wires inside.
the testmodel
The most difficult part, personally thinking, is the programming part. To find the logic between the operation is not hard but facing malfunctioning situations and problems in uploading data is really frustrating. Many is unexpected and we are definitely not prepared for it. But, eventually, I used the most direct and stupid way to solve all the problems: quarantine controversy part and troubleshoot one by one. As the logic part became too complicated, then I rewrite it with multiple if functions to achieve the same function. In that way, I eliminated most problem with the knowledge I’d learnt.
Our expected goal is to stay simple, understandable and playable, and I think that we accomplished most of it. The best part we do is to be interactive. The project asked for some tactics and strategy and therefore require more interaction of the users. Yet I still think that we can improve a bit in the to be understandable part, as the rule of the game is not written on anywhere of the device. A piece of paper with instructions on it should do it and help a lot. I advocate the simplicity for that’s the exploring and innovating path, laying the foundation stones down below and then comes the complexity developed on that, so I think that we all should start from the simple things