So Distance

About:

Presented by CAKE for Running with Stripper 2021: Ethereal Machines
Zul Mahmod and Shaherfi Sidin’s So Distance is a co-op multiplayer game that applies game technology to create the act of collective playing – designed such that 5 individual players require each other’s physical proximity to activate, explore and co-create within the definitions of the game. In its physical state, So Distance takes the form of an installation. So Distance works on the principle of OpenSoundControl (OSC) and Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI).

Role:

Game Designer & Developer

Project Brief:

Create a collaboration project with Zul Mahmod that incorporates both game design and an interactive sculpture

Challenge to myself:

I decided to try merge both our expertise together. Thus I endeavoured to turn Zul's iconic sound sculptures into pacman-esque mazes. I also decided to emphasize on sound by incorporating rhythm game elements into the game design.

UX Goal

The UX goal for So Distance was to create an immersive and intuitive gameplay experience that encourages collaboration while maintaining a social distancing measures.

Constraint-Driven Interface Design (COVID Safety)

To reduce shared touchpoints and support disinfecting requirements, I intentionally avoided traditional handheld controllers or buttons. Instead, I designed a contactless physical controller that allowed players to control the game without touching any surface.

Contactless Controller Implementation

The controller was built using Arduino and an ultrasonic distance sensor, mapping player proximity and movement into gameplay input. Players had to simply wave their hands in front of the appropriate side of the cube to move the character to the corresponding direction.