For this week, our main focus is on the 4th rhythm game prototype. After we discussed some possible solutions with ETC tech faculty Dave Purta, we ended up with the magnetic solution, and it really impressed us with barely noticable latency. Below is the demo video:
In this prototype, the bottom bar will show players the current rpm and the ideal rpm range in order to get points. As shown in the video, the refresh rate will match with the revolution, making latency much better than it was before. We also implemented the clapping mechanism in this prototype, so that player will have to clap in order to pick up those notes.
By building and playtesting this prototype, here are what we learned through the process:
- Adding audio could bring more engagement
- The visuals help players know what pedal speed they should be maintaining
- Clapping actually make players focus on matching the beat with their upper body move and decrease the “awareness of exertion” from pedalling
During the next week we will make the beat changes in this prototype so that we could get a sense of pedalling in HIIT pattern while trying to focus on the gameplay. We will also start an internal game jam around the features we would like to add based on previous prototypes, and present these playable builds for the upcoming playtest day.