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[interaction and challenge] [props and environment] [EZHUD]

Interaction and Challenge

Essentially, the gameplay in WnL centers around flying, collection, and avoiding obstacles. The player must first master flying the magic carpet in a training area, and then venture out into the battle. At this point the HUD instructs the player which orbs to collect and then to drop them over the lizard shaman's tower to deliver a powerful damaging spell to the opponent. While chasing after the elusive Boyd-flocking orbs, the guest must also evade homing fireball spells launched by the lizard shaman from the top of the tower. If the player can evade a flaming death long enough and carry the magic orbs to the drop zone, the lizard may be defeated, thus ensuring peace for all humankind. Challenge scales with the increasing cunning and fury of the lizard shaman, as well as the advancement in the elusive nature of the spell orbs. Feedback is received in the HUD with text and graphical cues, which are supplemented by environmental sound effects.

Props and Environment

The interaction for Wizards&Lizards is unique both in theme and in form, and to complement the interaction a unique set of props were developed to add to the experience. Originally MasterMotion used a full bodysuit and 41 optical marker set to track guest movement. Since this is both time-consuming and awkward, Wizards&Lizards is built around the simply tracking of head, hands, and a single interaction device. This follows the same philosophy of easy-of-use employed by Mocap Bowling. However, WnL augments this simple interaction in a thematic manner through the use of a purple wizard's hat, wooden staff and gloves.

It was discovered early on in user testing that guests had a difficult time finding the center of the motion capture space to stop the virtual carpet's movement. This makes navigation sluggish, awkward and disorienting. To help provide a sense of location in the physical space, the economical motion base, FARTO, was constructed. FARTO is a Foundation Adjustment Recreational Technology Object that employs the use of a simple pivot at the center of a wooden platform supplemented by thick foam at the four corners. Guests stand on top of the center of FARTO at the game's beginning and use the subtle pitch of the board to help them move relative to the center (balance). Initial reaction to FARTO was extremely positive, and every guest tested admitted the experience was much more manageable and rewarding with it. Guest performance also increased with the addition of the motion base. To build on this, a second iteration was constructed on a 6'x6'x1 1/8" plywood base which was eventually carpeted with three 6' pieces of thick runner.

EZHUD

The Enchanted Z-buffered Heads Up Display (EZHUD) is used to convey critical information to the guest during gameplay. Information communicated includes player and enemy health, game time remaining, orb collection sequence, and key event changes. For all data elements save the last, key event changes, transparent animated textures are drawn to the screen during gameplay and updated constantly with feedback from the game logic. For specific events and triggers (such as game start or low health) text is written to the screen temporarily either by the appearance of the wizard's familar (see below), or directly onto the main screen.

Apu-Detue (Apu-Detu) Your conscience in WnL is manifested in the form of your fox-squirrel familar, Apu-Detue (also spelled Apu-Detu). Apu-Detue is named as such because originally he was envisioned as a robotic fez-wearing monkey, but philosophical differences on the art team rendered something slightly different. Apu-Detu appears on the lower left corner of the HUD for game events such as low health and missile targeting. He also aids the player by keeping an eye on the game timer and directing the guest to the next required orb for collection. He communicates through a prairie dog-like squeaking which is translated into text bubbles that appear next to his portrait on the HUD (example below).