Design & Development
Week 10:
Setup Testing
Wednesday 4th - Thursday 5th May 2022
WEEK 10 -
TO DO: TEST ANOTHER PROJECTOR & SETUP!​
PURPOSE FOR TESTING
As we have established the need for two projectors, it is necessary to ensure we have both working projectors and that they work the way we expect them to, at the same time. Earlier this week, we got into contact with Jess from WSA Media Stores and borrowed their 'Vivitek' Short Throw Projector for the next week. The purpose for this test is to evaluate the success of our setup with a new projector, despite the differences between the projector we are used to (SANYO) and the new one. We are aware they have different specifications, so today we will be evaluating whether or not these differences are major enough to be a problem.​
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WHAT WILL WE BE DOING?
We will be setting up the projector as we hope it to be setup for our degree shows, to best showcase Getaway gameplay. We must also take measurements to compare the two projectors and decide whether or not this projector will be the right fit for our experience.
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GOALS FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS​
By the end of tomorrow, we should have a decision based on which projectors we will be using for the degree shows, and therefore, must get into contact with Dave Gibbons regarding this.
PROJECTOR TEST 1​
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VIVITEK (Short Throw) Projector & HDMI cable
WHAT DID WE DO?
It was brought to our attention that WSA media stores only had 3 projectors, 2 of which were the same type (Vivitek) and one Sanyo projector, which we already know and test with regularly. As we are happy with the setup of this projector already, we agreed that we would only need one other projector, however, this would be of a different model and have different specifications. This test today is to evaluate whether or not these two projectors can work cohesively and achieve the same effect. We setup the space as we usually would, and began to take the dimensions of projection.​
SETTING UP​
PROCESS
Setting up the projector was straight-forward and similar to the SANYO. Although, we had to use the remote to turn the power on and adjust the projection settings as the projector didn't have buttons. As well as this, the projector had to be positioned the other way, as it reflects the display off the mirror attached to the back of it, which I found strange and a little bulky! Appearance wise, it's not the most compact.
I linked up the projector to Kiera's laptop using a HDMI cable and started up the server.
ADJUSTING SETTINGS
We used the 'Keystone' button to adjust the size of the display and the angle at which it was projected. I also used the 'MENU' button to access display/appearance settings, which allowed me to change the brightness/saturation etc.​
TESTING PLAYBACK
We ran the server and observed the quality of the projection, as well as its size.​
FINDINGS
From first observation, we noticed that the projector projected much larger than the SANYO projector, but the quality of projection was still respectable and of a high standard. We also noticed that the projection size would change depending on the positioning of the projector, this was very sensitive, and would change dramatically if touched very lightly.​
ISSUES THAT OCCURED
You can see from the image above, we didn't project on the flattest surface, as we couldn't find a clear wall on campus! Because of this, we instantly knew our measurements would be inaccurate and therefore, the results from this test would have been untrustworthy. When you project on a surface like this, the projection is interrupted and does not fulfil it's full scale. Because of this issue, we decided to setup the projector again tomorrow, on a flat surface at home.
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In terms of the final deliverable, this shouldn't be a problem as we have already made Fine Art aware that we'd like to use flat panels/walls for the structure of the space.
PROJECTOR TEST 2​
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VIVITEK (Short Throw) Projector & HDMI cable
WHAT DID WE DO?
With an understanding of how this projector works/ease of setup, we did the same as yesterday and began to take the measurements of projection. We noticed quite a few drawbacks with this projector as soon as we set it up, which we couldn't see during our first test, so we were relieved that we repeated this test today!​
TESTING PLAYBACK
We ran the server and observed the quality of the projection, as well as its size.​
FINDINGS
As touched on yesterday, the quality of the projection was respectable and we weren't disappointed with this display. We also found that in order to get the projection to a reasonable scale (similar to the last) we had to position to projector very close to the wall. In addition to this, we noticed because of this positioning, we reduced the distance between the bottom of the projection and the floor, which essentially doesn't match up with our SANYO projection.​
ISSUES THAT OCCURED
Apart from the scale of the projection, another major issue was the display itself. On the right side of the display, you can see a fraction of the projection has been cut off, resulting in a 'warped' appearance. I tried everything I could to adjust this, and couldn't find a solution, so concluded that it was the projector itself that had done this. It is only very noticeable as it was projected onto a dark wall, however, this might not be a problem once projected onto two white panels as we have planned.
HOW TO OVERCOME THESE ISSUES?
To overcome the issue of the floor to projector distance, Kiera and I said it would be necessary to have a small panel placed underneath the projector to raise the projection up a little, in line with the SANYO projector. We can easily access this from B&Q or the Fine Art department if we take a visit soon. In addition to this, hopefully once projected onto a white wall/panel, the 'warped' edge of the display will not be noticeable.
THE PROJECTION
To be aware of how two different setups will work alongside each other, we have recorded the dimensions of this projection to gather a more realistic idea of how we will put the two together. It will be necessary to do testing with these two projectors next week when we have time, because this is extremely important for our degree show. From here, we can contact Dave Gibbons and let him know exactly which projectors we need for the shows.
MEASUREMENTS:
Place projector against the wall.
Width of projection - 193cm
Height - 119cm
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From the ground to the top of the projection - 175.5cm
From the ground to the bottom of the projection - 68.5cm
EVALUATION OF VIVITEK SHORT THROW PROJECTOR
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How easy was set-up?
Setup required a remote control to turn the power on and adjust settings, whereas the SANYO doesn't. This didn't make setup difficult, just more equipment to be aware of! It was a simple setup, involving the use of a HDMI cable and adapter to connect our device to the projector itself.
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How can we set it up to do what we want?
Use of a HDMI cable and adapter to display our laptop screen onto the wall. We then had to position the projector as close to the wall as possible, to display a scale that was appropriate.
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What can it project?
The projector can project any form of media.
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Quality of projection?
The quality of the projection was acceptable and didn't ruin the quality of the hand-drawn assets. However, the right edge of the projection appeared warped. The position of the projector may also have to be enhanced, by a panel underneath the projector that raises the display.
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Overall evaluation
Kiera and I felt this projector had a lot more setup issues/drawbacks than the SANYO projector, and therefore, will require a little more attention during setup. However, at this point in time, this projector is our only choice and we must decide between the use of two Vivitek projectors or one SANYO and one Vivitek projector. The decision that makes the most sense would be to use two Vivitek projectors, with the same specifications, although, because we are happy with the outcome of the SANYO, we have decided to borrow one of each. This is because, we trust the performance of the SANYO and would only be taking one risk with the other projector, meaning we always have one for back-up, that we know is reliable.
REFLECTION & EVALUATION OF TESTS​
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Overall, we know that the setup of two projectors will work and we can progress with the setup of the space by identifying the two that we need for the degree show. These tests confirmed that our final setup design is successful and very much do-able. I am happy with this, because this setup best showcases our idea and how it might be developed further. This setup gives the illusion of a physical space/room.
Once we have access to the projectors, as well as the panels, we can film the last few clips for both our trailer, gameplay documentary and development documentary. This are essential for hand-in by the 26th May. By next week, we should have emailed Dave Gibbons with our preferences for the degree show and should have access to this after the other courses degree shows which begin on the 12th May. For now, we will wait to hear an update from the Fine Art Department regarding the walls/panels, and focus on refining our fifth/sixth game versions in preparation for playtesting this week.
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NEXT STEPS
Next steps for this week will involve playtesting. We have a playtesting session on Saturday 7th May which we will take advantage of to gather feedback and suggestions from external visitors. For now, I will be working with Kiera to ensure our Game Version 6 is ready for testing!
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Playtesting​