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Week 11:
Setup Testing

Tuesday 10th May 2022

WEEK 11  -

TO DO: TEST & PROJECT OUR GAME ACROSS TWO SCREENS​

 

PURPOSE FOR TESTING

The purpose for this afternoon is to get our ideal setup curated to project gameplay across two screens. Kiera and I will be using two projectors, two panels, and two different versions of our game to do this. The environments will vary, as will the tracks played, showcasing how our final deliverable should 'play out'.​

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WHAT WILL WE BE DOING?

Kiera and I will be following our usual setup for two projectors, with two gameplay versions projected onto two walls. From here, we can carry out further playtesting and gather feedback!

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GOALS FOR THE DAY​

  1. Setup two projectors, two panels and two laptops.

  2. Run two different game versions.

  3. Analyse, evaluate.

  4. Playtest!

THE SETUP​

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VIVITEK (Short Throw) Projector x SANYO (Short Throw) Projector

WHAT DID WE DO?

Similar to how we have been setting up our experience the last few weeks, we duplicated setup, allowing us to project our second gameplay version onto the second panel. This was great to see the experience brought to life, and expanded onto two walls - as we initially designed!​

FINDINGS

We found that the projections worked well together, as did the setup of the experience. This was fairly simple and we are much happier knowing we have tested this and know the outcome of the setup at both our degree shows. We found there were a few differences in specifications for both projectors, which led to a very different projection overall. We tested the new 'VIVITEK' short throw projector, which clearly has a much brighter projection in comparison to the 'SANYO'.​

IMG_3196.HEIC
IMG_3195.HEIC

NOTES

  • Panels ideally to be lined up against each other perfectly

  • Panels to be slightly adjacent

  • Can be propped up flat if need be

  • Projectors to be pressed up against each wall/panel

  • Wires/cables to be hidden behind panels at both Degree Shows.

  • Will be in need of two HDMI-USBC adapters and extension leads. (Atleast two)

ISSUES THAT OCCURED

The biggest issue that occured involved the positioning of the projection itself, as well as its visual appearance. Due to the two projectors having different specifications, one projector displayed the image much darker, and higher up. This led to the projections not being aligned, and look a little bit unprofessional.

HOW TO OVERCOME THESE ISSUES?

In order to overcome this, we immediately contacted Dave Gibbons and sent in our form to borrow two VIVITEK projectors for the Degree Shows. This projector has a much better quality display, in terms of brightness, scale and image quality. We will also be able to align both projections perfectly, which will look cleaner and more professional.

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.

  • 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.

  • What can it project?

The projector can project any form of media.

  • 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.

  • 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 5 is ready for testing!

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Playtesting​

Refinements

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