Emotional fugitive dectector - 3016
Created with : Alexander King and Samuel Von Ehren
Role: Game Design, Installation Design and Fabrication, Game Art, Narrative Design
Showcased at : IndieCade 2017 (Oct 6, 2017 - Oct 8, 2017); alt.ctrl.GDC 2017 (Feb 27, 2017 - Mar 4, 2017 ); Brooklyn Brewery Game Night BQE & Betas (Dec 2016)
Media : Gamasutra; USGAMER; RockPaperShotgun; ZAM; VentureBeat; Cliqist; TopShelfGaming; HyperAllergic; Ready:Set; BadCoyoteFunky; shakethatbutton.com; davidmullich.com
How far can your face take you as a game controller?
Emotional Fugitive Detector - 3016 is a game that uses the human face as its controller.
In this game, two players sit on opposite sides of a table with a facetracking computer between them. They must convey emotions using facial expressions, without the computer detecting them. Players need to tow a thin line with their facial movements: expressive enough for a human, but too subtle for a computer. After each game, players receive a receipt recording the result of the game -- either a certification for a "Model Citizen", or an execution note for an "Emotional Fugitive".
This project’s main design challenge was working around inaccurate facetracking technology -- it was not sensitive enough for consistent control. Matt Parker, a professor at the NYU Game Center, suggested that instead of trying to fix a technical issue, designing around it may be a better solution. We took his advice -- Instead of trying to improve the technology, we decided to make the game about technology not being good enough.
See a video of the Alt.Ctrl.GDC 2017 made by Polygon, Emotional Fugitive Detector 3016 starts at 4:17 :
This project started In 2016, after Alexander King and Samuel Von Ehren visited the Alt.Ctrl.GDC showcased, they approached me and suggested we make an alternate control game. I jokingly suggested using the human face to play a fighting game where players have to sweetly smile to initial a heavy punch. Surprisingly, this idea got both of them interested, so we decided to make a game with facial recognition technology. In the development, I focused on game design, designing and fabricating the EFD-3016's installation, the in game visual, and the narrative.
Installation Design and Fabrication
3 generations of EFD-3016:
1st Generation : Amazon shipping box with tapes.
2nd Generation : Foam boards covered by printed paper. Twelve pieces connected with socket chisels.
3rd Generation : Acrylic boards and foam boards for main structure; screws and nuts for connection; matte vinyls for decoration and narrative.
While creating this game, our goal was to showcase at Alt.Ctrl.GDC 2017.
With this goal and the design of the game itself, there were 3 constraints for creating this installation:
This installation needs to be sturdy enough to stand a week-long show with people interacting with it, meanwhile small enough for ease of transportation
For the face detection to work properly, the installation has to be fairly wide
The game requires a laptop and stable light source, which will need to be inside the box and can not spatially conflict with the inside structure of the installation. All of which must be hidden from the players during the game experience.
As the result, I decided to make the installation in 14 pieces, each of them is under 15 in x 15 in, with laser cut acrylic board and black foam board on the inside. Below is the blueprint:
Visual Design
For the aesthetics, I decided to use gray and black as the main tones to evoke a dystopian setting.
As exemplified in the propaganda posters below, I chose these colors because within the narrative, the Human Management Bureau believes emotions should be banned. They would not choose expressive colors. The copy was written to match the style and evoke an emotionless future. For the same reason the installation itself, as well as most of the game, uses the same color palette.
Narrative Design
Along with the visual style, I chose to create a black-humor narrative. Narrative serves two functions:
Create the story background for the game as the container for the rules, function as “eye catcher” in the show, and introduce rules to players while they are waiting to play. This part is printed and cut with vinyl, pasted on the outside of the box;
in game instruction, which is voiced over and played during the game.
Some quotes:
" The Human Management Bureau is performing random Emotion Inspections today. All citizens must comply.
You will be required to:
* Insert your face into the Evaluation Aperture.
* Hold until the inspection procedure is complete.
Humans found in possession of 3 or more emotions during this inspection shall be deemed EMOTIC, and will be punished with death. "
" Emotionless, better society. "