Our instructors, Carl and Scott encouraged us to brainstorm lots of ideas and share with our client. We created a Google Doc where everyone threw ideas. We came up with 22 ideas! They are divided into 6 categories.
- Games that make the Spot feel friendly or docile
- Games that give players feedback through Spot or its payload module
- Games that integrate mobile devices or controllers (like the Android gamepads come with Spot)
- Games that can be played in limited space (like 10ft * 10ft)
- Games that can be played by multiple players at the same time
- Freestyle Section (Could be anything!)
We were very excited to share them with our clients and gain feedback. We wanted to find out what directions they like and what directions they don’t like.
Although we had a lot to share, we managed to drive the client meeting very well. After we went through all of the 22 ideas, the clients shared their thoughts.
- They are interested in a game that players can’t play without Spot, which means players will build emotional connections with Spot.
- They are interested in using Spot to communicate, although in most cases, Spot can’t speak. They encourage us to overcome some of the constraints, which make the experience interesting.
- They are interested in Spot’s interaction with physical space.
With those preferences, they liked the below ideas
- Escape room. Imagine you are trapped in a room and Spot is outside. You can use a controller to move around the Spot to explore the outside world and get you out! Or Spot is in the room with you. Try to escape the room with its help!
- Gibbering Revelation. It looks like Spot knows something and is trying to tell you what it is. But you have no clue what it is talking about other than nodding and shaking. Try to decipher his body language and reveal the mystery.
- Dodgebot. Try to throw the ball into the basket attached to Spot. (Could be Player vs AI or PvP where one player controls the Spot)
- Lighten Up Spot(Costume). Led Stripes on Spot, color changes as the spot moves around, patterns(twinkle frequency) changes with the movement.
- Soccer Game. Two players can play together and one of them controls Spot. Or they can take turns.
We felt good that they had a clear preference and liked our ideas but we were unsure about what to do next. We asked Jesse for his advice during his office hours. He suggested we break a big concept (escape room) to smaller chunks. We would first come up with 5 coolest mechanics of Spots and then how to build an experience around those mechanics. We agreed. We decided to first find out the 5 coolest mechanics and then combine those mechanics with our game ideas. With this in mind, we made our first sprint planning and each one of us got specific tasks to work on.
We’ve got lots to do but with a clear goal in mind, we’re going do great.