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AltCtrlGameJam Entry : SpaceBattleshipShield

Discussion in 'Works In Progress - Archive' started by FlyingRobot, Sep 12, 2014.

  1. FlyingRobot

    FlyingRobot

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    1.png

    This is my concept for #altctrlgamejam ( http://www.altctrlgamejam.com/ )

    Arduino Space Battleship Shield :

    It's a custom controller in the shape of a space battleship which fits on an arduino like a shield and will be able to control the guns on it's in game counterpart. The game is a spaceship shootem up.
    The illustration above is kinda explaining.

    Though it's a lot of work for a jam, I want to give it a try. Was fiddling with this idea for a long time. Lets see how far I can get with it.
     
  2. FlyingRobot

    FlyingRobot

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  3. FlyingRobot

    FlyingRobot

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    fritzing sketch : little jumbled up anyway. Now I think I don't need two LEDs.

    battleship1_bb.png
     
  4. FlyingRobot

    FlyingRobot

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    Updated the Fritzing and also laid the components out on the breadboard for quick testing with Uniduino Test panel.
    4.png
    5.png

    3.png
     
  5. FlyingRobot

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    Starting on drafting the 3D printable parts. First the calibration and dimensions. These two files from Thingiverse are coming out super useful.

    1. 1 cm cube for calibration.
    2. Adruino shield case

    Importing the stl files of these in Blender, I'm going to draft out the spaceship and button placement.

    6.png
     
  6. FlyingRobot

    FlyingRobot

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    8.png
    7.png
    Changed the design a lot. It's now looking more like a battleship. Started putting it in Unity where 3 turrets can be controlled simultaneously.
     
  7. FlyingRobot

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    laid out parts for 3d printing and gave it to a 3d printer for review. Some overhang problems are there. Lets see what they have to say.

    9.png
     
  8. FlyingRobot

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    The 3d printed parts reached today. Some shots and mockup of what it will be like.

    12.png
     
  9. Ashment

    Ashment

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    Pretty neat concept. Curious to see how this goes.
     
  10. TheRaider

    TheRaider

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    Me too, really awesome idea.

    I feel it will be super cool to show but it will cost to much to make other interested.
     
  11. FlyingRobot

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    The project not costly at all if you already have an Arduino Uno Board. The 3D prints cost me about $6. Pretty cheap, huh?

    Here's how the game is looking


    You can try this build with mouse control. Small game though.
    https://t.co/hr9MFfjT77

    I'm wiring up the ship to the board now. Little soldering required. :)

    13.png
     
  12. TheRaider

    TheRaider

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    I assumed in the final you put the microcontroller inside the controller?

    How are you communicating with Unity for the arduino?
     
  13. FlyingRobot

    FlyingRobot

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    The controller is shaped like an arduino micro-controller shield (extension). It just fits on top of the micro controller board within that footprint.

    I've used Uniduino from the asset store for communication. Pretty cool plugin.
     
  14. FlyingRobot

    FlyingRobot

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    Just submitted the game to the game jam. http://www.altctrlgamejam.com. Please play and rate if you like the project.

    start.png

    Here's how it's looking like finally.



    Will upload some more shots of the controller.
     
  15. FlyingRobot

    FlyingRobot

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  16. TheRaider

    TheRaider

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    Congrats man. That is really awesome :)

    Great to see arduino used in an effective way. I still think that you should make one that doesn't need the uno under it.
     
    FlyingRobot likes this.
  17. FlyingRobot

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    Thanks, but I need something to talk to the game, right?
     
  18. TheRaider

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    The uno is a just a prototyping board, you can just take all the components off and put on a much smaller footprint with eagle. If you aren't much into the electronics side and more the coding side just get a nano so it fits inside like http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/like/251...e&hlpv=2&ops=true&viphx=1&hlpht=true&lpid=107 but ideally without the headers so you can just solder the wires straight in.

    Using the UNO is kind of clumsy to use for general use.
     
  19. TheRaider

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  20. FlyingRobot

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    Those nanos are cheap indeed.

    Though this was planned to be like a shield to UNO. Like when you are done with it, you take off like a shield and do something else with the UNO. That way, the HW component requirement for each controller is much lesser.

    I didn't want to plant a nano with each of this controller. Stacking it like a shield sounded good and modular to me. For example, you can stack this shield over UNO + Bluetooth Shield for wireless kinda games or over a motor shield to have movable parts in your games.
     
  21. TheRaider

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    I get why you did it, but the HW component is actually much more since it isn't a normal thing to own a UNO (except where I work :) ). I bet the cost would come out similar with a nano or something similar.

    Anyway it is still super cool and I am impressed. I just bought some of the cheapo nano's and will try and make a game which works best with a unique controller cause it seems like it would be a fun thing for kids to do.