Tobias Schmidt
[New Media][Concept|Design|Code]

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play

Experience the impact of various visual properties on perception and performance while playing a computer game.


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still of logo animation

design study for a suitable 70s style video game terminal

the gameplay is pretty simple - playing pong versus a curved wall with a round paddle - as long as possible

simple three-d version

parallel projection doesn't enhance the performance of the player

humans are not used to look at things from below - and it's difficult to play the game from this viewpoint

wireframe

fog

distracting texture

no texture and no shading

looking through a grid


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computer game, 1998

context
student research project at HdK Berlin, digital media class, advised by Prof Joachim Sauter

a playable demonstrator of the software exists


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The gameplay is very simple. Playing pong versus a curved wall with a convex paddle - as long as possible. The purpose of the game is not just fun, the purpose is to give the player the possibility to experience the impact of different visual properties on his performance. During the different levels of the game the player has to execute the same task again and again. The underlying math stays exactly the same and there's no increase in speed. Instead - and that is what makes this game special - visual properties like different perspectives, textures, transparency, fog and lighting are introduced or changed bit by bit. These properties either support or disturb the player's perception of the setting. Apparently it is more difficult to bring the paddle into line if you're looking at the scene from below - a perspective humans aren't faced with in everyday life.


#up