SUMMARY. SNØBALL 



SNØBALL is a physical videogame that uses a modified web-cam to track a infra-red signal from a electronic "snowball" The snowball has a impact sensor that triggers when the ball hits the wall. The web-cam is modified so that its very sensitive for infrared light. A double layer of exposed color film is used to prevent the camera from detecting visible light.
On impact the projector animates graphical snow-crystals and points.






The installation was a part of the interaction course REMEMBER WINTER at The Oslo School of Architecture and Design December 2005 




ELECTRONICS
The snowball circuit that is wrapped in bubble-wrap has a white led for effect. It is powered by a dismantled IKEA 9v battery. These batteries are very good for small electronic experiments, they are the AAAA standard who is not for sale in regular shops. Building electronic thats is intended for wall smashing are quite difficult. A lot of parts broke during the first days. All components should be completely covered by hot-glue, and specially the battery pack who has the greatest weight should be fastened really good.

APPLICATION
The game worked really good. The flash application programmed by Jørn Knutsen (blog) was really nice, and we had the possibility to change the sensitiveness of the game according to changes in the daylight amount of natural infrared radiation.

IN USE
It seems that a lot of students trying out the game had an idea that it was a physical sensor behind the canvas where the target was projected. The welcoming text: "pick up a snowball and give it your best shot" was by many interpreted as trow it has hard as possible. Especially when some throws was not detected by the system, we ended up with snowballs totally smashed after a few minutes. The real use was much more brute than our testing rounds. Conclusion was that everything should be built a lot more stronger than expected. And we added the text "not so hard please...". Throwing artificial snowballs are fun, and a good exercise too. To create a similar game that simulates a good old snowball war would be even greater !:)


Video By: Jon Olav Eikenes

More


Other Videos from Exhibition Remember Winter

Create virtual snowflakes at the AHO!

Joakims Blog on The Virtual Snowflake server

More photos by: Ti.mo

Posted: Tir. - Desember 13, 2005 at 06:53 PM          

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