Overview
This week was Halves! We presented our progress and future plans on Monday and received mostly positive feedback from the faculty. We also conducted on-site observations in the lobby, playtested key elements, and finalized material and hardware orders to move into the next phase of development.
Halves Feedback
The presentation went well overall: we met or exceeded expectations in most categories. However, based on feedback, we are refining our approach to focus on fewer, more polished stations rather than spreading resources too thin. The current plan is to develop five stations: one station per class, one for the musician and one for the captain, plus the telegram. We’ll create and refine them before expanding further.
Key feedback points:
- Playtesting is crucial, especially for audio clarity, LED lighting, and user engagement.
- Consider how to filter telegram messages (potential AI moderation or a costumed actor).
- Avoid allowing guests to pick up props, as it disrupts the setup
Playtesting
On Wednesday, we attended a performance of Ghost at Chosky Theater to study audience behavior and test sound levels. We noticed:
- Intermission was much quieter than expected, with few people leaving their seats. However, our show will have a longer intermission, so this may not directly reflect our case.
- The post-show period was the busiest and loudest.
- Our current audio setup is too quiet, and we need to explore alternative solutions.
- The Ghost lobby exhibition included a confession booth, but interaction was low—possibly due to lack of visibility regarding whether it was occupied.
Meetings & Logistics
In our client meeting, we confirmed that announcements won’t be possible during intermission, but they will explore including a description in the program. They have also begun reaching out to voice actors and looking into securing a TV screen for the telegram station.
On Friday, we met with Michael. He provided fresh ideas to enhance user engagement, such as museum-style pickup speakers for clearer sound delivery and a web-based mini-game to keep visitors engaged while waiting in line. He share many great ideas, but since we are already in Week 7, adding new elements at this stage could be challenging and risky in terms of scope.
Meanwhile, we finalized materials and hardware orders, including acrylic boards, a stand microphone for the telegram, and Arduino boards for the remaining stations.
Next Steps:
- Test the projector on fabric to evaluate effectiveness.
- Collect props for each station.