“Can we get a Huzzah?!” … “Huzzah!!” That is how cheerfully we started Week 6. As our first team outing, members of Team Top T.I.E.R. went to the 2026 Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival on Saturday, September 26. We spent about three hours enjoying the bands, impressive circus stunts, fun improvised acts, and good food. It was a great team bonding experience. We also took inspiration from the festival’s setups and street actors for our own character, set, and scene design.

On Monday, we spent time getting ready for our deadlines before our Tuesday morning instructors meeting.

This week, we had our weekly instructors meeting with Shirley and Vivian on Tuesday morning instead of Thursday. During the September 29 meeting, we focused on the character, costume, narrative, set design, audio, and upcoming production milestones.

For the character, we discussed teleoperation and the decision between the names Snake Eye Saul and Rusty Ranger. We also talked about the need to give the character a recognizable face, costume, and voice. The team was encouraged to look for materials at thrift stores and test costume pieces directly on the robot. We also need to make sure the costume does not interfere with the robot’s movement. Audio was another important topic. We need to build a clear audio pipeline and decide how the character will introduce himself.

For the set, we discussed getting materials from Lowe’s, finishing the saloon doors, getting access to the necessary tools and wood shop, and developing a more detailed lighting and ambience plan.

The narrative was also a major focus. We discussed the motivation behind the robot’s death, guest safety, and whether the humans and robots really need to be enemies. We were encouraged to explore other possibilities, such as friendship, collaboration, or having another robot play the sheriff.

We also reviewed the budget and reimbursement process, actor considerations, and our upcoming schedule. Our goals were to get costume pieces onto the robot, test teleoperation, continue working on the set, integrate audio, and finish our presentation for the following Tuesday’s Halves presentation and demo playtest.

On Tuesday evening, we also conducted playtests at Hunt Library. The playtest focused on two key interactions: the QuickDraw/shooting sequence and the robot’s decision to side with or collaborate with the guest at the end.

Guests generally described the experience as exhilarating, immersive, playful, and unpredictable. However, some guests felt cheated or betrayed by the robot during QuickDraw and initially saw the robot as a competitor or antagonist. The shooting-the-hat interaction also created an expectation that the robot would continue to cheat. When the gun did not work, some guests felt the moment was anticlimactic because they did not get to show their aiming skills.

The ending created a strong emotional shift. Guests were surprised and sometimes confused when the robot, which had previously competed against them or even killed them, suddenly asked for their help. While some felt that this change happened too quickly, others found it interesting and started thinking about the characters’ motivations and whether they could cheat or work with the robot.

Overall, the playtest showed that the robot is already creating a strong character impression. However, the transition from competitor to collaborator and the setup of the QuickDraw interaction still need more work so that the story and interactions feel more connected.

By Wednesday evening, we had made progress on the narrative and experience design. The wooden saloon doors were also ready. We continued looking into the audio pipeline for the G1 and learned more about the tax exemption process from Charlie, which will help us shop for materials at places like Goodwill and the Bins.

On Thursday, a couple of team members went to the Bins and gathered fabric that we can use to create simple costume pieces for Snake Eye Saul. We also recorded videos of Snake Eye Saul being teleoperated as he walked through the saloon doors. We tested the character talking with someone sitting near the system using a microphone and also created a sign for the entrance to the Black Vulture Band Gang. We also started working on our slide deck for the Halves presentation next week.

Overall, Week 6 helped us move from ideas toward a more complete character and experience. We now have a better understanding of what needs to be improved, especially the character, audio, QuickDraw interaction, and story. With Halves coming up next week, we have a clear set of tasks to focus on.