Nara Van Rossum
PERSONAL
Project by :
Ian Arawjo, Tania Camacho and Nara Van Rossum
*** Final ***
Narrative on homelessness in Montreal (with cartoon animations) done in Google Street View. (group project; best viewed in Chrome/Safari)
by Ian Arawjo
TECHNICAL INTERFACE DESCRIPTION (the "why" and "how")
We are working with Google Maps, specifically Street View, as our
medium, along with some custom Javascript to provide content structure
and organization. Because we are using Google Maps API v3, we are
restricted by Google's Terms of Use in what we can and can't do with
their maps feature. Because of this reason, we have little choice but
to use what features they have made explicitly available on the API
documentation (in terms of content embedded in the maps frame). From
an interface standpoint, the features we'll be using are:
Markers: Geopositioned clickable images embedded in Street View
panoramas. They can be either static images or animations.
Infowindows: Comic-style word balloons, containing text, that are
attached to clickable markers. Each marker is given some number of
dialog expressions that appear based on the current conditions of the
map (which markers are loaded, which have been clicked on, etc). These
dialog expressions are further organized by whether they are strictly
story-based or clue-based.
Synchronized maps: A small overview map (the normal Google maps view)
that shows the player's current location relative to roads and
landmarks of interest.
In addition to the features of the API, there will be a panel (div
block) to the left of the main Street View map, listing the player's
current clues for reference.
INTERFACE DESIGN DESCRIPTION (the "what")
Broadly speaking, the player navigates Street View using either the
arrow keys or on-screen arrow buttons (although the arrow keys are
preffered). Up and down arrows move the player around the space; left
and right arrows pan the camera. By exploring the space, the player
discovers markers, a.k.a characters/monsters drawn with a strong art
style that stand out from the background. The player must click on
these markers to obtain story and navigational information.
"Navigational information" is presented in the form of clue(s)
(riddles) that hint at where the player should go to proceed in the
story. The current clues are then listed in a panel to the left-hand
side of the Street View frame. To the bottom of the clue panel is a
small navigational minimap (a small regular Google map) showing the
player's current location relative to roads and landmarks. For many
clues, the area that the hiding marker is in will be designated by a
colored translucent polygon overlay in the minimap. The clue text
color in the clue panel will be the same as the clue area color in the
minimap, linking the two. This allows for the possibility that
multiple clue areas can overlap.
- Nara Van Rossum
Trigger: (What causes this plot element to become visible)
Location: (Location of the scene)
At Location: (Objects introduced into the environment)
User: (This is what we want the user to experience at this location)
Trigger: Start
Location: Place-d’Armes metro station Entrance
At Location: Monster 1
User: “Are you ok? That looked like it hurt. -- You fell from the sky. You don’t remember? Ok, that’s a problem. You remember your name, right?” User prompted for name. “Well, that’s good at least. [Companion monster] is looking for you; you should probably get your orange butt over to where he is before the cops catch you.”
User is welcomed into program and tasked to navigate to a second location.
Trigger: Start
Location: Across the street from the Place-d’Armes metro station Entrance
At Location: Companion monster, Monster 2
User: Gets a goal (find treasure), and a companion that keeps track of clues.
Receives clue 1 for new destination. (Ex: Monster 3 likes Chinese food. I’m sure there’s a restaurant nearby.) Map is highlighted with the area to search for the monster in.
Trigger: Clue 1 Obtained
Location: Outside Chinatown restaurant
At Location: Monster 3
User: Gets new clue as well as an alternate goal. This clue is in riddle form. Map is highlighted with new area to search for the answer.
Trigger: Clue 2 Obtained
Location: Closed down Monster Restaurant.
At Location: Monster 4
User: Monster 4 doesn’t want to help. The user can chose to find another way to get the clue, or can find something to convince monster 4 to help.
Trigger: Destination 3 Reached
Location: Old Brewery Mission Wall
At Location: Graffiti monster
User: Gets something that will get Monster 4 to help them.
Trigger: 3a
Location: Closed down Monster Restaurant.
At Location: Monster 4
User: Monster 4 gives clue 3 and describes the King of Monsters and the fact that most monsters are hiding.
Trigger: Destination 3 Reached
Location: Blue Fence near Palais du Congrès
At Location: Monster 5, Police
User: Monster 5 gives clue 3, and tells the user to run away. The police arrest Monster 5 and scare off the user.
Trigger: Clue 3 obtained
Location: Desjardins Complex
At Location: Monster 6
User: Monster 6 is selfish, but gives clue 4 to find the closest church, he tells the user that he needs to go hide because the police are cracking down on the monsters.
Trigger: Clue 4 obtained
Location: Church on St. Alexander
At Location: Monster 7
User: User gets the option to ask about the treasure or about the cops. Each provides a different hint (Treasure Hint 1 and King Hint 1). Following the treasure hint leads closer to the treasure, the king hint leads to finding the King of Monsters. Then the monster gives clue 5 to the next location.
Trigger: Clue 5
Location: Square Victoria
At Location: Monster 8
User: Monster 8 is relaxing in the park, he says he knows where the user needs to go next, but asks what they want to do there. When they answer, he nods and gives clue 6 to the next destination and adds one or two treasure/king hints, depending on the user's answer.
Trigger: Clue 6
Location: Notre-Dame Basilica
At Location: Police arresting a monster, the Detective, a Huge Note written in Monsterese.
User: The monster here is already being taken away by the police. The detective threatens to catch you. The note gives you clue 7.
Trigger: Clue 7
Location: Palais du Congrès (rainbow wall)
At Location: Monster 9
User: Monster 9 asks the user what concerns them most; she gives a very strong hint for the option the user chooses and highlights a possible area to search on the map.
Trigger: At least 3 King Hints uncovered
Location: King of Monsters
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&q=Church+on+St.+Alexandre&fb=1&ei=sFzbTJrsKoWglAfU-9D3CA&ved=0CAQQtgMwAA&sll=45.501209,-73.556205&sspn=0.00148,0.003484&rq=1&ev=p&split=1&radius=0.1&hq=Church+on+St.+Alexandre&hnear=&ll=45.50273,-73.559346&spn=0,0.013937&z=17&layer=c&cbll=45.502769,-73.559433&panoid=jY6TsJBtpzzQ4Myyg1A-kw&cbp=12,159.37,,0,-31.59
At Location: King of Monsters
User: The user tells the king about the trouble and the King sends word to the monsters to hide. If the user only chose to help the monsters and not the treasure, the King manages to get all of them safe, but mentions someone else found a huge treasure. If the user gives mixed answers, the King can’t get a hold of all the monsters, but your companion tells you the treasure still must be out there.
Trigger: At least 3 Treasure Hints uncovered
Location: Alley
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&q=Church+on+St.+Alexandre&fb=1&ei=sFzbTJrsKoWglAfU-9D3CA&ved=0CAQQtgMwAA&sll=45.50567,-73.558316&sspn=0.002944,0.006968&rq=1&ev=zi&split=1&radius=0.2&hq=Church+on+St.+Alexandre&hnear=&ll=45.505631,-73.557004&spn=0,0.006968&z=18&layer=c&cbll=45.505631,-73.557004&panoid=amZ3VVZYtWzm9o5zcISWhw&cbp=12,153.97,,0,-3.8
At Location: Treasure
User: Finds the treasure. If the user only ever asked about the treasure, the game ends with the police confiscating your treasure. If the user gave mixed answers, the user and Monster companion escape and live on the run with a pile of money.
Team: Ian Arawjo, Tania Camacho and Nara Van Rossum
An interactive environment game where users navigate a real place using GoogleMaps StreetView while having an augmented experience of those real locations, complete with monsters, clues and challenges.
There are a few ways we could go about this, but since we would like to give very specific clues and deal with placing creatures in specific locations, we have chosen to use Montreal as a backdrop and give the program a local feel. The mood of the game will mostly be light and playful, but we plan to present some of Montreal’s social problems in some of the clues and monster designs.
What we are interested in is mixing real and virtual space, mixing imaginary imagery with (what is assumed to be) a real depiction of a place. We’re excited to see what we can actually do with GoogleMaps and hope to use its online capabilities in creative ways.
The actual content is a treasure-hunt around the city that uses the online environment to encourage exploration both digitally and physically. The endgame involves the user changing elements of the experience for the next user by hiding the end-goal in a new location, and maybe changing how some game elements will behave and leaving their mark on the game until the next user completes it.
Puzzles/clues will either be location related or logic based; perhaps having a few sound based or visual challenges.
- Nara Van Rossum
The monsters will be designed in a UPA style (much used with current day cartoons such as Dexter's lab but is as old as Mr. Magoo), with the character's outline probably be either coloured or nonexistent. We'll be going for a style that's between "foster's home for imaginary friends" and trendy vinyl toys. The purpose of that is that the characters will look obviously out of place. People will easily spot them and it will just look so cool. The childish approach is also thought of that way because it fits with the treasure hunt fun theme.
- Tania Camacho
- Ian Arawjo
Ian's mock-up using a placeholder image by Tania, screenshot from Google StreetView :
