Project Overview: Bomberman x Monomes

Motivation:

To create an interactive game using accelerometer and wireless communication with a simple display

Goal:

For this project, we propose the creation of a wireless, multi-player clone of Bomberman using 4 8x8 monome boards.

Methodology:

The LEDs for our monome are only a single color, so different objects will be represented by different shapes.

Unlit = Empty path

Solid Units = Wall/block/player

Input:

Movement = tilting the box, direction based on accelerometer data

Bombing = press any of the buttons of the monome

Networking:

There will be one “Master” box and 2-4 “Player” boxes. The “Master” box will be the box running the game and will be the one to which all the “Player” boxes synchronize to. The “Master” box will continually broadcast the state of the game while the “Player” boxes will report back to the “Master” on what each player’s actions are.

An alternative approach would be to have the first box also be the “Master” for the game and all other boxes communicate with that box. This, however, will lead to more complicated logic and the issue of the “Master” box also being a “Player” box.

Game logic:

Players will start off at opposing corners of the board. They destroy blocks by dropping bombs that explode after a set number of seconds (e.g. 3 seconds). As blocks are destroyed, players can move over the blocks. The objective of the game is to eventually make way to other players and strategically time and place bombs such that these bombs will explode with the other player in the explosion path.

Additional logic:

Walls: Some of the blocks will be non-destructive walls. In the basic level of Bomberman, these walls make up a grid pattern. This will probably be used here.

Power ups: In Bomberman, powerups may drop from blocks. The bomb powerup allows you to drop more bombs, each with independent countdown timers. The firepower powerup increases the explosion path of the bomb.

Project Components:

Monome: The monome will be the game’s main display interface.

HCS12: The monomes will be controlled and powered by a Freescale HCS12 microcontroller.


Firefly: The FireFly nodes will be used as controllers for their accelerometer sensor

and wireless antenna.


Enclosure: Holds all the components, probably cardboard or possibly acrylic


Testing and Evaluation:

Playability – Does the game work as intended and expected.

Responsiveness – Does the game run fast enough and is it real-time.

Deliverables:

Bomberman game implemented with 2.

Extra Credit:

Bomberman game with 4 controllers, which would have slower response time.

Overall Timeline: (in weeks) Approximately 4 weeks, to be completely by December 12, 2011