The technical configuration of WURM involves four integrated components, all of which were originally conceived and created for this project.
One Spaceship
The game is centered on a physical structure, the spaceship (WURM) itself. The ship is built of foam core and 3d printed materials, which a fully operational control panel and wearable vest. The panel and vest house several controls, which the pilot must adjust during flight in order to survive
Arduino sensors
Wearable controls
One Wormhole
The visual component and logic system is written in Processing and responds to the generative audio by creating abstract 3-dimensional shapes and dynamically changing the rate of change for the graphics and the rules that govern the experience. The farther the pilot is from the target values, such as Hyperdrive, the more life is lost.
Reactive algorithmic music composed in Pure Data
Game music is performed in real time using a generative composition engine developed using the open-source data-flow programming language Pure Data. A reactive sound system was also integrated into the engine, allowing for individual space ship controls to modulate synthesizer parameters, and for wormhole turbulence to drive an active vibrating transducer rocket seat.
Base command
The second player, “Base Command,†has a screen and physical controller, which is used to communicate to the pilot player. At times, communication is interrupted which requires this player to manipulate the controller as per the instructions on screen. Base Command is fully aware of what the pilot needs to do in order to survive the wormhole, but communication is limited to one-way audio from this player to the pilot, and one-way video from the pilot to Base Command.
Created with Processing and communicated with Arduino via Serial.
