The Gaudy Woods
A virtual forest walk with kinetic interface
CLient
Computerspielemuseum Berlin
Partner
Robert Frentzel
Project date
2012
Awards
Most Amazing Game Award Finalist 2013
German Game Award 2014, 3rd place
“The Gaudy Woods” is a realtime game with unique kinetic interface made of recycled tires and raw steel. You walk on wheels to move forward. The wheels are attached to an arc you control with your arms to change direction – full body experience! In this highly immersive game the player dives deep into an overwhelmingly colorful and psychedelic forest. On the top it also trains the sense of balance while playing.
Game Design
The game invites you through an extraordinary trip with peculiar residents who communicate in their very own way. Most of them sing in choirs, snore or trumpet your way. Their funny characters will join you on your journey through abstract polygonal nature aesthetic. But you will have to train your body and balance in order to make it!
Even if there are no points to collect and goals to achieve, “The Gaudy Woods” promotes physical fitness in a playful way and enables a highly interesting and wonderful gaming experience.
Interface
In contrast to conventional input devices such as keyboards or joysticks, the interface improves the immersive effect of the application on the one hand, and addresses the entire body and trains the sense of balance on the other. The construction of the interface consists of four recycled tires on which the user walks forward. The body’s leaning angle controls the direction and speed of the steering movement.
The translation of the inclination is done by an acceleration sensor, which is connected to the computer by a microcontroller. A standard optical mouse attached to the side of the tyres is used to read in the running movement.
