Small details on this slingshot will greatly change the nature of the gameplay experience. Choosing to isolate this element for a sketch model was wise.

return to top of page

Slingshots are fun! I think your instinct of 'people won't hand-throw the balls if they can use a slingshot' is correct. They might try to hand throw them if they get frustrated with their aiming ability.

return to top of page

The most important object that the user interacts with in this room is the slingshot-ball mechanism. It is definitely an important thing to sketch model and see what can be learned from exploring the concept.

return to top of page

1. The concept of slingshot is very interesting. I think it would be great. if it can be designed in a such a way that full operation can be achieved when all the team members work together. Alternatively, there can be multiple of them in the room so that each player work with one of them.

2. In order to improve the physical aspect of the concept, I think the balls can stay in the room and each time a player shoots them, he or she should go and grab the ball for the next shoot.

3. The targets can just be mounted on the walls so that the players can move around the room.

4. There is still a chance that the players take the ball out with themselves and I am not sure how to avoid that.

5. It is possible that the players cheat and hit the targets with hand or leg to activate the sensor sensing being shot by the ball. This is concern and at the moment I don't have an idea how to prevent that but it's something to think about.

return to top of page

since the slingshot is what guests will be interacting with the most, it is important that you start modeling and thinking about that piece as early as possible. I wonder though how would you prevent guests from shooting balls upwards. Since the room would not have a ceiling shooting upwards could result in having the ball go above the walls and out of the room. Perhaps the slingshot can only move upwards by a certain amount, or there is a guard attached to the top of the slingshot, so that if you shoot at too high of an angle it will hit the guard rather than shoot above the wall.

return to top of page

I love the storyboard and would be super stoked to be in that room. Additionally, it makes sense to explore this sketch model and the feasibility of making a slingshot. I wish that the ball had been considered as part of this model- what is the material of it and is the sling the right size? I feel like I'm not sure how it actually slings the ball?

return to top of page

This model was very simplistic, and doesn't explore many of the most critical features described in the storyboard. Modeling the stretch limiting string and some sort of fixture for the ball would have been informative. These features may be especially if this slingshot is intended for use behind a ball-retaining net. This model looks very difficult to aim in the videos, and may have benefited from being more solidly constructed.

Good job identifying the need for the left-right rotation.

return to top of page

Think about what it might look like to encase the slingshot and the shooting gallery behind a mesh, screen, polycarb panel, etc., framed out with wood.

I'm picturing a knee wall that is the height of the raised bed of the gallery and a 'bank teller slot' which guests can reach into to operate the sling. Balls could appear in the front of the wall like a pool table, and they could reach in with it through the slot to fire the sling.

If players have to reach into the gallery to fire the slingshot: 1) It'll help keep the balls from running amok, even if people can still pull them out, 2) It'll keep guests from over-drawing the sling and snapping it, 3) It'll keep guests from taking a sling or projectile to the face, 4) it'll keep guests from mucking with the shooting gallery parts.

The balls themselves could be larger than the 'bank teller slot' - and the guests retrieve them from within the gallery. This would help keep them from being removed by guests, or more likely, just rolling away and out of the space. (Ball pit balls instead of ping pong, maybe?)

return to top of page

I like all the considerations that you took from your feedback to implement it into simple sketch model. Since this is an important part of the room, I think it could have been developed a bit more or at least demonstrated how the slingshot works. The videos posted weren't really for the slingshot as much as they were for the target practice. Since it is a works-like that users directly interact with, a full size replica might have been more useful.

return to top of page

1. The ball can be a nerf ball for safety matters in case it hist someone's body or face.

2. Multiple small slings with limited rotation range in the room. Each of the slings cover an area in the room. As a result, each person needs to operate one sling to be able to hit all the targets within a limited time.

3. There needs to be fence on the roof to avoid ball jumping out of the room.

return to top of page

The level of execution done for this model is the right amount in order to test shape and design of the slingshot. However, in order to verify that guests will actually be able to aim and shoot simultaneously without difficulty, the appropriate materials need to be chosen. I think this stage needs to be done soon, because if you find that you cannot aim and shoot at the same time then you will need to make changes to the design and game play. (For instance, maybe you purposefully want it to be difficult to aim, so you would have one or two guests positioned at the post in order to aim, and a third shooting the ball. That way you can engage more people at a time)

return to top of page

This works like model is really nice, especially the foamwork! The sling is repeatable and its fun. Good work!

return to top of page