For my final project in Parsons D&T bootcamp, I created a site called fattofatto.org that was designed to promote the sport of bocce in New York City. I have a real love for the game, so this was a fun project, especially making mini-documentaries by interviewing other players and building a game based bocce's basic skills. Fatto!

Some raw videos of the Mein Stiffi group photon bombing the police car from their secret perch high above the city. Just trying to spread a little love, that's all!

Today, we will run through the basics of Arduino programming. To follow along, please go to the reference section of the Arduino site and step through the functions as we go.

Also, download the files below. They are the Arduino code examples we'll follow once we start making real circuits.

Challenge

How do you make learning a language/literacy skill playful?

Problem

Topic

Teaching designers fundamental multimedia programming skills

Audience

Professional designers and design students, as well as educators and psychologists who are creating applications and interfaces.

Setting

Higher-education institutions/design schools, professional associations, workplaces/on-the-job training.

Problem

How do we create an approachable learning context for groups of designers with varying experience levels in computer programming so that students will achieve a sufficient enough level of self-efficacy that they will feel able to pursue code-related projects in their own multimedia/interactive work?

Welcome to the Game Prototyping Workshop!

Making a game can be easier than you think. With a few simple concepts, you can start to piece together a prototype, in any language, that can help you test your mechanics, sketch out an interface, or examine different possibilities for artwork. In this workshop, we'll use Python to:

• Build the "main loop"
• Get input from the user
• Process the rules of the game
• Display the result on screen as graphics

all by making a simple version of Space Invaders! In one short evening!

Let's get started!

During the winter break of 2006-2007, Chris Hennelly and I spent a bunch of free time working on the Spy in the Lab project. The Spy was supposed to go to our friends at Tsinghua University and peek in on all the stuff they were doing. It didn't quite make it for that semester, but we got it working pretty close to 100% by the time we were done with break.

It was sitting in the 10 Years Running Show at the Chelsea Art Museum.

What's in the box?!: Inside this unassuming cardboard box sits an Internet-controlled robot with a camera and a range of sensors that keep it from destroying itself and those around it.

The Command Center

This is the goat skull that was part of the physical computing final project. Inside its sinuses is a halogen bulb hooked up to a relay. He really lit up the room!

Here's the audio of my presentation of our Inspector Carbone game, generously recorded by Becky Heritage. I spoke before the salon, which organized by the good folks at games for change. There was quite a crowd there, which made me a little nervous, but they had really interesting questions and comments about the project. All in all, it was an extremely valuable experience.

In this class, we'll be putting together a game from the brainstorming phase right up into a good prototype.