Description of function
In the arcade game, Potato Farming: Mars Edition, players simulate farming on Mars by performing the activities necessary to grow crops. These activities involve watering the soil, adjusting the light level, and at the end of the season, harvesting the crop. Throughout the course of the game, the player can accrue points as shown on the health-o-meter. Correct actions award health points, and incorrect actions deduct health points. At the end of the game, the player will either harvest a good or bad potato depending on how much health they accrued over the course of the farming season. A short celebration then ensues!
The activities in the game, as well as other functions are further discussed below:
The activities in the game, as well as other functions are further discussed below:
Welcoming
While not in active use, LEDs flash on and off. When a player inserts a TOT (a washer) into a slot on the game display, this action is detected with an IR coin sensor, and the game begins. After the game+celebration is over, a solenoid pushes the TOT in order to return it to the player, and welcoming mode restarts.
1st activity: WateringThe first activity in the game involves watering the soil. There are three blue LEDs, and next to each LED is an IR distance sensor. The player is also provided a 3D-printed watering can. A player can “water” an LED by hovering above it, the IR distance sensor will detect the action. When one of the LEDs turns on, the player should water it, and if done correctly, haptic feedback is provided via a vibration motor in the watering can. If the player waters the wrong LED, all three lights flash briefly. This activity repeats for a duration of 20 seconds
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2nd activity: LightingThe second activity in the game involves adjusting the light levels. There is a potentiometer which allows the player to adjust the brightness of the sun, an LED strip at the top of the display. In addition, there are three LEDs which indicate the desired light level: low, medium, and high. If the player correctly adjusts the brightness to the desired level, the sun will momentarily turn green. If the player does not reach with desired brightness within 5 seconds, the sun will momentarily turn red. This activity repeats for a duration of 20 seconds.
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3rd activity: HarvestingThe final activity in the game is harvesting. When it is time to harvest, the LED in the harvest button will light up. The player should press the button within 10 seconds of it lighting up.
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CElebrating
The final phase of the game is a celebration mode. If the Health-o-meter displays at least 6 health points by the end of harvesting, then a good potato appears and dances side to side. If not, then a bad potato appears and dances side to side. Each potato is mounted on a rod, which is in turn mounted to a servo horn. Thus, by controlling the position of the servo, the potato position can be controlled as well.
Passage of timeA needle is attached to the output gear of a servo such that it pivots over the course of the game to indicate the passage of time.
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Health-o-meterA set of 8 LEDs, 5 red and 3 green, are used to visualize the accrued health points during the game. The number of LEDs lit up represents the health of the potato during the farming season. For every two correct actions performed during the water, light, or harvest activities, an additional LED is lit up on the Health-o-meter. For every incorrect action performed during the water and light activities, one LED is turned off on the Health-o-meter. If the button is not pressed during the harvest activity, 5 LEDs are turned off.
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