Introduction
New age gaming is all about new technology and advanced peripherals or toys and has given rise to things such as motion gaming. The old arcade games with a big machine with large buttons and 8 bit graphics and sounds brings backs so many memories of childhoods passed which need to be relived sometimes. The proposed project is about breathing life into the old and bulk arcade machine which was a great source of entertainment (with a bit of nostalgia). “Punch it up” is an arcade based game with a lot of physical exercise included and is more or less a fighting game. With the help of large punchable buttons, you get to fight your opponent while standing right besides him in a virtual fighting game. This concept roots from the classical “big game” form factor but takes advantage of the programming capabilities offered by the Raspberry Pi 3 as well as the extensive processing power to make things more new age.
How it works
Figure 1. Basic Game Layout
The game is designed with each player having one joystick and a set of 4 buttons arranged as shown in figure 1, that can be punched to activate in-game functions which gives the player a physical feeling of the game. There are button pads which are designed with a cushion to protect your hand when you punch them and they stand on top of regular arcade buttons. The pads are removable if you want to revert back to the original arcade game button feel. When playing the game, the joystick function just like your avatar move around and dodge the attack while the punching buttons are to land punches and kicks on your opponent. Synchronise the punches/kicks and the position of your avatar for a successful ‘KO’ of your opponent.
Implementation
There are two plans of action for this project. The first involves using retro pi to play the classic arcade games like street fighter. Only this time, instead of a gamepad, you get to literally such buttons to make the characters punch in game. Buttons 5 and 6 however will be made a part of a wired joystick which the user will hold in the hand. For combos, the user can keep a button pressed while punching the second button thereby executing more advanced moves.
As shown in the diagram above, we can use a wired soft stick with two buttons conveniently placed near the thumb.
For the second phase of implementation, now of out team members will try and implement a game of our own where we take pictures of our opponent and use it in the game. The total screen is split into 8 columns and 2 rows with a 2x2 matrix available to each player. The user image is displayed to the opponents screen in one of the 4 squares. The opponent can punch one of the 4 buttons to punch in one of the 4 squares. If you are able to punch the right square you get a point. The user can move his image within the 4 squares using the joystick to avoid getting punched. The game is to punch the opponent while avoid getting punched yourself.
Risks and challenges
The only challenge here is getting the enclosure sturdy enough to take the punches. We will be taking the help of a carpenter to fabricate something that can really take it.
Summary
We are proposing a twist to the original arcade game form factor while adding a new arcade game of our own. Its our first experience with such a project and once we finish this one, we can really kick things up a notch
Thanks,
Punch It Up Team
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