I’m happy to say that there is now a web-ready version of Roku.

I won’t be releasing a downloadable version because I feel this is representative enough of the gameplay.

Click the screen to go play Roku! It is a rather large file (15MB), be patient for the download.

Roku has a simple game metric chosen to link together the virtual and physical game play: Cellular Automata.

Roku is made from an arbitrary number of cells arranged into a hexagonal grid, like a honeycomb. The concept of Cellular Automata is reflected in Roku by each cell recognizing and affecting only it’s direct neighbors. This allows the game play to be very simple yet unique.

While this version has only two games Warm and Cool, other games could be created from this same base mechanic. For example the introduction screen is actually Conway’s Game of Life implemented in hexagonal space.

Physically, Roku exhibits strong Modular Design by using identical physical cells. It would be possible to build a Roku game board of any shape and size which allows for unique physical implementations while enabling mass-production.

Roku Warm is much like the game Lights Out. Pressing a cell will cause all of its neighbors to toggle between up and down. If a neighbor cell was up, it moves down and vice versa. Pressing the same cell a second time would return the board to it’s previous state.

To win the level, all cells must end up in the down position.

Roku Cool is about making clusters of the same color. Pressing a cell causes the colors of it’s neighbor cells to rotate. Pressing again would cause a second rotation. Six consecutive presses would return the board to it’s original state.

Make clusters of a common color to eliminate them from the board and buy you more time. Top out the time-bar to win the level.

Roku uses Cellular Automata and Modular Design techniques within a Game Design method. The result is pretty interesting in terms of a physical-virtual game crossover, expandable systems and furniture design.

Hopefully, the result is just fun!

Virtual Roku went over well with the Kokoromi’s Gamma256 project and is featured in short at the Gamma256 rundown. Unfortunately I don’t have a download available due to some weird compiling issues with the controller. I’ll most likely release a version with mouse control only.

We had a small end of the semester show a few days ago, which went very well. Amongst other things, Roku was on exhibit: both virtual and physical work in progress.

Roku Virtual had an outstanding reception. I think I may have created a few new addicts! The video game ran on my laptop for the majority of the show and got nonstop action from a variety of people. It was really great to see such positive response to the game and really see it in the hands of new fresh players for the first time.

Roku physical is coming along well. The construction of the physical cells is completed, although the electrical components haven’t been installed yet. I decided to put a satin finish on the cells, which is much nicer to the touch and won’t leave thumbprints after play.

Roku is coming along slowly but surely. It turns out that these cells take a long time to construct, and a lot of time each on the laser cutter. I have limited access to laser cutters and so that’s creating a significant bottleneck for the construction of these. I thought it worthwhile to show an image of a few of these cells together so you might start to get an idea of what these are going to look like. Over the next week or so I’ll be cranking out the remaining 16 cells, and hopefully getting a good start on the table surface.

I’m sure my father felt great pride when he was able to have his very own table saw in his home shop. Personally, I can’t wait to take home a laser cutter.

Here’s a bit of preview into the games of Roku. I posted a video of one cell moving about a few weeks ago. Here are screen shots from the video game which is controlled by an XBox 360 controller.

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Roku has officially escaped the bounds of the computer screen! Here is one cell of Roku working on it’s own. This proves that I can make these (I’ve made 2 cells so far), that the lighting looks awesome and the motion is very controllable. The button pressing action is added, but not to my satisfaction. I’m using the guts from old keyboards to act as the buttons, which is almost working. Re-using the electrical components of the keyboards proved to be really hard; I believe my next attempt will be with reed switches.

So this is what I have before my Thanksgiving vacation. When I return it will be time to hit the ground running and get all of them made. In addition to getting button-pressing working, I also need to be able to control more than 1 at a time… This is the real challenge. I’m completely new to Arduino and hardware in general, so I don’t know my constraints or what’s possible. I’ve heard rumor that controlling upwards of 20 servos from one Arduino isn’t hard to do as long as I’m okay with sacrificing some accuracy. I can deal with that. It looks like I’ll need a heafty power supply in addition to figuring out where that fits into the whole puzzle.

Over the break I’ll be finalizing the cell pattern, and material choices. Translating these models into laser-cut templates and ordering 24 of everything. If everything goes to plan without too much trouble I’ll be showing rapid Roku process and working shots of Roku in action by the New Year.