Next project

6/13

So apparently I'm still having some issues getting my last project uploaded, my lovely boyfriend failed to tell me that there are some current issues with getting it working, but either way, onto project 2!

So I have a collective two weeks to get this out after starting a little late from the lag from the last project, but I think the ideas I'm going for are more about hashing out a good design rather than heavy coding, which I'll enjoy far more. Here are my current ideas I'm choosing between:

1. Small Flash game based on using the right and left audio channels to balance a person from a first person perspective. The story goes that you're a person walking down the street and suddenly you go blind (who knows why, you just do), and all you get is a "sense" of balance, which is illustrated using a white horizontal line. The user will use the mouse to make sure that line does not tip too far in a certain direction, and also listen for oncoming noises like traffic and other pedestrians to see whether they need to overbalance in another direction to avoid the obstacle. If they do not, they take damage, indicated by a red flash where the damage was taken.

2. ToiletDoor.com. One of the oldest forms of forum is the back of the toilet door. Most people who have had to use a toilet in a public place will know that for some reason, there's this allure to reading other people's stuff *anonymously* and responding around it, kind of like a discussion map almost. Our current internet forums don't allow such freedom with posting, requiring sign ups and an alias, and also a very tightly logical layout. A good example is Group Hug , except there is no replying (but the kind of stuff you see on this site you also see on toilet doors. So I'm going for that kind of anonymous.

So those are one of the projects I want to follow, I really like both ideas so choosing one is going to be really hard (and of course I can always save one for another project). I feel like choice one will be easier to code but require a bit more research and leg work (walking around blindfolded? lol) which could also be fun, but the toiletdoor.com idea is also brilliant because there really isn't much else out there that is like it. The only other remotely close example would be some of the flash multi-user whiteboards out there, though I'm having trouble finding a link to the good one right now (you can see other people drawing and it updates live. There's about 15 different whiteboards going and I think that number increases depending on the number of users, though I could be wrong). The only issue with the multi-user whiteboard is people can draw over your drawings and no text input makes communication near to impossible unless you have a graphics tablet, so I'm planning to expand on the idea by forcing people to "reserve" real estate on the page and typing to that area, and then people replying get to choose a spot around it.

But today's challenge is to choose between the two ideas, and get started with concept research and planning.