Final Bachelor Project
No.Cubecle is my Final Bachelor Project in the Games and Play Squad at the University of Technology Eindhoven. The project aims to combat loneliness by stimulating communication and a sense of togetherness inside the household. No.Cubecle consists of six 3D printed motion activated cubes that together form a way to play and connect. The game can be played by two to six players, where one player uses the instructor cube (the instructor) and the rest of the players use the performer cubes (the perfomers). The device has three different operation with possibility for future expansion.
My.Slice is a mode meant for winning a reward, like the last slice of pizza. This game mode plays into the dynamics known from calling dibs. When calling dibs a person claims to have the right to own a certain object (or sometimes a person). My.Slice makes the person actually earn the right claim the object, in this case the last pizza slice. The mode is started by the instructor tapping their cube on the table twice while the side with the pentagon is on top.
In No.Dishes players have the goal of not having to do a household task. This mode plays into the dynamics of the Dutch “Hoedje van de Koning” (or Anti-dibs), where the slowest person is saddled with the task. No.Dishes makes users earn getting out of a task, by not making a mistake.
The mode is started by the instructor tapping their cube on the table twice while the side with the triangle is on top. For this mode the instructor performs an action, like turning the cube 90 degrees. The performers follow this action. If the actions were done correctly by everyone, the instructor cube vibrates quickly and the next round starts. The instructor will now add another action to the series and the performers follow the series of actions. When a performer does an action incorrectly, their cube will light up red and they have lost the game. This person has to wash the dishes
The mode will start by vibrating one of the sides. A single vibration means that the instructor has to turn the cube to the according side. A vibration on to opposite sides means the users has to shake the cube between the according two sides. The performers will follow the same movements as the instructor. Performers receive points based on doing the correct moves, where the fastest user receives the most points. If the performers pass a threshold amount of points, which will be randomized by the system each time the mode is started, their cube will light up yellow and the user has won the last slice.
Curry.or.Pizza is a simple mode to make decisions in the household, like what to eat. The mode is started by the instructor tapping their cube on the table twice while the side with the circle is on top. The users then agree on which side represents which choice (i.e. the pentagon is pizza and the heptagon is curry. The users will then all turn their cubes to the side of their choice. When everyone has chosen, the side with the most choices will vibrate on the instructor cube.
This project was the hardest one for me due to a combination of being my first solo project and the restriction of having to do the entire project from home. This meant I had to make my own plan and brainstorm by myself, without having a group to get motivated by and collaborate with. I had a hard time staying focused and lost time on distraction. However, I was still able to finish the project correctly on my own, despite the struggle. The experience has made me appreciate having a team working with you even more and retroactively made me appreciate my previous team members more.