Jam-O-Drum / CircleMaze

2002

Clifton Forlines (US)
Tina Blaine (US)

"CircleMaze" is an interactive musical game for several participants. The object is to direct the game pieces into the middle of a labyrinth. Specially developed "Jam-O-Drum" navigation encourages the formation of teams since the middle of the labyrinth can be reached only by means of efficient and goal-oriented communication. Modification of the musical score and thus active participation in the musical arrangement is the result of the successful collaboration of all players.

By combining novel input devices with real-time computer graphics on an integrated tabletop surface, "CircleMaze" brings together a group of people to participate in a synergetic musical game. Each player station has a turntable input device that is used to control visual and aural elements of the game.

Our primary goal for "CircleMaze" was to design a game that encouraged communication and collaboration among its players. The task for the players is to guide all of the game's pieces to the middle of the maze. Because the maze is divided into concentric rings, the pieces must pass through each ring in turn; thus, all the players must work together to achieve this goal.

Movement of the pieces and rings produces changes in the musical score—as each player turns their ring, they affect the graphics and alter their sonic contribution to the ensemble. "CircleMaze" participants are immersed in a goal-oriented game in addition to a collaborative music-making experience.

The most important requirement of the players is that they are able to communicate effectively and work together as a team. No musical experience is required because any movement of the rings produces a complementary musical effect. People who might not ordinarily participate in group musical activities due to inhibitions surrounding public performance, usually approach the "CircleMaze" because of its game-like interaction and appearance.

Tina Blaine and Clifton Forlines would like to thank the following people for their contributions to various phases of the Jam-O-Drum/CircleMaze Project:

Don Antoinelli, Kevin AuYoung, Christopher Cummings, Philo Chua, Dennis Cosgrove, Rebecca Crivella, Randy Hsiao, Ning Hu, Shawn Lawson, Moshe Mahler, Ian McCullough, Scott Nestel and Wil Paredes.

We would also like to thank NHT and our colleagues at Interval Research and Carnegie Mellon University, particularly, Don Marinelli, Randy Pausch Steve Audia and Dan Siewiorek, for their continued feedback and support.