Appendices - Super Explorers

User Manual

Game Controls & Settings

To play our game simply launch the game and position your device's camera or any connected camera's you may be using in an area with good but not intense lighting. If using motion input, remember to click back into the game after the motion input window pops up to refocus onto the game.

Controls

Motion input using camera tracking
Keyboard (WASD or arrow keys)
Mouse for drag and click actions
Joystick support for some games

Settings

Simplified Controls option
Adjustable volume
Show Tutorials toggle
Adjustable motion input components

We've also included a 'Simplified Controls' option in the settings menu which is a more convenient option for the jogging to walk motion input. Volume can also be adjusted in the settings menu alongside the option to turn on 'Show Tutorials,' which will ensure the next training opportunity gives you guidance on how to play before getting into the game itself.

All of our games can be played through motion input as well as keyboard and mouse if a camera is not available to you. We've stuck to intuitive keyboard and mouse controls such as clicking and dragging, and 'wasd' and arrow key controls. Some of our games, such as golf, may support joystick control; however, as this wasn't a main focus of our game, this does not follow through to the rest of the games.

If downtime from our game is needed, no need to worry since none of our games are time-based, and any timers seen do not contribute towards your score. Lastly, if you believe the motion input is not running as it should, simply exit the application and relaunch the game.

Deployment Manual

Installation Guide

Our game is available on the Microsoft Store. To install it through the Microsoft Store, simply search 'Super Explorers' and download then install it on your Windows device. It is also available for all operating systems in the form of a Unity build application contained within a zip folder. To play our game using motion input, you must also download the ViGEmBus extension seen in the zip containing our project. However, it is to be noted that ViGEmBus is only supported on Windows devices, and therefore motion input in our game is only available on Windows devices.

Download our zip folder containing our project.
Unzip the folder and store the contents somewhere accessible.

Our game utilises a ViGEmBus extension to allow for the motion input, which should be automatically installed if done through the Microsoft Store. It can also be found in the following link: ViGEmBus.
[Optional] To make the game more easily accessible, right-click the 'SuperExplorers' Unity executable, then click 'Show More Options' and then 'Create shortcut.' Following that, drag the newly created shortcut to your desktop.

Run the 'SuperExplorers' Unity executable (double-click the shortcut on the desktop if step 4 was done).

Need Help With Installation?

If you encounter any issues during installation, please contact our support team.

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Monthly Video

Development Updates

December 2024: Initial Concept & Foundation Development

Summary: Our team introduces "Super Explorers," a game integrating motion input and generative AI technology. The team highlights their progress on the exploration map where players can select seasonal adventures, created using Unity's terrain tools and free environmental assets. They've also developed an initial version of the mini-golf game with a hit counter and power bar. Current challenges include asset acquisition for visual appeal and collaboration constraints due to limited Unity seats.

Highlights:

🎮 Game Concept: First demo of "The Super Explorers" with motion input integration
🌎 Map Development: Created exploration environment with seasonal themes using Unity terrain tools
⛳ Mini-Golf Prototype: Implemented basic golf mechanics with hit counter and power bar
🎨 Asset Challenges: Team working to acquire better assets to enhance visual appeal
⚙️ Future Plans: Integration of procedural map generation and two-player functionality

January 2025: Racing Mechanics & Map Development

Summary: Team 6 is developing "Super Explorers," a motion-controlled game for children with autism. The team addresses racing mechanics issues where controls don't accurately reflect driving, resulting in drifting and loss of control. They'll implement Unity's Wheel Collider component for more realistic physics and are learning Blender to create custom maps due to asset limitations.

Highlights:

🚗 Racing Mechanics Challenge: Controls don't mimic actual driving leading to drifting issues
🗺️ Map Creation: Team plans to use Blender to create custom maps due to asset limitations
🌳 Static Exploration Map: A static map is created while awaiting procedural generation capabilities
🚀 Mini-Game Logic: Successfully developed logic for the 'wipeout' scene

February 2025: Multiplayer Solutions & Physics Refinement

Summary: In this February update, our team discusses their project "Super Explorers," addressing the motion input system's limitation to single-player gameplay. The team plans to shift to turn-based gameplay for cooperative play, while also fixing physics issues in the golf mini-game caused by gaps in custom-designed assets.

Highlights:

🎮 Motion Input Limitation: The current software setup allows only one player at a time, necessitating a shift to turn-based gameplay
⛳ Golf Game Physics Issues: Gaps between custom game pieces cause erratic ball movements; solutions involve merging piece properties in Unity
🛠️ UI Improvements: The user interface has been upgraded for a better player experience across mini-games
⚗️ Potion Brewing Game Development: The first part of the brewing game is complete, with ongoing work to introduce multiplayer functionality

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Development Blog

Below you'll find summarized updates from our development journey. These previews highlight key milestones and challenges we've encountered throughout the project. Click "Read More" on any entry to be directed to our detailed Notion blog where you can explore the full development process, including images, technical details, and team insights.

Week 3-5 : Requirement gathering, Design and HCI

We've made significant progress in our game development project after productive meetings with our client. The project scope has been defined as a four-player split-screen game featuring multiple mini-games within an explorable map environment. Our client has encouraged creative freedom while maintaining regular check-ins to ensure we're aligned with their vision.

After thorough discussions and feedback sessions, we've finalized five engaging mini-games: Wipeout, Racing, Bubble Burst, Potion Making, and Golf. The client emphasized that all games should feature simple controls and consider the multiplayer aspect, ensuring all players have meaningful ways to collaborate and enjoy the experience together.

We've also consulted with the MotionInput team to explore motion-based control integration, giving us valuable insights into the feasibility of our concepts. Initial concept designs have been created, visualizing our game environments and characters with a focus on creating visually appealing scenes.

As we move forward, we're addressing several challenges: learning the Unity Engine, understanding our target audience's specific needs, navigating asset acquisition, and designing games that are enjoyable without being addictive. Our next steps include developing HCI (Human-Computer Interaction) materials and creating personas that accurately represent our target users.

Week 12-14: Development Progress Update

As we approach our deadline, we've shifted focus to development with working mechanics now in place for our game components. We're using Excel and Jira for efficient task management and timeline tracking.

We've made significant progress on Exploration, Mini Golf, Potion Brewing, Wipeout, and Racing. Our sixth planned mini-game, 'Bubble Burst,' has been temporarily deprioritized after consultation with our clients. They've confirmed that the four existing games plus the exploration component provide sufficient content for the project scope. We may still implement Bubble Burst if time permits, but it's currently marked as minimum priority.

Key Challenges:

Mini Golf: Asset limitations required learning Blender for custom map creation, while physics issues with the golf ball required extensive troubleshooting
Racing: Creating efficient track boundaries without cluttering the Unity scene with numerous colliders remains a challenge we're actively addressing
UI: We're planning to implement additional Unity assets to enhance visual polish across all games.

Throughout development, key challenges included learning Blender for custom Mini Golf maps, implementing efficient track boundaries for Racing, and enhancing UI elements across all games. We're addressing each issue with targeted solutions to improve gameplay while considering performance

Week 19-21: Finalisation

Our team was invited to conduct supervised playtesting sessions at Helen Allison School alongside other motion input teams. Working with younger students in two different classrooms, we gathered direct feedback on gameplay experience and user satisfaction. While we acknowledge some positive bias may exist when introducing games in a classroom environment, the feedback forms provided valuable insights into how our target audience interacts with our game in a real-world setting.

A key technical decision in our final development phase involved our exploration map. After careful evaluation of the procedural generation library, we determined it hadn't yet reached the necessary stability for our requirements. In consultation with our clients, we implemented a hardcoded map design instead, offering several advantages: consistent performance with predictable computational requirements, better quality control with carefully designed areas, enhanced accessibility through environmental predictability, and improved development efficiency as we approached our deadline.

As we approach final delivery, we've focused on both game optimization and comprehensive documentation. We've significantly improved our Unity build by conducting a thorough asset audit, removing unused components, optimizing script performance, and reducing overall file size without sacrificing quality. Simultaneously, we've completed our project website documentation, with the relvant background reseach done into for example legal considerations regarding GDPR and data protection. This final phase has highlighted our team's resilience and flexibility in meeting project goals despite the challenges encountered along the way.

Legal Issues and Processes

1. GDPR and Data Privacy Statement

Data Collection and Processing

Our game does not collect any personal data. For motion input detection and gameplay purposes, we do utilise camera input, but it is to be noted that the camera feeds are all processed in real time and for the motive of motion input gameplay alone. It is not recorded, stored, or transmitted to any external servers.

All camera data processing occurs locally on the user's system/device, and there is no data retention period or sharing of the camera feed data to any third parties.

Legal Basis for Processing

The legal basis we have for our limited camera access is through user consent since users must explicitly grant camera permissions through their device's standard permission system before this feature can actually be used. The necessity for this feature is to provide the accessibility functionality of motion-based gameplay as opposed to the base keyboard and mouse option.

User Rights

Although the motion input gameplay option is an accessibility option, users have the right under GDPR to revoke the camera access at any time through their device settings. Users also have the right to play the game without enabling camera access, that is, through keyboard and mouse.

Data Security

To ensure the privacy and security of our users:

Camera access is only active when in the middle of gameplay and the motion-based gameplay is available.
No retained or persistent connection to the camera access is maintained when the game is no longer on or running.

Contact Information

For any questions or concerns regarding our data practices, please contact UCL.

2. Source Code License Declaration

Source Code Licensing

Our game is developed through the use of the Unity Engine, which is subject to Unity's own licensing terms. We are using Unity under the Unity Personal license agreement.

The original source code for our game, excluding any third-party assets and the Unity Engine itself, is proprietary and owned by UCL. All rights are reserved unless explicitly stated otherwise.

Attribution Requirements

Unity Engine: Our game includes the following mandatory attribution: "Made with Unity" with the Unity logo displayed in the game credits and on marketing materials as required by Unity's branding guideline.
Microsoft: Any attribution requirements specified in the Microsoft Store Developer Agreement are fulfilled through proper branding and acknowledgement in the application's information page.

Limitations and Liabilities

Warranty Disclaimer: This software is provided without any warranty of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to the implied warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. The entire risk as to the quality and performance of the software lies with the user.
Limitations of Liability: In no event will UCL, Unity Technologies, or any third-party asset creators be liable for any damages, including but not limited to lost data, lost profits, or other incidental or consequential damages arising out of the use or inability to use this software.

3. Terms and Conditions

User Responsibilities

By using this game, users agree to:

Use the game for its intended purpose as an exploration game for children, where accessibility for children with disabilities has been provided.
Provide appropriate supervision when children are using the game.
Ensure that the camera used for motion input is positioned safely and appropriately.
Report any bugs, errors, or issues encountered during gameplay to UCL's motion input team (info@motioninputgames.com).
Keep the software updated to the latest version available on the Microsoft Store for the purpose of but not limited to bug fixing.
Not attempt to reverse engineer, decompile, or modify the game software.

Acceptable Use Policy

This game may only be used in a manner that:

Complies with all applicable laws and regulations.
Respects the rights and dignity of others.
Does not interfere with the operation of the game or any connected services.
Does not attempt to exploit vulnerabilities in the software.
Does not use the motion input feature for collecting or recording any personal data.

Termination Conditions

We reserve the right to terminate or suspend access to the game at our sole discretion, without prior notice or liability, for any reason, including but not limited to:

Violation of these Terms and Conditions.
Upon request by law enforcement or other government agencies.
Discontinuation or material modification of the game.
Unexpected technical or security issues.
Extended periods of inactivity.

Upon termination, your right to use the game will immediately cease. All provisions of these Terms which by their nature should survive termination shall survive, including ownership provisions, warranty disclaimers, indemnity, and limitations of liability.

These Terms and Conditions were last updated on [22/03/2025].

4. Copyright Notice

Copyright Declaration

This software contains assets from third-party creators as listed in the Source Code License Declaration, each of which is subject to its own copyright and licensing terms.

5. Accessibility Statement

Compliance with Accessibility Standards

Our game is designed with accessibility as a core principle, specifically targeting children with disabilities. We have made efforts to comply with relevant European accessibility standards including:

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 principles
European Accessibility Act (EAA) requirements
EN 301 549 - European standard for digital accessibility
European Standard EN 17161:2019 (Design for All)
Game Accessibility Guidelines as outlined by gameaccessibilityguidelines.com

Specific Accessibility Features Implemented

Our game includes the following accessibility features:

Motion Input Technology: Integration with UCL MotionInput Games technology allows players with limited mobility to control gameplay through natural body movements captured via camera.
Adaptable Difficulty Levels: Multiple difficulty levels that can be adjusted to match the abilities and needs of each player.
High Contrast Visuals: Clear visual design with strong color contrast to assist users with visual impairments.
Customizable Motion Input components: Motion input components can be clicked and dragged to be moved into more appropriate locations, to account for players of different height and environments when playing the game.
Audio Cues: Important gameplay events are accompanied by distinct sound effects to assist players with visual impairments.
Simple, Intuitive Controls: Interface designed to be easily understood and operated regardless of prior gaming experience.
Tutorials for main gameplay events: A step-by-step guide has been provided and is available at any stage of the game where needed, either in the form of video or a step-by-step gameplay feature.
No Time Pressure: Game progression is not dependent on any time restrictions, allowing players to proceed at their own pace.
Alternative Input Methods: Support for various input devices beyond the intended motion input design.

Known Limitations

We acknowledge the following current limitations:

Motion Tracking Sensitivity: The motion input feature may require calibration for optimal performance with different users and lighting conditions.
Cognitive Accessibility: Additional support may be needed for users with cognitive disabilities to understand gameplay concepts.

Planned Improvements

We are committed to ongoing accessibility improvements, including:

Enhanced calibration tools for more precise motion detection
Additional cognitive accessibility features, including simplified instruction modes
Compatibility with a wider range of assistive technologies

6. Conclusion

Adhering to legal requirements and best practices is essential for ensuring our software project is both legally compliant and ethically sound. The considerations outlined in this appendix demonstrate our commitment to respecting intellectual property rights, protecting user privacy, maintaining appropriate licensing agreements, and providing accessible digital experiences.

These legal considerations have been integrated throughout our development process and will continue to inform future updates and improvements to our software. As legal standards and accessibility requirements evolve, we are committed to reviewing and updating these policies to maintain compliance and best serve our users.

For questions or further information regarding any legal aspects of this project, please contact UCL.