Portalball
Portalball
The Goal: Turn a childhood toy into a tracked controller for a physics-bending game prototype.
The Goal: Turn a childhood toy into a tracked controller for a physics-bending game prototype.
I loved Koosh as a kid. The game was just squishy badminton without a net, but the rackets were the real draw. I had an idea for a VR game mechanic that would benefit from tracked controllers with lots of wind resistance.
I loved Koosh as a kid. The game was just squishy badminton without a net, but the rackets were the real draw. I had an idea for a VR game mechanic that would benefit from tracked controllers with lots of wind resistance.
After finding a vintage Koosh racket on eBay, I was ready to start tinkering with nostalgia.
After finding a vintage Koosh racket on eBay, I was ready to start tinkering with nostalgia.
First step: attach an HTC Vive tracker to the bottom of the racket and aligned it with the paddle.
First step: attach an HTC Vive tracker to the bottom of the racket and aligned it with the paddle.
Originally I was not planning to include the fabric, but it was less satisfying to swing without the air resistance created by the fabric.
Originally I was not planning to include the fabric, but it was less satisfying to swing without the air resistance created by the fabric.
Now it was ready to swing. After some prototyping in Unity3d, I settled on a portal-based game mechanic. Whatever went in the Koosh paddle came out the other controller.
Now it was ready to swing. After some prototyping in Unity3d, I settled on a portal-based game mechanic. Whatever went in the Koosh paddle came out the other controller.
Lessons Learned: There's no substitute for the real thing. Every haptic detail matters in VR.
Lessons Learned: There's no substitute for the real thing. Every haptic detail matters in VR.