Blinky-Chanty Box

A multiplayer game for cooperative meditative chanting. It uses custom pitch detection software to compare the pitch-based distance between two microphones.

DATE

2009

CONTEXT

Created for Winter 2009 Game Design Class (DESMA 157A), taught by Eddo Stern

MEDIUM

Wood, Plastic, Arduino, LEDs, Java, MARF (Modular Audio Recognition Framework), Microphones

PEOPLE

Richard Caceres  :  Game Designer and Programmer
Madeline Gallagher  :  Game Designer and Fabrication

The goal is for players to sing into the microphones at the same pitch for as long as they can. The longer the pitch is sustained, the more the players are rewarded with stunning visual displays on the BLINKY-CHANTY BOX. If a player gets tired, she can pass the microphone to another player. This makes the game a group activity.

  • Step 1. One player starts a constant chant into a microphone.
  • Step 2. Another player matches the leader’s pitch and must sustain that pitch together for as long as they can.
  • Step 3. If either player gets tired, pass the microphone to a friend.
  • Step 4. Watch AMAZING SPIRITS dance in a blinky spectacle of light!
  • Step 5. Attain spiritual enLIGHTenment and gain inner peace.