Goal

Creative Development
    - Story Development
    - Doc Design
    - Room Design
    - Interaction Design
    - Prop Design

Technological Development

Lessons Learned

People

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Our creative process started with story.

The story of "Doc Beardsley Presents..." revolves around its title character, a kooky and slightly cynical old man whose zaniness translates directly into the inventions he concocts. We see Doc Beardsley in his element, his very own lab, where he creates the inventions that are so fundamental to his persona. Recently he's been trying to raise the exposure of his inventions. Thus he has converted his lab into a working television studio to broadcast a program that highlights his creations, "Doc Beardsley Presents...” Our show allows guests the chance to visit Doc's crazy lab to both see and experiment with his inventions. They also comprise the studio audience for an episode of Doc's show where he unveils the INVISIBLE MACHINE!

What could happen along the way...or rather, what couldn't? After the guests have entered and the stage manager is counting down to show time, suddenly the electricity fails. You must then help Doc pay the electricity the bill by pumping jam (he pays them in condiments).

Once the show begins you meet Doc's cute little pet hamster, Slippy, who has been given a hamster translator so that he can be understood. After getting a chance to tinker with Doc's inventions, he unveils the INVISIBLE MACHINE, which is naturally, invisible. But it isn't long before Doc's evil nemesis (or an interim one while the real nemesis is on vacation) comes back from the past, the invisible Interminator. He actually used to be Doc's assistant, but when Doc turned him invisible and mixed up some body parts in the return process, he became deformed and forever invisible. Now he's come to do the same to Slippy!

So the Interminator turns Slippy invisible using Doc's machine. Doc implores his guests to help expel the Interminator and save Slippy before he stays invisible forever. The guests can use many choices to terminate the Interminator, or even discover a method on their own. If not, Doc himself may be able to save the day.

Once the Interminator is sent back to the past, the guests try to help Doc make Slippy visible again, except the wrong lever is pulled and now Slippy's pigment packets are rolling about the room. Now everyone must try to retrieve Slippy's pigment packets before he is forever invisible. If they can, then Slippy is returned to normal. If not, then he takes on a newly found comedic form of existing half-invisible. By this time, Doc's regularly scheduled program is over, and the guests must bid a fond farewell until next time. They are encouraged to return, and of course, to dance their way out as Doc plays his favorite vibe...disco music.

Based on the above story and backstory created last year, we began to sketch the characters, environments, props, and interactive elements. Below is a rough storyboard that shows the experience.

		The Experience starts with a preshow on a monitor inbedded into Doc Beardsley's facade. The video includes infomercials for his invetions as well as instructions for the first interaction.
		The first interaction is logging into Doc's Door Keyboard (Dorky Board). Each guest types in their name on the jumbled alphabet on his door and their names appear on the monitor and are later used by Slippy, Doc's hamster sidekick/lab assistant.
		Shortly after entering the room and meeting Doc, they are thrust into the second interaction, the Jam Pump. Doc has neglected to pay the electric company this month and the guests must help him by pumping jam to the company as payment.
		Once power is restored to Doc's studio lab he unveils his latest invention, the Invisible Machine! Except, no one can see it (because it's invisible of course).
		Just as Doc is about to demonstrate his invention, his interim villain, the Interminator, appears (so to speak) and threatens to turn Slippy permanently invisible just as Slippy and Doc had done to him so many years ago.
		The guests rush to pick up Slippy's pigment packets that have been scattered through the room and return them to the invisible machine so that Slippy's color can be restored and he can be made visible once again.