Dead to Lights 2 was created for a course with the aim to make a game using a hardware input that we ourselves designed and implemented. This was done using a chipset called the Arduino a device that allows for circuit input and transfers it to usb. Our game idea was to use a flashlight and create a survival horror. Obviously again limited by less than 2 weeks or so of time we decided to use XNA and create a top down arcade style game. The player would use his flashlight to ward off and kill zombies; also included was the functionality to shake the flashlight to reload batteries so that the flashlight could remain lit (in game). Movement was controlled by interfacing the Arduino with a Wii Nunchuck, and if the flashlight was dead moving the nunchuck would use a melee attack. Turning and directing the in-game flashlight was controlled by shining a real flashlight at sensors placed around the screen.
Most of my work was done on creating and building the circuits needed to make the hardware work and writing the code to interface with XNA. Aside from hardware I worked on designing how the game worked, and creating all the art for the game (You can tell it’s programmer art, but alas). I like how Dead to Lights 2 turned out and considering it’s released with a keyboard ver. It’s still a nice little game. Below is a video my partner and I made discussing the development of D2L2 as well as video from the game, and playtesting sessions.