{"id":34180,"date":"2025-04-14T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-14T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/mad-tech\/2025\/04\/14\/thinking-with-the-box-maestros-theatre-delivers-a-new-experience-for-arcade-gameplay\/"},"modified":"2025-04-14T08:00:00","modified_gmt":"2025-04-14T12:00:00","slug":"thinking-with-the-box-maestros-theatre-delivers-a-new-experience-for-arcade-gameplay","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/mad-tech\/2025\/04\/14\/thinking-with-the-box-maestros-theatre-delivers-a-new-experience-for-arcade-gameplay\/","title":{"rendered":"Thinking with the box: Maestro\u2019s Theatre delivers a new experience for arcade gameplay"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n

A marionette character controlled by ragdoll gameplay. A rotating game screen embracing the look and feel of vintage theater. Limited computer graphics and limited time. All of these came together via a student team with limitless creativity and a desire to problem-solve to create Maestro\u2019s Theatre, an arcade game developed by MADTech students and displayed at Super Magfest. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Justin Johnson is an assistant professor in the Media Arts, Design and Technology (MADTech) department at the College of Design. He also recently completed his doctorate in the college, focused on designing games with nature aesthetics for improved mood and reduced stress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last year, he tasked his sophomore studio with thinking about the box – as well as what\u2019s inside it. \u201cWe have such a strong making component in this college – I wanted to harness it,\u201d he says. He came up with the idea of making an arcade game where students could create both physical and digital designs for gameplay, using the project as an opportunity to learn their strengths and forge ahead with specific career paths. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Half the class moved forward with traditional arcade-style games. But the other half \u2013 composed of students Lydia Spears, Hope Eisenstein, Vyomini Singh, Maleah Seaman and Chris Glover \u2013 wanted a more immersive, playable experience where the game and its housing were tied together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFail and Fail Quickly\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Hope pitched several ideas to the team, but the idea of puppeteering catalyzed the team\u2019s creativity. \u201cYou\u2019re trying to save Maestro\u2019s dying theatre with your marionette\u2019s performance by catching spotlights, and the audience will cheer for you,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Working within the constraints of the project ended up being a challenge. Using small, cheap computers meant the team was limited in the gameplay they could produce. And with the team\u2019s vision of having a stage that rotated, they had to \u201cfail and fail quickly\u201d to get to a final product that worked as they intended. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Concept sketches for character development and gameplay movement.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Student Hope Eisenstein demonstrates an early prototype of the game’s rotation feature at an exhibit in Brooks Hall. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/section>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n

Each of the students brought their own skill set to the game, which helped them work collectively to build the final product. Hope, initially interested in art direction, switched to coding and game design. Lydia stepped into the role of art direction and project manager, skills she\u2019s using this year as one of the leaders of Art2Wear. Vyomini influenced the exterior design of the arcade, while Chris, with some assistance from his dad, directed the physical build.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ve grown a lot as someone who\u2019s interested in art direction through this project,\u201d Lydia says. Creating the deadlines and schedules her team needed, while trusting that they would meet the deadlines and get things done, helped all the designers get a taste of what it might be like to work in the industry. \u201cIt was a great learning experience for me,\u201d Lydia adds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Cardboard
Cardboard prototype of the game housing. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Final completed arcade. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n
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3D modeling of the arcade game housing. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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3D elements printed for exterior of arcade. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/section>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n

Design challenges presented themselves to Chris as he navigated creating a rotating structure that could also be transported. He chose to use simple, interlocking joinery in the design, a small detail which ended up greatly impacting the game\u2019s portability later on. Limited choices for monitors and being able to achieve a solid build in a short timeframe added constraints, but the group agreed that a quality, artistic finished product was important. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Debuting to a Wider Audience<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the students created their project, Justin had his eye out for the right audience to showcase it to. Partnering with several local colleges, the students first displayed their game to a small selection of fellow students, academics and locals in Brooks Hall. But some attendees from Triangle Interact suggested that Justin check out Super Magfest<\/a>, which has an indie arcade exhibition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Magfest has thousands of people attend each year, so getting their arcade game accepted meant that lots of eyes would be on the student\u2019s work. Out of hundreds of applicants, Maestro\u2019s Theatre stood out enough to earn a spot on the arcade floor as one of 75 games in the indie arcade showcase.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So the department worked to make sure that the students and their game could travel to Maryland to be a part of the 24-hour showcase. Transportation proved stressful, with the base breaking the night before the show. But the team persevered, gluing it back together and modding the game for the arcade floor experience. \u201cChris had the great idea to create an unsupervised mode, so we would be free to explore the event and check out other people\u2019s games,\u201d Hope says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Person<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

They were still tempted to watch attendees react to their game, however. \u201cI tried to stay back and just let them play,\u201d Lydia says. \u201cBut some of them might be passionate about game design, so if they seemed interested, I was like \u2018here\u2019s a notebook, share your feedback!\u2019\u201d she adds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGame design is definitely about designing for the player and for the people. Having someone who is excited and enthusiastic, and wants to see it done well, will always be the best motivator,\u201d Hope adds.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The Future of Maestro\u2019s Theatre<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The group feels motivated to keep tinkering with the project as time allows. Oftentimes, at the end of a studio, students wave goodbye to their work. But Maestro\u2019s Theatre has staying power, both in the minds of the students and the department. This unique, interactive piece of art created by the students has the potential to continue its life on in the college. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFunding from the department really helped take this project to the next level,\u201d Justin says. The students felt equally grateful for the investment, knowing that they wouldn\u2019t have the means to purchase all the supplies needed – from wood and paint to computers and graphics – on their own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis was a really wonderful experience, and it felt like we were supported,\u201d Hope adds. \u201cI don\u2019t think I could say that a lot of other places would offer this type of project to their students.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA lot of times, at the end of a studio, you wave goodbye to your work. After everyone had time to sleep and recharge, there was this feeling that Maestro\u2019s was something special, and we didn\u2019t want the project to end there,\u201d Hope says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The end of the project is bittersweet, as the four students \u2013 Lydia, Hope, Chris and Vyomini \u2013 will be graduating this year. Justin will be among them, not just as a supportive faculty member but as a graduate of the DDes program. \u201cAll he has to do is stand up at convocation, and everyone will start clapping,\u201d Lydia shares.<\/p>\n\n\n

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