ElectroMoto Table Hockey

[Jotho]

Hi guys

Just wanted to share a video we took last week of a school project (University of Waterloo) where we mechanized a GameCraft table hockey game to be playable with dual analog PC gamepad controllers. We estimate it took our team of 4 around 700 hours to pull it off! Lots of time was spent on custom metal machine work to attach the motors, discrete circuit design to control the motors, and C/VHDL for USB interfacing and translation to motor inputs.

Enjoy, and let me know what you think!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OO5HGlUHCmc

Jonathan

 

[BrokenVisage]

Hello ElectroMoto!

 

[Howard]

700 man hours or 2800 man hours?

 

[Jotho]

That was just a rough estimate at 700 total.

 

[Leros]

What kind of controller did you use?

Does the game controller let two hockey players hit each other? If so, are you concerned about damage?

 

[Jotho]

We wrote a custom USB driver into a Nios 2 Altera SOPC that could theoretically accept any standard HID-compliant game controller. We have tested it with 5, including a Logitech Dual Action, Logitech Cordless Rumblepad, Thrustmaster Firestorm Dual Analog, Thrustmaster Dual Trigger 2-1, and a Vinyson Red Dual Analog gamepad. Wireless control is pretty cool 🙂

Whether or not player sticks collide is independent of the "game controller" per-se. We selected stepper motors (as opposed to servos, DC, etc) partly for this reason - they are current-limited and stop fairly quickly in contention situations. To answer you question, we're pretty guarded against damage from what we've observed so far.

Any other comments?

 

[GagHalfrunt]

1 person with the traditional stick controllers would beat you 500-0.

 

[Jotho]

Agreed there is a learning curve here that has yet to be mastered 🙂

However, this approach has its advantages too, like the ability to rotate a player at crazy fast speeds for an indefinite period without your arm falling off, or being able to simultaneously control two players and a goalie (analog sticks and trigger buttons)!