Draft 2

TEST ONE

Hypothesis

"Architecture that bleeds...and even breaks"

A persons threshold for pain increases as the difficulty and risk of an activity increases

The test consisted of a typical game scenario, where there was a goal(to get to the end), it had a 'fun' factor (getting past the obstacles), and subjects were learning.

Subjects had to jump from rail to rail from start to finish, ramps and platforms were provided if you were to fall off. As the you progress further down the series of

ramps and platforms began to fall away underneath you exposing increased risk through height, and the difficulty increased as the rails and ramps decreased in width and 

shifted positions to the left or right of the previous rail.

The pain threshold being measured by their patience to continue trying to finish the level.

The test also had to be completed on two levels, level one on foot and level two using the hover board.

The types of subjects chosen were not familiar with PC gaming therefore had no skill or knowledge of the gaming engine. This created a level playing field and allowed 

their skill levels to be built upon with each failure. 

On level one only 2 out of 6 managed to make it to the finish line and with the hover board no one was successful.

By observing their reactions to the tests it was evident that as their skill increased so did the expectation to complete the test. With each failure came a disappointed sigh 

or curse.

As the subjects continued to complete the test, their confidence increased and they sped through sections of the level they had mastered,

as their skill increased so did their speed in reaching the goal, not bothered if they fell off and had to start from the beginning again.

On the basis that patience was a measure of pain, two if the subjects pain threshold increased as their skill increased and  continued to make it to the 

finish line. 

Level two, the hover board challenge, proved that everyone had a limit. The increased difficulty with the hover board proved too 'pain full' for 

all involved.

TEST TWO

Hypothesis

"Architecture should be .....repelling"

Certain patterns whilst lying down on a moving gurney can cause nausea and or make the patient uncomfortable.

A series of gurneys were set up with a ceiling above, on the underside of each ceiling there was a pattern/texture. The patterns/textures were limited to 2D 

lines so that the test subject could not associate it with any particular material, such as brick, concrete and so on. The subject jumped onto the gurney and 

laid down facing the ceiling in first person.

The results showed that patterns that consisted of horizontal lines were extremely irritating to the subjects, especially the rainbow coloured lines. Forcing 

most to blink their eyes continuously or look away from the screen.

The narrow curved lines on a black background seem to be quite mesmerising, creating varying patterns as the gurney changed speeds. 

Diagonal black and white squares seem to be acceptable, black and white curved lines made all feel uncomfortable and dizzy.

Another key factor was the proximity of the ceiling to the gurney, the ceiling were placed at approximately 3metres above.

Horizontal lines and varying colours proved to be the most irritating and most likely to cause nausea, vertical lines are acceptable as they don't create motion patterns. 

From this test surfaces that the gurney will travelling under should be plain with no patterns, fittings such as lights shall be vertical and possibly tied in with vertical lines 

to create a continuous vertical surface.

TEST THREE

Hypothesis

"Architecture should be..... hard, angular"

Larger scale ramps will provide greater satisfaction due to the increased risk factor.

The test was set up in context to allow subjects to 'hover board' around on the various ramps. Each ramp providing a different opportunity

to perform a trick/stunt.

Subjects had to build up their skill level with the hover board before attempting to ride the larger ramps. 

The results had no significant pattern as some enjoyed the smaller ramps others the larger ramps.

The Architectural response will be a variety of ramps interconnecting the various levels. 

Draft2.0 from Jason Tan on Vimeo.