Timers; a crazy idea
Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2011 5:42 pm
Time limited games are often tricky to run if the equipment and organization isn't available. However, sometimes time limits are imperative to have in certain game configurations.
Traditionally, I have one player from each team run a timer on a watch and synchronize it accordingly. However, the time bearer may not hear the timer go off, so I have imagined more radical solutions to the problem, that would also allow for other possibilities.
Since much water warfare action takes place around my house, it wouldn't be too farfetched to open up a window and bring some big speakers out to blast music, etc. I could also blast a timer alarm to indicate the ending of games. However, setting this up would be extensively difficult and require certain equipment, but I've come up with something.
There are four windows/doors I can use. One of these doors is where I typically go through when bringing out the armory, so it is the ideal location for controlling the timer. The only better method is to get some kind of water-resistant wireless clicker or something, as I'm going to use a PC to control this. Specifically, a laptop will reside close to the door so I can quickly go inside and control it.
Now, this leaves us with three windows, two on the first floor and one on the second. There's a window in the family room, the dining room, and a bathroom window upstairs. The family room window is ideal for using to display information, but a hose also resides there making it far too dangerous to try to play sound out of. The window in the dining room is less dangerous for playing sound through, and I can still place a display over it at the same time. The upstairs window however, will be far too difficult to setup a display that people can actually see, thus it is only good for sound. However, it will carry the sound farther since it's upstairs, and is the safest option if I don't want incoming streams to fry some electronics.
The best way to do this that I can think of right now is to have the control computer at the door. Next to the door is a pseudo-door that works as a window, and I can place a computer monitor there to display information, and simply connect it to the laptop that will be the main controller. Then, upstairs will be where the sound goes. The sound system will be controlled by another computer that's also upstairs, and using LogMeIn, a remote access software, I can have full control over that system and set the timer as well. It's even possible to get the timer to display over the monitor for viewing information.
I'm a little uneasy about relying on an internet-required remote access software, but unless I can find and/or write a program that can do the same thing over just the LAN, this is my best option. The timer itself will already require some work to get going; I'll have to find a timer program online or make one in, say, Flash or Java.
What do people think of this?
Traditionally, I have one player from each team run a timer on a watch and synchronize it accordingly. However, the time bearer may not hear the timer go off, so I have imagined more radical solutions to the problem, that would also allow for other possibilities.
Since much water warfare action takes place around my house, it wouldn't be too farfetched to open up a window and bring some big speakers out to blast music, etc. I could also blast a timer alarm to indicate the ending of games. However, setting this up would be extensively difficult and require certain equipment, but I've come up with something.
There are four windows/doors I can use. One of these doors is where I typically go through when bringing out the armory, so it is the ideal location for controlling the timer. The only better method is to get some kind of water-resistant wireless clicker or something, as I'm going to use a PC to control this. Specifically, a laptop will reside close to the door so I can quickly go inside and control it.
Now, this leaves us with three windows, two on the first floor and one on the second. There's a window in the family room, the dining room, and a bathroom window upstairs. The family room window is ideal for using to display information, but a hose also resides there making it far too dangerous to try to play sound out of. The window in the dining room is less dangerous for playing sound through, and I can still place a display over it at the same time. The upstairs window however, will be far too difficult to setup a display that people can actually see, thus it is only good for sound. However, it will carry the sound farther since it's upstairs, and is the safest option if I don't want incoming streams to fry some electronics.
The best way to do this that I can think of right now is to have the control computer at the door. Next to the door is a pseudo-door that works as a window, and I can place a computer monitor there to display information, and simply connect it to the laptop that will be the main controller. Then, upstairs will be where the sound goes. The sound system will be controlled by another computer that's also upstairs, and using LogMeIn, a remote access software, I can have full control over that system and set the timer as well. It's even possible to get the timer to display over the monitor for viewing information.
I'm a little uneasy about relying on an internet-required remote access software, but unless I can find and/or write a program that can do the same thing over just the LAN, this is my best option. The timer itself will already require some work to get going; I'll have to find a timer program online or make one in, say, Flash or Java.
What do people think of this?