The four-player labyrinth game asks the users to navigate two marbles to the opposing end of a maze. While the users tilt the labyrinth through pulling on a handle located in their corner of the board, they are limited to a one-directional tilt. Thus, the only way of successfully navigating the marbles is through collaboration.
Additionally, the player’s actions are mirrored by a drawing device, which pulls on a pen as the player pulls on his or her corner. While the focus is at first on the maze itself, the drawing machine provides an additional layer of play.

As I have been exploring interactions mapped to drawing machines in previous projects, this project is taking the concept a step further, by incorporating it into a four-player game. Thus I am not only interested in the drawing itself, but how the players relate to it. I am asking questions such as: Will the players pay any attention to the drawing device? Will some players focus entirely on the drawing instead of the game? How much collaboration is triggered through the game? How do strangers act differently than a group of friends? How much will the drawing be appreciated after the game? Does it represent a trophy?

Any age – anyone.

Four players are required to play the game. Each stands in one corner of the plexi labyrinth (30 x 18’’). Arrows on the bottom of the labyrinth indicate which direction the green and yellow colored marble have to go. Each player can only pull the labyrinth down towards their direction and is thus limited in his or her influence on the marbles. Only through collaboration can the marbles successfully get to their respective goals.
As a player pulls on his or her handle a drawing machine situated next to the labyrinth pulls on a pen. Since four strings are attached to the pen, each player’s movements are mapped to the drawing machine. Thus as they play, a drawing is created.