Equitest
Interactive Dressage
3D Game based training, delivered as a commercial CD-Rom product
Background
The concept for the software came from a business development advisor with a passion for dressage, the art of guiding a horse through a series of complex manoeuvres by slight movements of the rider's hands, legs, and weight. The dressage tests are carried out in a rectangular arena 20mx40m or 20mx60m in size, the horse's movements completely controlled by the rider, not learnt by the horse.
Brief
How to memorise and practice the complex moves required, without the use of horse, which instinctively tries to learn repeated moves, pre-empting the rider's commands and confusing tests carried out in succession. The current solution involved the use of laminated cards with arrows and text commentary, difficult to learn, providing only a top view of the moves.
Solution
To produce a 3D representation of the horse rider and arena, allowing views from the rider's perspective, an aerial view and judge's box. Let the rider watch a perfect ride, practice the moves with the test sheet, then test themselves from memory.
Making use of macromedia director, the solution implements XML as the storage mechanism for the test moves, the virtual horse "bones" and mapping to the 3D segmented model and the various animations. The animations themselves we captured via digital camera directly from the client's own horse carrying out various paces in the field with markers painted at the horse's joints. Frames were manually extracted, relative joint angles measured timed coded and the XML produced. Coded objects were then produced to control the model, animation objects containing methods for tweening positions, leading to a 3D model that could have multiple animations applied (e.g. Ear twitch, trot, head turn) in layers independently controlled and timed.
The game engine built allows the computer to play back tests stored in XML, taking into account pace changes, head stretching, rein backs and rider movement. When under user instruction, the game uses dynamically customised rider controls changing their availability and function accordingly. This takes into account the horse position, the moves possible, arena type and move combinations. Giving the rider feedback and progress checking were provided by a dynamic test sheet that builds as the sequence progresses, whilst a freestyle option allows the user to practice their own sequences.
The final solution is wrapped up together with additional background content in aesthetically friendly design complete with packaging and instruction booklet.
