Mythic Hue

When we were children, we rarely needed expensive props to build an imaginary fantasy world. A blanket can become a cloak, a kitchen tool can become a sword, and a living room can become a dungeon if everyone agrees to play along. Mythic Hue begins from that ordinary act of imagination and asks what happens when the room can answer back. We are exploring low-cost alternatives to screen-heavy or equipment-heavy tabletop role-playing augmentation. The project uses everyday household objects as ambient game materials: lights, sound, appliances, and other domestic devices can respond to embodied gestures performed with everyday objects. Rather than asking players to wear specialized devices or shift attention toward a digital interface, Mythic Hue uses movement-based sensing on handheld props to connect physical actions with changes in the surrounding environment. A swung "sword," raised "shield," opened "spellbook," or ritualized gesture can trigger light, sound, or other smart-home effects, allowing the home itself to participate in the fiction of play.

The current prototype uses a Seeed XIAO Sense microcontroller with an onboard inertial measurement unit (IMU) and Bluetooth connectivity to sense and transmit movement data. These sensor readings are mapped to smart-home actions through Home Assistant, an open-source home automation platform. This setup allows ordinary household objects to become gesture-based controllers without requiring a dedicated commercial game device. The prototype therefore treats domestic objects as both props and interfaces: familiar things remain recognizable in the home, but they can also become temporary instruments for fantasy play!