Voltage-Controlled Gaming: Pittsburgh Modular's Game System

Over the last year, I have developed a keen interest in the world of modular synthesizers.  Between learning the inner workings of synthesis from friends, building a system of my own in the Eurorack format, and exploring forum pages and manufacturers' catalogs, I can proudly call myself a synth geek.  Now, I could write an entire series of articles regarding the topic (as it is indeed that expansive), but in keeping with the spirit of the blog, I will instead shine the spotlight on one specific module that I find as uncanny as I do entertaining: the Game System, by Pittsburgh Modular.

Simply put, the Game System spews out control voltages, which can be used to modulate other modules.  Its beauty, however, lies in its interface: it works like a basic gaming system!  Its screen is an 8x8 grid of LED-lit squares, with multiple inputs (including a button and CV inputs), some of which move the "player character" pixel.  The module itself has six different modes, some of which resemble basic games (such as "Meteor Shower" and "Time Traveller"), while others opt for more conventional synth module functions (sequencers for both music and percussion).

So what does this mean?  Using the Meteor Shower game as an example, the pixel representing the player character would emit a voltage every time it touches a meteor.  This could be used in conjunction with other modules to create the potential sound of this game, or left as a random CV generator to trigger whatever you wish.  The sequencer games can be used along with multiple modules to create a musical sequence or drum sequence, with the additional CV inputs allowing for a more chaotic sequence to unfold.  As is usually the case with synthesizer modules, the possibilities are limited by your imagination... even more so for an avid gamer like myself!