The other role to consider was the effect this would have on users. I wanted to make something that would invite people in to use it. I also wanted to create some sort of "sandbox" effect that would make the user feel like they were looking over a smaller landscape.
The inlaid screens are very effective, with enough screen visible for people to become interested though enough hidden to make people move closer and lean into the table.
One of the sources of inspiration for this was god sim games, like populous shown below. These type of games featured a top down perspective, giving the user a large view of the terrain. Unlike most games before god sims didn't have a main character. Instead autonomous agents, like villagers walked around and did what they thought was best. It was the role of the user to change the landscape to protect, help and lead this agents to success.
Most of the inner workings are on display, a computer, wires and a kinect camera spread from the floor up a tripod above the table. I don't feel there is any need to hide them and that by being on display it shows the space that the user is interacting with, between a camera and a screen.
