Project: Videogame coded by hand from scratch

Introduction

Growing up, I used to play a classic shooter game called 'night raid', where you had to defend a bunker or a base from enemy planes from falling bombs and parachuted soldiers. These games were simple yet addictive, and always kept me engaged for hours. So, when I started learning p5js, I thought it would be fun to create my own version of this classic game. And that's how this bunker defense game was born.

Problem Statement

The goal of this project is a game where you protect your bunker from enemy planes dropping bombs. The game starts with slow, weak planes and as time goes on the planes get faster and stronger.

The longer you play the more challenging the game becomes until you lose.

I also included a mechanic called 'rapidfire,' which allows the player to temporarily shoot faster but with less damage.

The game on itself has no ending, it ends when you can't keep up anymore.

Technical Details

One of the biggest challenges I faced when creating this game was building everything from scratch. This includes physics and imagery. I wanted to get the whole experience from start to finish.

Since the game involves objects moving and colliding with each other, I needed to create a physics engine that could handle all the calculations in real-time. I used mathematical concepts like vectors, acceleration, and velocity to simulate the movement of planes and bombs.

Another technical challenge was creating the images for the game. Since I wanted to give it a pixel-art style, I decided to create the images by hand using Photoshop. This process took almost 2 weeks, as I had to draw each plane and bomb from scratch

Key Features

• Custom Physics Engine: The game features a custom physics engine that simulates the movement of planes and bombs in real-time.
• Pixel Art Style: The game has a pixel-art style created by hand using Photoshop, giving it a unique and nostalgic look.
• Rapidfire Mechanic: The game includes a 'rapidfire' mechanic that allows the player to shoot faster for a limited time.
• Challenging Gameplay: The game gets progressively more challenging as time goes on, keeping players engaged and entertained.
• Score Tracking: The game keeps track of the player's score and displays it on the screen, encouraging players to beat their high score.
• Boost mechanics: The player can collect a power up that increases their firepower temporarily.

Use Cases

Bunker Defense is a fun game that can be played by anyone who enjoys classic shooter games. It's a great way to pass the time and improve your hand-eye coordination.

Conclusion

Creating this game was a fun and challenging experience that allowed me to explore my creativity and programming skills. By building everything from scratch, I gained a deeper understanding of game development and physics simulations. The game is simple yet engaging, and I hope it brings joy to anyone who plays it.

Images

Links