CODE RUNNER

Project Overview

• Game Title: "Code Runner"
• Objective: Navigate a coder avatar through a course filled with obstacles and rewards, with increasing difficulty.

Phase 1: Planning and Design

Tasks:

• Concept Sketching:
  • Sketch out all of the game layout, obstacles, and rewards. Use tools like Adobe XD or Figma.
• Game Mechanics:
  • Define mechanics for movement, collision detection, scoring, and life management.
  • Plan how difficulty increases over time (e.g., more obstacles, faster movement)
• User Interface (UI) Design:
  • Design the start menu, game over screen, and high score display.
• DB Design:
  • Decide on a simple SQLite database for storing high scores.

Resources Needed:

• Design software.
• A basic understanding of game design principles.

Phase 2: Development Setup

Tasks:

• Choose Game Engine/Framework:
  • Pygame for Python due to its simplicity for 2D games.
• Environment Setup:
  • Pythono 3.12.1, Pygame 2.6.1, SQLite 3.
• Version Control:
  • Hosted on GitHub.

Phase 3: Core Game Development

Tasks:

• Character and Asset Creation:
  • Design or source sprite images for the coder avatar, obstacles, and rewards.
• Game Logic:
  • Implement movement, obstacle generation, collision detection.
  • Deelop reward mechanics (coffee, likes, coins, experience).
• Difficulty Scaling:
  • Code algorithms to increase game speed and obstacle frequency.

Resources Needed:

• Image editing software for custom sprites (GIMP or Photoshop)
• Python/Pygame documentation.

Phase 4: Database Integration

Tasks:

• Database Setup:
  • Create a SQLite database to log high scores
• Database Operations:
  • Write functions to insert, retrieve, and display high scores.

Resources:

• SQLite documentation or a Python SQLite tutorial.

Phase 5: UI and User Experience

Tasks:

• Menu Screens:
  • Implement start menu, pause menu, and game over screen with high scores display.
• User Feedback:
  • Add sound effects for actions like collecting rewards or hitting obstacles. (Audacity for sound editing).

Resources:

• Sound creation or editing tools like Audacity.

Phase 6: Testing

Tasks:

• Unit Testing:
  • Test individual components like collision detection, scoring, etc.
• Play Testing:
  • Conduct sessions with friends or online communities for feedback.
  • Iterate based on feedback for bug fixes and gameplay balance.

Resources:

• Beta testers or gaming communities.

Phase 7: Deployment

Tasks:

• Packaging:
  • Create an executable for Windows or a setup for other platforms if needed.
• Documentation:
  • Write a README with installation instructions, controls, and game objectives.
• Distribution:
  • Host on GitHub for open-source or platforms like itch.io for distribution.

Resources:

• PyInstaller for creating standalone executables.

Phase 8: Maintenance and Updates

Tasks:

• Bug Fixes:
  • Address any bugs reported by players.
• Feature Updates:
  • Add new levels, obstacles, or rewards based on player feedback.

Resources:

• Continuous feedback from the player base.

Additional Considerations

• Legal: Ensure all assets used are either original, free to use, or properly licensed.
• Community: Engage with coding or gaming communities for support and feedback.

Progress

PHASE 1: PLANNING & DESIGN

• Concept sketching
• Game mechanics definitions
• UI design
• Database design

PHASE 2: DEV SETUP

• Python and Pygame installation
• Project structure setup
• Version control setup

PHASE 3: CORE GAME DEV

• Main menu implementation
• Player avatar placeholder (fixed position)
• Ground place added (dark mode theme)
• Basic game loop with state management (menu to game)
• Error handling and logging integration
• Player movement mechanics
• Obstacle implementation
• Reward system
• Difficulty scaling
• Collision detection
• Game over condition

PHASE 4: DB INTEGRATION

• SQLite setup
• High score saving mechanism
• High score retrieval and display

PHASE 5: UI & UX

• Main menu screen
• Game screen UI (health, experience, coins, score)
• Game over screen
• Sound effects

PHASE 6: TESTING

• Unit testing of game components
• Play testing sessions
• Feedback implementation

PHASE 7: DEPLOY

• Game packaging
• Documentation creation
• Distribution setup (GitHub, itch.io, etc)

PHASE 8: MAINT. & UPDATES

• Bug fixes
• Features updates

Current Project Structure

code_runner/
│
├── src/
│   ├── configs.py
│   ├── runner.py
│   │
│   ├── game/
│   │   ├── game_state.py
│   │   ├── player.py
│   │   └── enemy.py
│   │
│   └── gui/
│       ├── status_bar.py
│       └── pause_menu.py
│
├── assets/
│   ├── audio/
│   │   └── gameplay_track.mp3
│   ├── enemies/
│   │   └── code_bug_idle_sheet.png
│   ├── sprites/
│   │   ├── player_sprite_sheet.png
│   │   ├── player_kick_sheet.png
│   │   └── player_punch_sheet.png
│   └── background/
│       └── background.png
│
└── main.py