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[heyimben]

Course Reflection

In this class, I learned many new things about games. Before, I only played games for fun, and I did not think about the design or the experience. After this class, I understand that games are more than just play as they really have meaning. They include systems, goals, and design choices.

Each week, we did different work. We read about games, wrote blogs, and played with our classmates. We also had a chance to make our own games. I think all of these parts helped me see the full picture. I started to notice how rules can change gameplay, and how mechanics and visuals affect how players feel.

One part I liked was playing board games. At the beginning of the semester, I played games like Doubt It and Joker’s Grid, which was the game my group created. These games helped me learn how small rules can change the whole game, such as a little change can make the game more fair or more fun. I believe that testing and adjusting rules is a key part of design.

Another favorite part of the class was the final project. I worked with my teammate Anthony to make a 2D platformer called Bouncy Quest. In this game, you control a slime that keeps bouncing. You cannot jump, so you must move left or right at the right time to collect stars and avoid spikes.

In the project, I worked on coding, level design, and building the game menus. I added screens for winning, game over, and pause. The UI shows how many stars the player collects. If the player gets them all, they win. If they fall or touch spikes, they lose.

Anthony helped with animations and level layout. We created four levels. Some levels included moving platforms and spikes to increase the challenge. I had to spend time to fixed bugs like enemies lagging or the slime getting stuck. I also added mute buttons and a level select screen.

We tested the game many times. It was not easy, but I learned a lot. I feel happy that we finished it, and despite of the game is not perfect, but it works. I think it gives a fun and simple experience.

In conclusion, I wrote about games, played games and designed one my self. I think this class helped me understand games in a full way. I feel proud of my work and I want to keep learning more about games.

[heyimben]

Building More Levels and Polish in Bouncy Quest

This week, I made a lot of progress on Bouncy Quest, my final project for CS 108. I’m building it with my teammate Anthony Francis. It’s a 2D platformer where you control a slime that keeps bouncing forward. The goal is to collect all the stars in each level while avoiding spikes, thorns, and falling off the map.

I finished two full levels, and the slime now has working animations for idle, jumping, and jump-walking. When you collect a star, the UI shows your progress with animated icons. If you get all the stars, a win screen pops up. If you hit something dangerous, you lose and see the game over screen.

I also added screens for pausing, winning, game over, and a main menu. There’s background music and sound effects now too—I used sounds from Pixabay. For the level art and platforms, I used assets from CraftPix.net. I built a level selection screen using a grid layout, where each level has its own button. You can press “M” to mute or unmute the game, and there are icons to show whether sound is on or off.

Anthony helped test the game and designed some levels. I also fixed a bug where enemy slimes sometimes lagged or moved in strange ways. Then I added two more levels that include moving spikes and platforms to make things more interesting.

Next, I want to polish the game more. I’m planning to add a score counter, a timer, and a credits screen. I’ll also test the difficulty and add blocks that disappear after you land on them.

Here’s a screenshot of the main menu from the game:

You can try it out here: https://hereisben.github.io/game-projects/bouncy-quest/bouncy-quest-v1-3/index.html

I’ll keep working on it until the final version is ready.

[heyimben]

Playing Jackbox as an Online Audience Member

For this week’s blog assignment, we were supposed to play a Jackbox party game together in class. Unfortunately, I couldn’t be there in person because I’m currently living outside the U.S. So instead, I joined the game remotely as part of the audience. I still wanted to be part of it and share my experience.

The game we played was called Dodo Re Mi, and it’s one of the rhythm-based games in the Jackbox Party Pack. Each player controls a bird that plays a certain instrument, and everyone works together to perform songs. The game shows music notes falling down each player’s line, and we have to hit the right keys (like D, F, G, H, J) at the right time to play our part. If we hit them too early or too late, the sound gets off and the song starts to sound kind of messy. But when we’re all in sync, it sounds really cool.

ven though I was playing from a different country, the real-time coordination made it feel like we were all sitting in the same room. We talked and laughed together through Discord. Sometimes we messed up and the music turned into chaos, but that just made everyone laugh harder. A few of us got super competitive trying to hit perfect notes, while others just had fun making noise.

What stood out to me was how much teamwork the game actually needed. It wasn’t about individual score ... it was about how well we could sync up as a group. That made the experience feel more collaborative and fun. It wasn’t just a game; it was like we were jamming out as a band.

Playing Jackbox with others, even online, really showed how the audience and group energy shape the whole vibe. I’m glad I still got to join and be part of the moment.

[heyimben]

Bouncy Quest Development Update v1.2

This week I continued to work on my game Bouncy Quest. It's just a basic 2D platformer where you control a slime that bounces by itself. The object is to collect all the stars and avoid spikes and other hazards. If you collect enough stars, you'll win. If you die from falling or touching something damaging, you'll be game over. I implemented both the win and game over screens so there is no confusion about game outcome.

You move with the arrow keys or with A and D. As the slime bounces continuously, you need to move when you should. You don't need to jump; only well-timed movement will do. Escape to pause the game and access the options to restart or return to the main menu.

Anthony Francis assisted with the slime character and scoreboard. The ground and platform textures were obtained from CraftPix.net. I used Pixabay sound effects.

The main features of the game are largely functional now. The stars update the scoreboard, the sound effect plays when the slime bounces when it lands, and I implemented background music as well. Another bug that I’m resolving is when the slime bounces against the edge of an object and becomes stuck. I’m also going to adjust how the camera trails the slime and refine the level some more.

I like how the game is feeling so far. I’ve enjoyed making it and will continue to work on it to make it more great. Link: https://hereisben.github.io/game-projects/bouncy-quest/bouncy-quest-v1-2/index.html

[heyimben]

Bouncy Quest Development Update

Hi everyone, I have been working on my game Bouncy Quest over the past couple weeks, and I wanted to share how things are going so far. I’m the producer and programmer, which means I’m managing the project and doing all the coding myself. The game is a simple platformer where you control a little slime that bounces on its own. You don’t control the jumping—you just move left and right to avoid spikes, dodge enemies, and make it to the end of the level. It’s meant to be cute but still make you think a little.

I had two people playtest the game, and both gave me useful feedback. The first player told me he liked the art and animation. He thought the slime looked cute and fit the game’s vibe. At first, he expected to control the jump, but once he got how the bounce worked, he said the movement felt good. He also suggested adding power-ups when collecting energy, just to make things more interesting as you go. I really liked that idea. The second player mentioned that the bounce sound effect was too loud. He also found a bug where the slime gets stuck on the side of a platform. I hadn’t noticed that before, so I’m glad he pointed it out. Based on that feedback, I’m planning to fix the sound balance, fix the platform collision issue, and experiment with adding power-ups. I’m going to keep the auto-jumping mechanic since both players said it felt smooth once they got used to it. Overall, I’m happy with how Bouncy Quest is coming along. It still needs polish, but I’m learning a lot and slowly shaping it into something fun.

[heyimben]

Video Game Lab

This week in the video game lab, I played three games: This Is The Only Level, You Will Die, and Osteotic Bypass. Each game gave me a different experience, and I noticed that watching someone else play felt different from actually playing the game myself.

First, I played This Is The Only Level. The level stays the same, but the rules change each time. This keeps the game fresh because I have to adjust my thinking with every round. It was a fun challenge as I had to quickly adapt to the new rules.

Then, I played You Will Die. In this game, I had to shoot zombies and try to survive as long as I could. The gameplay is simple, but the tension builds as I fight to stay alive. I focused on surviving and upgrading my weapons, which helped keep the game exciting, even though it could get repetitive at times.

After that, I played Osteotic Bypass. In this game, I had to adjust a bone so it could fit through a door without losing too much of it. The goal was to keep the bone intact, and it required careful thinking and precision. It felt more like solving a puzzle compared to the other games.

Looking at This Is The Only Level and You Will Die, I saw that both focus on challenges but in different ways. This Is The Only Level changes the game mechanics, making me think in new ways each time. You Will Die, however, gets harder the longer I survive, pushing me to improve my skills.

Watching my partner Nikki play This Is The Only Level gave me the chance to focus on how the game was designed. I could see how the mechanics changed and kept things fresh. But when I played, I had to react quickly, which made it harder to notice these changes. This made me realize that watching and playing are two very different experiences.

In the end, playing these games taught me a lot about game design. Watching others play helps me see the small details, but playing the game gives me a better sense of the challenge. Both experiences are important, and I’m looking forward to learning more from both.

[heyimben]

Exploring "Joker’s Grid" – A Game of Strategy and Surprise

Introduction

"Joker’s Grid" is a tic-tac-toe-inspired game that introduces twists and turns to keep things interesting. Players try to either complete a row, column, or diagonal with regular tokens or by drawing three Red Jokers in a row. The game features a middle control rule and the Red Joker mechanic, both of which add depth and unpredictability to the classic tic-tac-toe structure. In this blog post, I’ll walk through the development of the game across three play sessions and discuss the changes made to the rules to improve the gameplay experience. Play Log

Session 1: First Play with Khoa

During the first play session with my classmate Khoa, we tested the basic rules of the game. The objective was simple: complete a row, column, or diagonal with regular tokens. However, there were no additional mechanics like the middle control or Red Jokers. This session allowed us to get a feel for the pacing and the general structure of the game.

While the game was enjoyable, I noticed that the player who places the first token typically had an advantage. They were able to occupy open spaces more freely and easily set up for a win. There was also no additional strategy involved in controlling certain spots, which made the game a little predictable.

Session 2: Adjusting the Rules

The second play session was with a few friends, and it was here that I made my first big rule changes. I introduced the middle control rule, where players must spend 3 points to move a token to the middle of the grid. This change was made because I realized that the middle spot was becoming a powerful position for whoever placed their token there first, and it felt too much like an automatic win condition. By adding this rule, I aimed to give players more control over the game and encourage strategic thinking about when to move tokens.

Additionally, I added the Red Joker mechanic, where players can draw Red Jokers from the card deck. If a player draws 3 Red Jokers in a row, they win, regardless of how many tokens they have placed on the grid. This rule was introduced because I wanted to create a path to victory for players who may be behind or who hadn't placed many tokens on the board. The Red Joker mechanic provides a plot twist, giving players a fighting chance even if they don't dominate the grid with tokens.

Session 3: Final Play with Leland

The third play session, this time with my classmate Leland, was a test to see how the new rules worked in practice. We both enjoyed the game, and the added layers of strategy with the middle control and Red Jokers made the gameplay much more engaging. After this session, I felt that the rules were solid, so I decided to keep them as they were.

Core Mechanic

The core mechanics of "Joker’s Grid" are Set Collection and Action Points. Players collect Red Jokers in a row to win the game, which is the Set Collection mechanic. Additionally, the Action Points mechanic comes into play as players must manage their points to place tokens on the grid and even move tokens to the middle, which adds strategic depth to the gameplay.

Conclusion

Through three play sessions, "Joker’s Grid" evolved into a fun and strategic game. The introduction of the middle control rule and Red Joker mechanic gave the game depth and unpredictability. The experience of playing with friends and classmates helped refine the rules, and I’m excited to continue testing and improving the game.

[heyimben]

Blog Post 2: Gam Lab I

On January 31st, my friends and I gathered online for a game of Doubt It using a template provided by our professor. The game, hosted on playingcards.io, was full of clever moves, bold bluffs, and plenty of "BS" calls. Here’s a breakdown of how it all went down, round by round.

Round 1:

Ethan kicked off the game by claiming to place one 1. Khoa followed with one 2, and I put down one 3. Then, Blake played one 4. Cristian, a little unsure, asked, “What number was that?” Blake responded, “I said one 4.”

Cristian then played three 5s, and Ethan played two 6s. That’s when Cristian called “BS”. It turned out Ethan had only placed one 6. The other card was a 5, so Ethan ended up picking up all 9 cards on the table.

Round 2:

Khoa started Round 2 with one 7. I followed with one 8, Blake added one 9, Cristian played one 10, and Ethan placed one Jack. Khoa wrapped up the round with one Queen.

Then it was my turn to call “BS”. It turned out Khoa was bluffing—he had placed one Queen after all. So, I scooped up the 6 cards on the table.

Round 3:

I decided to take a bold move in Round 3 and started with two Aces. Blake played two 2s, Cristian placed one 3, Ethan added two 4s, Khoa played one 5, and I followed with one 6.

Blake called “BS” on my 6. It turned out he was right—my card was actually a 4. I had to pick up the 9 cards on the table.

Round 4:

Blake opened Round 4 with two 7s and then placed one 8. Ethan followed with one 9, but then Blake called “BS” on Ethan’s 9. It turned out to be one 5. Ethan took the 4 cards from the table.

Round 5:

Ethan started with one 10, and Khoa added one Jack. Blake called “BS” on Khoa's Jack. But it was a Jack. Blake scooped up the 2 cards on the table.

Round 6:

I started Round 6 with two Queens, while Blake played one Ace. Cristian followed with one 2, and Ethan played three 3s. Khoa placed one 4, I added one 5, and Blake played one 6.

Then, Cristian called “BS” on Blake’s 6. It turned out it wasn’t a 6 at all, so Blake took the 10 cards on the table. A tough break for him!

Round 7:

Cristian kicked off Round 7 with three 7s, but Ethan followed up with just one 8. Blake quickly called “BS” on Cristian’s 7s. It turned out Cristian had only placed one 7. Ethan took the 4 cards on the table.

Round 8:

Khoa opened Round 8 with one 9, and I claimed three 10s. Blake immediately called “BS”. To his surprise, I really did have three 10s. Blake took the 4 cards from the table.

Round 9:

Blake kicked off Round 9 with three Jacks, and Cristian followed with two Queens. Blake called “BS” on Cristian’s Queens, but it turned out Cristian had two Queens after all. Blake took the 5 cards on the table.

Round 10:

Ethan started with two Kings, and Cristian quickly called “BS”. It turned out Ethan really did have two Kings, so Cristian had to take the 2 cards on the table.

Round 11:

Khoa opened Round 11 with one Ace, and I followed with two 2s. Blake played three 3s, Cristian added one 4, and Ethan placed one 5.

Blake called “BS” on Ethan’s 5. It turned out Ethan had only one 5, and Blake had to take the 8 cards on the table.

Round 12:

Cristian kicked off Round 12 with one 6, and Ethan quickly called “BS”. It turned out Cristian had placed one 5 instead. Cristian took the 1 card on the table.

Round 13:

Finally, in Round 13, Ethan started with three 7s. Khoa placed two 8s, and I added three 9s. Khoa then announced, “I’m out, guys!” and the rest of us cheered. Khoa was the winner!

Final Thoughts:

What a fun game! Each round had its own twists and turns. There were plenty of bluffs, some that worked and some that didn’t quite pan out. Personally, I enjoyed the tension in each round as players tried to outsmart each other.

When it comes to playing Doubt It online, I found playingcards.io to be a great option. It was simple to set up and easy to use. If I’m in the mood to test my bluffing skills again, this game will definitely be on my list.

[heyimben]

Revisiting Tetris on the Internet Arcade

I decided to play Tetris on the Internet Arcade. I’ve always liked the game, so it felt natural to start playing again. The rules are simple: you rotate and place falling blocks to clear lines. I quickly got into the flow of the game, using the Ctrl or Alt keys to rotate the blocks and the down key to make them drop faster. It was relaxing, and I found myself enjoying the game’s rhythm.

The graphics took me back to my childhood. I used to play Tetris in the arcade back in my village, and the sounds and visuals reminded me of those days. Hearing the familiar beeps and seeing the blocks fall into place felt nostalgic. Playing in the browser was smooth. I did notice a difference between playing on the browser and on my phone. On my phone, I can always see where the blocks will land before they fall, which helps me plan. But the browser version didn’t have that feature. It made the game a bit harder, but I still enjoyed it. Sometimes, the challenge is part of the fun. It also felt different from playing on the original arcade machine. I missed the feel of the joystick and buttons, and the sound from the arcade’s speakers. Using the keyboard didn’t give the same experience. Still, it was nice to revisit Tetris and get a taste of that old-school arcade feel, even if it wasn’t exactly the same. Overall, playing Tetris on the Internet Arcade was fun, and even though it was a little different from the original arcade or my phone, it still brought back good memories.