B40 Life Simulator - Hackathon Submission

About the Project

Inspiration

60% of Malaysian youth can't handle a RM1,000 emergency. Financial literacy taught through boring pamphlets? It doesn't work.

We asked ourselves: What if you could experience financial struggle... in a game? Learn by living it—before real life teaches you the hard way.

B40 Life Simulator puts players in the shoes of Malaysia's bottom 40% income earners. Walk through a realistic Malaysian neighborhood, visit Kedai Pak Ali, pay your TNB bills, and make impossible choices between food, rent, and debt. Every decision has consequences that ripple through your 4-week journey.

Growing up in Malaysia, we've witnessed firsthand the financial struggles of the B40. The inspiration came from seeing:

Fresh graduates crushed by PTPTN (student loan) debt starting at RM30,000
Single parents juggling work and childcare on RM1,800/month
The impossible choices between paying bills, buying groceries, or keeping sanity

We wanted to create empathy through lived experience, not statistics.

What It Does

B40 Life Simulator is an AI-powered financial life simulation game where players:

Choose a persona - Fresh Graduate in KL with RM30k PTPTN debt, or Single Parent in Penang with RM7k personal loan
Navigate a 2D map of a Malaysian neighborhood (Kedai Pak Ali, Petronas, TNB office, Bank, Bus Stop)
Make daily financial decisions - each scenario generated dynamically by Claude AI with hidden consequences
Experience consequences - past decisions come back to haunt you; NPCs remember your interactions
Survive 4 weeks - balance money, debt, health, stress, and credit score with only 11 energy per week

The game teaches financial literacy through showing, not telling. When you choose instant noodles over vegetables to save RM25, you'll feel your health drop. When you skip debt payments, your credit score tanks.

How We Built It

Architecture:

Player walks on map → Visits location → Claude AI generates contextual scenario →
Player makes choice → Game state updates in real-time via Convex →
Past decisions influence future scenarios → Analytics synced to TiDB

Development Process:

Designed the game loop - 4-week cycle with weekdays (work + errands) and weekends (leisure/recovery)
Created persona-specific maps - KL has Sunway Lagoon & Mid Valley, Penang has Penang Hill & Gurney Plaza
Built the AI integration - Claude generates scenarios with Manglish dialogue, hidden consequences, and emotional callbacks
Implemented real-time state - Convex handles game state, decisions, leaderboard with live reactivity
Added analytics pipeline - TiDB stores completed games and player decisions for research insights
Polished the UI - Framer Motion animations, shadcn/ui components, themed maps per persona

Key Technical Decisions:

Convex over traditional DB: Real-time reactivity means leaderboard updates instantly, no polling needed
Claude for scenario generation: Each visit to a location feels unique; the AI remembers your past choices and references them
Energy system: 11 energy points per week forces players to prioritize (just like real life)
TiDB for analytics: Track player behavior patterns, failure reasons, and decision trends for research

Challenges We Faced

AI Response Consistency: Getting Claude to output valid JSON with balanced game consequences required careful prompt engineering. We added fallback scenarios for every location for reliability.
State Management Complexity: Tracking weekly objectives, random events, debt payments, and game-over conditions across 4 weeks with limited energy was challenging. Convex's transactional mutations helped maintain consistency.
Making Failure Feel Fair: Players shouldn't feel the game is rigged. We balanced random events (positive: "Bantuan MySara" government aid, parent sends money; negative: Mat Rempit robbery, vehicle breakdown).
Cultural Authenticity: Using Manglish naturally (not forced) in NPC dialogue. Pak Ali's "I can give you small discount, old customer lah" had to feel genuine.
TiDB Integration: Setting up secure SSL connections and ensuring reliable data sync after game completion required transaction handling and error recovery.

What We Learned

Empathy through gameplay is more powerful than infographics
AI-generated content can be contextual and emotionally resonant when given proper context about past decisions
Real-time databases like Convex remove so much boilerplate for interactive applications
Financial literacy is not about math—it's about understanding trade-offs and delayed consequences
Malaysia-specific content (PTPTN, TNB, Bantuan MySara, Along, Pak Ali) makes the experience authentic
Manglish matters: Authentic dialogue creates emotional resonance that formal English never could

Tracks Included

Track	How We Use It	Details
Cursor	Entire project built using Cursor	AI-assisted development with tab autocomplete, inline edits, and agent mode. Three developers, intensive hackathon hours, one powerful tool.
Anthropic (Claude)	Core AI engine	Claude generates all game scenarios, NPC dialogue (Pak Ali, Encik Ahmad, Puan Siti, Along), choices with consequences, and personalized endings. Using claude-3-5-haiku for fast, contextual responses.
Convex	Real-time backend	Game state, decisions, leaderboard with live reactivity. TypeScript server functions for mutations and actions. Zero backend boilerplate.
Vercel	Production deployment	Next.js 16 App Router, automatic preview deployments, edge functions for API routes.
TiDB	Analytics & research database	MySQL-compatible distributed SQL storing completed games and player decisions. Analytics dashboard shows failure patterns, persona performance, decision trends. Export to CSV/JSON for research.
Ryt Bank (Fintech)	Financial literacy education	Core purpose is teaching financial literacy through lived experience simulation. Players learn about credit scores, debt management, budgeting, and consequences of financial decisions.
Mobbin (UI/UX)	Design reference	Polished interface with persona-themed maps (KL: cyberpunk blue, Penang: tropical cyan), Framer Motion animations, responsive mobile-friendly design.
CodeRabbit	Code review	AI-powered code reviews for every pull request. Catches bugs, suggests improvements, and ensures code quality throughout development.
Groq	LLM inference	NA
ElevenLabs	Voice AI	Voice-over narration for video demo submission. Adds professional audio quality to showcase the game.
LeanMCP	MCP servers	NA
Lindy	AI agents	NA
Cleve	Build in public	NA
ByteRover	Context CLI	NA
Byte In	Food-powered game	Food/nutrition system integrated into gameplay. Players choose between healthy groceries (vegetables, RM50) vs unhealthy options (instant noodles, RM30). Food choices directly impact health stats, creating consequences for dietary decisions. Restaurant meals also affect health and stress.
Apify	Actors	NA
HRG	Indie hacker	Yes
Network School	Overall best	Yes
Venture Track	Business impact	Potential for real social impact—financial literacy education for B40 demographic, research data collection on financial decision patterns.

Built With

Languages & Frameworks

Technology	Purpose
TypeScript	Type-safe development (strict mode)
Next.js 16	React framework with App Router (latest version)
React 19	UI library

Styling & UI

Technology	Purpose
Tailwind CSS 4	Utility-first styling
shadcn/ui	Accessible components (Dialog, Button, Card, Progress, Slider, Input)
Framer Motion	Smooth animations and transitions
Lucide React	Icon library
tw-animate-css	Additional animations

Backend & Database

Technology	Purpose
Convex	Real-time database with TypeScript server functions
TiDB Cloud	MySQL-compatible distributed SQL for analytics
mysql2	MySQL driver with connection pooling and SSL

AI

Technology	Purpose
Anthropic Claude API	claude-3-5-haiku-20241022 for scenario generation
@anthropic-ai/sdk	Official Anthropic SDK

Game Rendering

Technology	Purpose
PixiJS	2D WebGL rendering for game map
@pixi/react	React bindings for PixiJS

Development & Deployment

Technology	Purpose
Cursor	AI-powered code editor
Vercel	Production hosting with edge functions
Convex Cloud	Managed backend hosting
pnpm	Fast package manager
ESLint	Code linting

Technical Architecture

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                         Frontend                                 │
│   Next.js 16 + React 19 + Tailwind + shadcn/ui + Framer Motion  │
│   PixiJS for 2D game map rendering                              │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                      Convex Client                               │
│   useQuery (real-time) + useMutation + useAction                │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                      Convex Backend                              │
│   games.ts (mutations) + ai.ts (actions) + leaderboard.ts       │
├──────────────────────────┬──────────────────────────────────────┤
│     Convex Database      │          External Services           │
│   - games                │   ┌────────────────────────────┐     │
│   - decisions            │   │  Anthropic Claude API      │     │
│   - leaderboard          │   │  claude-3-5-haiku          │     │
│   - creditEvents         │   │  (Scenario Generation)     │     │
│   - scheduledEvents      │   └────────────────────────────┘     │
│   - bills                │   ┌────────────────────────────┐     │
│                          │   │  TiDB Cloud                │     │
│                          │   │  - completed_games         │     │
│                          │   │  - player_decisions        │     │
│                          │   │  (Analytics & Research)    │     │
│                          │   └────────────────────────────┘     │
└──────────────────────────┴──────────────────────────────────────┘

Key Features

AI-Powered Scenarios

Dynamic generation based on player state (money, health, stress, credit score)
NPCs with memory - Pak Ali gives credit if you've been loyal; your boss notices missed work
Hidden consequences that trigger 1-3 weeks later
Manglish dialogue that feels authentic ("Eh adik, mana nak pergi hari ni?")

Persona-Specific Experiences

Persona	Location	Salary	Starting Debt	Unique Features
Fresh Graduate	Kuala Lumpur	RM2,200	RM30,000 PTPTN	City life, Sunway Lagoon, Mid Valley mall, girlfriend events
Single Parent	Penang	RM1,800	RM7,000 Personal Loan	Island vibes, Penang Hill, child-related events, Bantuan MySara

Real-Time Features

Live leaderboard updates as you play
Instant game state synchronization
No page refreshes needed

Analytics Dashboard (TiDB)

Global stats: Total games, success rate, average credit score
Failure pattern analysis: Why do players fail? Which week? Which persona?
Decision analytics by location: Most common choices at each location
Export to CSV/JSON for research purposes

Food & Nutrition System (Byte In)

Grocery choices at Kedai Pak Ali:
- Healthy groceries (vegetables, rice): RM50, +10 health
- Unhealthy groceries (instant noodles): RM30, -5 health
Restaurant meals for stress relief:
- Fancy meals: Higher cost, better health & stress benefits
- Budget meals: Lower cost, minimal benefits
Consequences: Poor food choices accumulate—low health triggers medical emergencies
Trade-off design: Save money now with Maggi, pay later with hospital bills

Game Mechanics

11 energy per week - forces prioritization
5 weekdays - must work every day (or take leave with salary penalty)
Weekly objectives - buy groceries, fill petrol, pay debt (week 4)
Weekend activities - spend money to reduce stress or skip and stress builds up
Random events - both positive (parent sends money) and negative (mat rempit robbery)
Credit score system - affects loan options and game ending

Game Flow

Week 1-4 Loop:
├── Day 1-5 (Weekdays)
│   ├── Start with 11 energy
│   ├── Must work at Office (costs 1 energy, earns salary portion)
│   ├── Visit locations for scenarios (costs 1 energy each)
│   ├── Complete objectives: groceries, petrol
│   ├── Random event may trigger (1 per week)
│   └── End day → Next day
├── Weekend
│   ├── Choose activity (costs money, reduces stress)
│   ├── Or skip (free, but stress increases)
│   └── Advance to next week
└── Week 4 End
    ├── Calculate final score
    ├── Sync to TiDB analytics
    └── Show ending based on performance

Data Models

Convex Schema

games: {
  playerName, personaId, money, debt, creditScore,
  health, stress, currentDay, currentWeek, currentLocation,
  energyRemaining, weeklyObjectives, isGameOver, endingType
}

decisions: {
  gameId, location, scenarioId, choiceIndex, choiceText,
  moneyChange, creditChange, healthChange, stressChange,
  hiddenConsequence, consequenceTriggered, day, week
}

leaderboard: {
  gameId, playerName, personaId, score, weeksCompleted, endingType
}

TiDB Schema

completed_games: convex_game_id, player_name, persona_id,
                 final_money, final_credit_score, final_health,
                 final_stress, final_debt, weeks_completed,
                 ending_type, failure_reason

player_decisions: convex_game_id, location, scenario_id,
                  choice_index, choice_text, money_change,
                  credit_change, health_change, stress_change,
                  day, week

Screenshots

[Add screenshots of:]

Landing page with persona selection
Game map (KL and Penang themes)
Scenario dialog with NPC dialogue
Weekend activity selection
Game over screen with stats
Analytics dashboard
Leaderboard

Demo

Live Demo: [Your Vercel URL]

How to Play:

Enter your name
Choose a persona (Fresh Graduate or Single Parent)
Navigate the map and make decisions
Complete weekly objectives (work, groceries, petrol)
Survive 4 weeks without going bankrupt, health crisis, or mental breakdown!

Winning Condition: End week 4 with positive money, health > 0, stress < 100

Social Impact

B40 Life Simulator aims to:

Build empathy - Let middle/upper-class Malaysians understand B40 struggles
Teach financial literacy - Through consequences, not lectures
Collect research data - Analytics on common financial mistakes and failure patterns
Inspire policy discussion - Show why programs like Bantuan MySara matter

Future Roadmap

[ ] More personas (Factory Worker JB, Hawker Stall Owner)
[ ] Multiplayer mode (compare decisions with friends)
[ ] Voice-over with ElevenLabs
[ ] Mobile app version
[ ] School/University curriculum integration
[ ] Bahasa Malaysia language option

Team

Built with determination and too much kopi during the hackathon.

Built With

anthropic
convex
convexcloud
eslint
framermotion
mysql
nextjs
npm
pixijs
react
shadcn
tailwindcss
tidb
tw-animate-css
typescript
vercel

Updates

Redzwan Latif started this project — Dec 06, 2025 04:32 PM EST

Leave feedback in the comments!

Log in or sign up for Devpost to join the conversation.

B40 Life Simulator - Hackathon Submission

About the Project

Inspiration

What It Does

How We Built It

Challenges We Faced

What We Learned

Tracks Included

Built With

Languages & Frameworks

Styling & UI

Backend & Database

AI

Game Rendering

Development & Deployment

Technical Architecture

Key Features

AI-Powered Scenarios

Persona-Specific Experiences

Real-Time Features

Analytics Dashboard (TiDB)

Food & Nutrition System (Byte In)

Game Mechanics

Game Flow

Data Models

Convex Schema

TiDB Schema

Screenshots

Demo

Social Impact

Future Roadmap

Team

Links

Built With

Updates