Developer Update — Blog + Testing Instructions
Hi judges! I’ve published a full deep-dive blog that goes beyond the Devpost submission and covers:
-Detailed lore for all 7 entities -Visual evolution of the UI -Full breakdown of the investigation tools -Backstory + childhood inspiration
Deeper insights on how Kiro was used for spec-driven development
Figma iterations + design transformations
My entire thought process building Pengu’s NightShift
This blog acts almost like a “director’s commentary” — it includes things that didn’t fit cleanly inside the Devpost form, especially the worldbuilding and the entity codex.
Testing Instructions (Important)
Pengu’s NightShift is a mobile-first PWA, and the investigation mode currently uses a dev-movement mode for testing. Because of this, mobile devices must DENY location permission when loading the app.
Why?
- If location is allowed, the system will assume you are using real-world GPS movement.
- The location was created initially to test the functionality, but not fully updated with the new UI. It did work with the old beta version that is no longer here.
For MVP testing, movement is controlled manually through devmode (tap-to-move). So:
Mobile Testing → Press “Deny” when asked for location Then the dev movement mode will activate correctly.
Desktop/Laptop Testing Switch Chrome/Firefox to mobile view → the app will behave the same way (you don't need actual GPS).
Best Testing Flow
- Open the app on PC's mobile view or mobile phone (deny location)
- The spawn location is right now hard coded to downtown Calgary
- Should show landmarks around it. However if the location is changed it would still load landmarks around that area. However I'd have to change the spawn location through code.
- Tap around on the map to move
- Explore the game's UI (profile, codex, match history, shop, inventory, field-journals, Pengu's icon for help)
- Walk around and pick up things
- When collecting field journals, stories should show up on the field journals tab -Enter a hotspot (Red circles) -Begin an investigation -Use the tools in the intended order:
- Radar for direction of the ghost, use dev mode to spin around until red blip is at the top.
- Dev mode positioning is designed to mimic real world walking of Forward and Backwards, and the rotation is supposed to mimic the real rotation of the user and pointing their phone towards that direction in real life.
- Switch to EMF to see how close you are EMF 5 is closest, or stay at Radar and use dev mode to walk closer.
- Notice if you walk too far forward past the ghost, the blip will now be on the complete opposite direction so if you're facing North, it will change to South. -Take a camera photo (locks for 7 seconds), but you have to be facing towards the ghost. If the ghost is behind you, it will never manifest a photo (check radar if the ghost is in front of you)
- As the camera locks, switch to spirit box as this one has a cooldown lock as well of 15 seconds
- Either calibrate the two toggles manually, or auto recalibrate in the devtools (DO NOT PRESS NEW SIGNATURE BUTTON, that was for testing.) But what it did was generate a new signature whenever I wanted to, but now it auto does that every 15 seconds. It messes up with the functionality when its locked, but resetted when locked.
- Ask it one of the three questions on screen. Future implementation would be using real voice.
- Swap to Thermal to check termperature.
- Repeat until you get enough evidence.
- Theres clues in the codex, journal entries about how each ghost react to things.
- Problem solve to get the right ghosts.
- Vocab cheat sheet is provided in github and the blog has a detailed cheatsheet on the seven entities section. https://dev.to/michaeltandyo/pengus-nightshift-how-i-created-a-horror-version-of-pokemon-go-only-using-kiro-5dgc
Make your deduction
Review codex entries for lore and design details
This mirrors the true intended gameplay loop for the final version (real GPS will replace devmode later).
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