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Valentines Syndrome <3
Inspiration
Our inspiration came from the hackathon theme, which explores technology's impact on our lives—either working for us or making us use it less. The game acts as a metaphor for digital entrapment and addiction—where technology, like a virtual AI girlfriend, can be so engaging that it becomes a trap. The challenge of convincing her to let you leave symbolizes breaking free from unhealthy digital dependencies. (we drew inspiration from Doki Doki Literacture club)
What it does
The player is trapped inside a house by a ChatGPT-powered virtual girlfriend. The girlfriend engages in adaptive AI conversations that respond dynamically to player input. The player’s goal is to convince her to let them leave using clever dialogue and reasoning. If the player fails (bad responses), she becomes more possessive and says, “You think you can trick me?!” If the player succeeds (good responses), she says, “Okay, you can leave.” Depending on the outcome, the game transitions to a win or lose screen.
How we built it
Engine: Godot 4 (started in Unity but switched to Godot). AI Integration: Used OpenAI’s ChatGPT API to generate real-time dialogue. Game Logic: Implemented input handling, dialogue parsing, and response detection. Scenes: Main game scene (where the AI interacts with the player). Win screen (if the player successfully convinces her to let them go). Lose screen (if the AI refuses to let the player leave). GitHub Version Control: Managed source code but had to remove the API key due to GitHub’s push protection. Chatbot Flow: We crafted prompts to make ChatGPT behave like a clingy girlfriend while sticking to 7-word sentence responses to match gameplay constraints.
Challenges we ran into
API Key Protection Issues: GitHub blocked our push due to exposing the OpenAI API key, requiring us to remove secrets from commit history. Godot 4 Adjustments: The JSON.parse() function and HTTPRequest had different syntax compared to Godot 3, requiring us to adjust API calls. Ensuring AI Responses Were Consistent: ChatGPT responses sometimes deviated from the script, requiring prompt engineering to ensure the girlfriend followed the rules (e.g., only using 7-word sentences and responding correctly to escape attempts). Collision & Movement Issues: Initially, movement was clunky and floaty, requiring tweaks to CharacterBody2D. Game Scaling & UI Adjustments: The chatbox had to be adjusted so it didn’t display outside the game screen.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
Successfully integrated ChatGPT as an interactive AI character that reacts to player input. Developed a meaningful connection between game mechanics and digital detox themes. Implemented win/loss conditions based on AI dialogue detection. Switched from Unity to Godot mid-project and still managed to get everything working. Solved GitHub push protection issues while maintaining clean version control.
What we learned
Prompt Engineering: Tuning ChatGPT’s responses takes trial and error. AI in Games: OpenAI’s ChatGPT adds realism, but requires careful rule setting to prevent unexpected responses. Godot 4 API Calls: Handling HTTPRequest, JSON parsing, and error debugging helped us understand how to work with web APIs inside Godot. Game Development in a Short Timeframe: Hackathons force us to prioritize features—we focused on dialogue mechanics rather than complex graphics. Version Control Best Practices: Never push API keys to GitHub—use environment variables instead!
What's next for Valentines Syndrome <3
The title is a word play for (Stockholm Syndrome) More Realistic AI Memory: Instead of reacting per input, use context-aware responses where ChatGPT remembers past conversations. Multiple Endings: Introduce more escape strategies (e.g., finding an item, calling a friend, etc.). Randomized AI Behavior: Sometimes she might get suspicious or become nicer, adding replay ability. Voice Synthesis: Use AI-generated voice lines for a creepier experience. Mobile Version: Adapt the game for iOS and Android so players can try escaping anywhere!
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