Inspiration
From our research, it quickly became apparent that skateboard manufacturers fragmented the creation of custom skateboards across a complicated process, making the experience confusing as customers had to navigate different pages to modify the skateboard to their needs. We set out to simplify, containing the entire on a single page with no loading time and no unnecessary drop-down menus while still maintaining a high level of customization.
What it does
Our website creates custom skateboards at the will of the user, allowing for a desired board, wheel, and trim, and showing a rough draft of what the finalized skateboard should look like.
How we built it
"Decked Out" is a website created with HTML, JavaScript, and CSS. Additionally, we added libraries like three.js for image processing and Bootstrap to streamline the style into a professional webpage
Challenges we ran into
Initially, we tried to use Angular to build a dynamic web app that required no separate pages, everything being contained in a single page; however, we quickly ran into difficulties integrating the required elements and features into the components, and as the complexity grew, we had to abandon the initial attempt to start over with a simpler stack that better fit our skill levels for the time alotted.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
The greatest accomplishment of the project was our strategy of storing data locally, which allowed us to avoid running expensive servers or a database. Without it, we would not have been able to communicate between different pages promptly without constantly maintaining a third-party service. Additionally, using Canvas and Three.js, we accomplished the creation of an interactive 3D model that changed based on the wheel modifications desired by the user.
What we learned
Our biggest learning moment and regret was the initial failure, the attempt with Angular. Eating well over 6 hours before the decision to scrap it was made, we were unfamiliar with the framework and thus unable to form a stable enough foothold to expand our project with consistency. From this failure, we learned to work within the range of our skills, extending outwards to new libraries while still maintaining a familiar core we could use to branch out.
What's next for Decked Out
The next step for Decked Out is to create a website able to process purchases and deliver the customized skateboard. This would require interacting with payment processors and manufacturers, pushing the website closer to becoming a viable service for skateboarders looking for a simpler custom manufacturer.
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