Deskcapades

Inspiration

What if the objects sitting on your desk could become the setting of your next gaming adventure? We wanted to bridge the physical and digital worlds by turning an ordinary workspace into a unique, playable platformer. Inspired by the creativity of game generation and the familiarity of everyday objects, we created Deskcapades.

What it does

Deskcapades turns a scan of your desk into a whimsical platformer. Using object detection, the app identifies everyday items and maps them into a game environment. Players navigate platforms inspired by their surroundings, overcome generated obstacles, collect gems, and race toward the finish line. With multiple difficulty levels and replayable levels, Deskcapades makes your own workspace part of the gameplay.

How we built it

We combined computer vision with game development and procedural level generation. Detected objects are converted into structured data that represents the desk environment. Our game then uses this information to generate platforms, place obstacles, and create a route to the goal. We are focused on making the experience feel playful and ensuring generated levels are playable.

Challenges we ran into

One of our biggest challenges was translating real-world objects into a functional platforming environment. Objects come in different shapes, sizes, and positions, so turning a desk into a level that feels natural and playable requires careful mapping and level generation. We also had to balance procedural variety with reliable gameplay, ensuring that obstacles provide a challenge without making levels impossible to complete.

What we learned

Deskcapades taught us how computer vision, game physics, and procedural generation can work together to create interactive experiences from real-world environments. We also learned the importance of designing around technical constraints, testing generated levels, and balancing creativity with functionality.