Dome Keeper

Inspiration

The inspiration for Dome Keeper came from classic roguelike games and wave defense games. We wanted to create a game that combined resource management, strategic upgrades, and intense defense battles in a beautifully crafted pixel art world. The idea of defending a dome from relentless alien monsters while digging for resources added a unique twist that kept the gameplay engaging and challenging.

What it does

Dome Keeper is a roguelike survival game where players defend their dome against waves of alien monsters. Players must dig for valuable resources, choose powerful upgrades, and fend off attackers to survive. The game features multiple modes, including Relic Hunt and Prestige Mode, each offering unique challenges and objectives.

Using Copilot with Visual Studio

For my hackathon game submission, I used GitHub Copilot with VS Code to accelerate development and enhance both functionality and efficiency. Copilot provided real-time code suggestions, allowing me to write cleaner and more optimized code while reducing repetitive tasks. It played a key role in generating complex algorithms, such as an optimized A* pathfinding system for AI movement and physics-based interactions that made the gameplay feel more natural and immersive.

Beyond coding, Copilot helped with debugging and refactoring by suggesting more efficient alternatives, improving maintainability and performance. It also assisted in designing a responsive UI by generating CSS and JavaScript for a polished user experience. Additionally, it automated documentation and comments, making the codebase more understandable for potential collaborators. By leveraging Copilot’s capabilities, I was able to prototype faster, refine mechanics more efficiently, and focus on creativity, ultimately delivering a more polished and feature-rich game within the hackathon’s time constraints.

By leveraging Copilot, I was able to rapidly prototype, refine mechanics, and focus on creativity, delivering a more polished game within the hackathon’s time constraints.

How we built it

We built Dome Keeper using the Godot Engine, leveraging its robust features for 2D game development. The game integrates with Azure PlayFab for backend functionalities such as telemetry and analytics, achievements and leaderboards, cloud saves, in-game purchases, and LiveOps. This setup allows us to provide a seamless and enhanced player experience.

Challenges we ran into

One of the main challenges we faced was balancing the difficulty of the waves to ensure they were challenging but not overwhelming. Integrating Azure PlayFab for the first time also presented a learning curve, especially in configuring the cloud saves and implementing real-time analytics.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

• Successfully blending the roguelike and wave defense genres to create a unique and engaging gameplay experience.

  • Designing a strategic upgrade system that offers meaningful choices to players.
  • Developing a visually appealing pixel art style that enhances the game's atmosphere.

What we learned

We learned a lot about game balancing and player feedback through this development process. Understanding how players interact with the game and using that data to make informed decisions about updates and improvements has been invaluable. We also gained significant experience in using cloud services to enhance single-player games.

What's next for Dome Keeper

We're planning to introduce new game modes and additional content to keep players engaged. More upgrades, alien types, and challenging wave patterns are in the works. Recently, we included mod support for Dome Keeper.

Built With

• azure
• gdscript
• godot
• playfab