Inspiration
"Era of Guilds" was inspired by my desire to create a strategic, turn-based card game that blends resource management with engaging player interaction. I wanted to build a game where players could feel the impact of their decisions on a dynamic board, fostering both competitive and strategic thinking.
What it does
Era of Guilds is a multiplayer card strategy game where players assume the role of guild masters. The game features distinct phases: drafting cards to build your hand, an action phase for playing cards like districts and guild members, and a voting phase where players influence city policies. The goal is to strategically manage resources (gold and influence), build a powerful guild, and score points to emerge victorious. It includes AI opponents for single-player experience and a dynamic turn-based system with timers and notifications.
How we built it
I built this project using Vite, React, and TypeScript, leveraging the power of modern web development tools. The core game logic and state management are centralized within a Zustand store, which provides a clean and efficient way to handle complex game states. For the user interface, I utilized Tailwind CSS for rapid and responsive styling, and Framer Motion to create dynamic and engaging animations, bringing the game to life.
Challenges we ran into
One of the primary challenges was managing the intricate game state, especially with multiple players (including AI) and various card effects interacting with each other. Implementing a robust AI that could make reasonable decisions in different game phases, as well as accurately managing turn timers and ensuring smooth transitions between players and phases, also presented significant hurdles. Crafting a responsive and intuitive user interface that clearly communicates game information while remaining visually appealing was another area that required careful attention.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
I'm particularly proud of successfully implementing the core game loop, including the drafting, action, and voting phases, along with a functional AI system that provides a challenging experience. The responsive and animated user interface, built with Tailwind CSS and Framer Motion, also stands out as a key accomplishment, making the game visually engaging and easy to navigate.
What we learned
Through this project, I gained valuable experience in managing complex application states using Zustand, understanding how to structure game logic for scalability and maintainability. I deepened my knowledge of efficient UI development practices with React and Tailwind CSS, and learned how to effectively use Framer Motion to create dynamic and fluid user experiences. The process also reinforced the importance of modular design and clear separation of concerns in a larger application.
What's next for Era of guild For the future of Era of Guilds, I plan to explore implementing real-time multiplayer functionality to allow players to compete against each other. Additionally, I'd like to expand the card pool with more diverse effects and introduce new faction traits and secret objectives to enhance replayability. A potential long-term goal could be to develop a campaign mode with a narrative progression.
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