Faz's world

Inspiration

After finishing my studies, I realized that the subjects I remembered best were the ones I truly had fun learning. Visualizing concepts and making creative summary notes helped, but what fueled lasting mastery was playful engagement and active breaks. Inspired by the Pomodoro technique and the power of modern AI for understanding notes faster, I set out to create Faz’s World,a video game that makes learning both immersive and efficient.

What it does

Faz’s World is an interactive game where each player explores a pixel art world, interacts with their environment, and follows focus-promoting study cycles. In game, the user uploads their study material (PDF), then receives summaries, key points, and quizzes powered by an embedded large language model (LLM). Completing Pomodoro study sprints or quiz challenges rewards players with XP and unique achievement badges, making progress both visible and motivating.

How I built it

Frontend: Built with React.js using Vite for rapid development and TailwindCSS for a clean, retro style. Object and character sprites were sourced from itch.io and tailored using Tiled.
Backend: Powered by Flask (Python), serving as an API gateway for game logic and the LLM PDF analyzer. The AI engine uses LangChain and Ollama to process, summarize, and quiz uploaded study PDFs, all running locally for privacy and speed.
Assets: Maps as JSON from Tiled; pixel art for backgrounds, icons, and sprites.

Challenges I ran into

One major challenge was getting the local AI model to analyze complex PDF files efficiently, especially in a hackathon setting, this could slow interactions and testing. Additionally, while the design planned for multiple playable characters, implementing sprite cycles and unique actions for each under the time limit was difficult.

Accomplishments that I'm proud of

I'm proud that I was able to built a learning game loop with XP, levels, and creative achievement badges, and that I integrated a local LLM to analyze and quiz study materials within the game.

What I learned

Building Faz’s World taught us that engaging design and instant feedback transform the learning experience. Combining gamification with AI-powered study support deepens understanding and improves focus.The project reinforced that fun and play are not just motivators, but real tools for mastering new material.

What's next for Faz's world

Next, I aim to add more character choices and build personalized avatars, which will make the game world richer and more engaging. Improving LLM speed is a top technical priority so that PDF processing and question answering happen instantly. I'm also looking to expand the game’s world, adding new discovery locations, study mechanics, and social features for collaborative learning.