History Heroes Picnic Wrestle

Screenshot of the game board.

Inspiration

As a team we have found that many people can better recognize fictional characters than historical figures. Since we are all very fond of card games we designed a card game that features 81 historical figures. Additionally, this card game is a multiplayer game so that people can enjoy the game with their friends, instead of against CPU's.

What it does

This game is a unique card game that features real life historical figures. It is a same screen multiplayer game to promote playing with people over CPU's. The game features historical figures and an element of strategy, both giving an educational aspect to the game. While the game setup is simple and consistent, the unique set of rules gives an interesting depth of strategy, all while keeping the duration of a single match short.

How we built it

The game was built entirely in JavaScript so it could be hosted easily on GitHub Pages. We used the Phaser library, which made it simple to draw graphics and add interactive elements like buttons. This setup let us organize the game using an object-oriented approach while still keeping things flexible for quick development. Phaser also made it straightforward to include different textures and sounds.

Challenges we ran into

The first challenge we ran into was how huge this game could be. We ended up cutting some of our original ideas in order to prioritize the gameplay, which benefited the game in the end. Another challenge was coming up with a clean way to implement these clever rules. However with both of these challenges we came up with satisfactory solutions.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We are absolutely delighted with the quality of the finished result. The textures and sound effects add a charm to the game that we think is well worth the time we put in. We are also excited about the possibilities that it has for expansion. The rules for the game came together in a way that make it fun to play with others.

What we learned

We learned that hard coding certain pieces of the game can become difficult when they scale up. We learned that making a good programming project is not just about the code but also the graphics and user interface.

What's next for Game

Now that the base game is done, we could continue by adding in some of our original ideas, such as blowing up other players' cards. We have room to increase the number of board arrangements. Plans to customize each player's deck before the game begins allows more room for strategy and more opportunity to become familiar with historical figures. We also have backend in place for enabling online multiplayer, which could be good to finish integrating.