Inspiration
This all started two days ago, when my brother cracked the joke that instead of using a minecraft server to play together, we should just upload a save to Github. Now we're here.
What it does
GitPHREAKERS is a cell based strategy game, based upon the gimmick that the game save is hosted on github, allowing you to view you opponents scripts, cell configurations, as well as the source code. The idea is that by allowing for easy access to intelligence on everyone, it'll force players to constantly update their plans, come up with red herrings, and adapt to their opponents attempts to exploit weaknesses in their strategy.
How I built it
I used primarily React for the client, and express and AWS for the server.
Challenges I ran into
Side note, unfortunately I wasn't able to host it entirely on GitHub. I was so not about to figure out how to deal with GitHub authorization, and the other various issues with constant commits. As a result , most of the handling is done on an actual server :(
This may be fixed in V2
Turns out, React is a terrible framework for anything game adjacent. It gets all too easy to get tangled states and ugly inheritances. Honestly, not sure what I was thinking. Additionally I was pretty rusty on express and AWS, so that seriously ate into my time budget. Ultimately though, nothing was more infuriating than getting git to cooperate. I fought that program for two hours, trying to get it to automate, before a two line stackoverflow post saved me. In the end, its means I just didnt have enough time to implement everything I wanted too, so I had to cut scripting, seriously downgrading the games complexity.
LOVE LAST MINUTE PROBLEMS: IM NOT RUNNING HTTPS, AND I NEED IT TO BE ABLE TO TALK TO MY SERVER ON GITHUB PAGES, BRB RUSHING A CERTBOT INSTALL.
Accomplishments that I'm proud of
Getting the github repo automations working is great, Its a fun gimmick being able to link to a cell's niche in the repo. I'm also quite happy with the UI, as despite its rushed nature, its still looks pretty stylish, and keeps information clean and organized. Finally, im pretty happy with the (proposed) gameplay loop. I feel as though given the time to be fully featured and fleshed out, it'll make a great little strategy game.
What I learned
Well first and formost, never use React for games. Wont be making that mistake again. Aside from that, I actually learned a good deal on proper react practices, though more in the way of what NOT to do.
What's next for GitPHREAKERS
Most immediately, A refactor of the codebase. It is a hot mess, and the horrors hidden under the UI are not safe to be viewed by man. After that, I'd like to complete the features I had been angling for, including scripting, customization, and an actual endgame.
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