Introduction
Imagine a future where cats, and only cats, have evolved to become the dominant species of the cosmos. In a forgotten corner of the multiverse, in Universe A175, humanity disappeared millennia ago, making way for a highly advanced feline civilization. But everything changed after the latest elections, the new president implemented a sinister project that assimilated the entire population into a collective mind, stealing cats' most precious essence, their individuality and creativity. From the shadows of this oppressive regime, four rebel cats managed to escape just before final assimilation. Now stranded aboard a spaceship orbiting their home planet, they must face a critical mission: restoring the technological and ecological balance of their world before it's too late. And their only tool to accomplish this is Python programming! Dive into this narrative and educational adventure where science fiction intertwines with programming logic. Through short but challenging missions, you'll guide these prodigious cats as they solve problems, hack corrupt systems, and uncover the secrets of code... all while seeking to reclaim freedom for their species. Are you ready to join the feline resistance and help these furry heroes conquer the multiverse... one line of code at a time? The future of cats depends on you!
Inspiration and concept
The game is inspired by Tales from the Citadel in Rick and Morty and the coding game CodeStrike. It’s set in a futuristic 2D world where cats have taken over the universe. Players use Python code to help a group of rebel cats fight back against a system that stole their creativity. Why cats as characters ? Simply because we love them. It’s a fun way to learn programming through a sci-fi story full of humor and action.
How we built it
This game was developed in Java, combining AI-generated visuals with design work crafted using Adobe software.
Challenges we ran into
Development: Creating a game in just 48 hours was a major challenge. Balancing gameplay mechanics, programming the tasks and creating the visuals required a lot of focus, communication and hard work.
Designing: We used AI image-generative tools to assist in creating some of the visuals. While AI accelerated the process, getting the exact results we envisioned was challenging. Human involvement remains essential, whether to refine prompts or adjust the final images. AI is a powerful tool that can boost and guide creativity, but it’s still far from replacing the human mind, vision and skills.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
This was our very first hackathon and an ambitious one. Building a game as beginners in just two days was a huge achievement, and we’re proud of the result. We not only managed to deliver a playable prototype, but did so with our combined personality, enthusiasm and imagination.
What we learned
This project pushed us to sharpen our time management working accross different time zones and think fast. We deepened our knowledge of Java, game development and teamwork with a tight deadline.
AI prompting is also a skill that we learned through this challenge; how to speak to machines in just the right way to get closer to our vision.
What's next for AstroCats: Task From the Citadel
We are not exactly sure but we will be excited to expand the game’s universe with new missions, deeper stories, and more challenging puzzles. Refining coding mechanics and visual style to expand the personality of the game.
💡This project was developed by Team 94 for the Make Anything, But Make it YOU (Beginner-Friendly Track).
Built With
- adobe-illustrator
- java
- midjourney
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