Title Screen
Gameplay Screen
Learning Screen Featuring a GreenPT Chatbot

Project Name: Lionfish Hunt

Inspiration

As a Florida resident, the sight of "Wanted" posters for lionfish at local beaches is a stark reminder of an ongoing ecological catastrophe. A single lionfish can reduce native fish populations by up to 79% in just five weeks and threaten the overall health of coral reefs. We created "Lionfish Hunt" to transform this awareness from a static sign into an immersive, educational experience that empowers people to understand and combat invasive species.

What it does

Lionfish Hunt is a 2D action-educational game. Players take on the role of a conservation diver, clearing reefs of invasive lionfish using a pole spear.

Action Loop: Fast-paced combat encouraging players to chase and hunt down as many lionfish before the oxygen in their tank runs out.
Educational Loop: After a level, players encounter "Eco-Facts" about the species' impact.
Innovation: We integrated GreenPT, in a specialized chat interface, allowing players to ask complex follow-up questions about marine biology and conservation strategies in real-time, bridging the gap between gaming and classroom learning.

How we built it

Engine: Developed in Unity 2D
Development: Wrote C# scripts for modular game architecture (spawners, boundary logic, and attack mechanics).
Art: 100% original, hand-drawn, organic lionfish
AI Integration: A custom-prompted implementation of the GreenPT API to ensure educational accuracy and thematic consistency.

Challenges we ran into

Coming in with limited game engine experience, our biggest technical hurdle was mastering Unity's 2D Tools. Additionally, we performed extensive Prompt Engineering for GreenPT to ensure the AI stayed focused on ecological data, preventing "hallucinations" while maintaining an encouraging, educational tone for players.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Rapid Tech Stack Mastery: Transitioning from zero game engine knowledge to a functional, multi-system project.
Artistic Synergy: Successfully importing and animating hand-drawn sprites.
AI Utility: Creating a seamless bridge between a game and an educational tool.

What we learned

We experienced the full game development life cycle, from an initial PRD and creating assets to final build delivery.

Also lionfish are apparently tasty!

What's next for Lionfish Hunt

Expansion: Lionfish are able to survive in many different ecosystems, which is one reason this invasive species is so dangerous. We could develop new levels representing different ecosystems, such as mangroves and deep-water reefs, to further educate on their impact.
Leaderboards: Implementing a persistent "Conservation Score" to foster competition in "cleaning" the virtual ocean.
Save Data: Adding a cloud-save system to track a player's educational progress and "Eco-Facts" collection across sessions.

https://lionfishcentral.org/support-levels/how-ever-you-can-help/