Operation-Theta

Gamifying KTP pledge education through an interactive escape room experience.

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Inspiration

Traditional pledge education in fraternities relies on passive learning—long presentations, printed materials, and memorization. We wanted to create something that would make learning about Kappa Theta Pi's history, values, and brotherhood actually engaging and memorable. Inspired by the hackathon's "heist" theme, we reimagined pledge education as a series of missions where pledges "steal" knowledge through interactive challenges.

What it does

Operation Theta gamifies KTP pledge education through 6 interactive mission challenges covering history, values, leadership, and culture. Features include multiple puzzle types (text input, multiple choice, matching), a real-time leaderboard tracking XP and completions, personal dashboards with progress visualization, and Google Sign-In authentication. Beyond pledge education, the platform can be reused for chapter events and knowledge assessments year-round.

How we built it

Frontend: Next.js 14, React 19, TypeScript, Tailwind CSS, Firebase Authentication
Backend: Express.js with TypeScript, Firebase Admin SDK
Database: Firebase Firestore for real-time data storage

We split responsibilities—one team member built the frontend (auth, UI, pages) while the other developed the backend API and database structure. We integrated continuously and tested the full stack throughout development.

Challenges we ran into

  1. Firebase Integration - Configuring Admin SDK (backend) and Client SDK (frontend) without authentication conflicts
  2. Real-time State - Synchronizing mission completion across UI, database, and leaderboard
  3. Answer Validation - Creating flexible validation for different puzzle types and edge cases
  4. Time Constraints - Prioritizing features to build a complete MVP in 11 hours
  5. Dynamic Routing - Implementing Next.js App Router's server vs. client components correctly

Accomplishments that we're proud of

  • Fully functional application with auth, data persistence, and real-time updates
  • Real KTP content based on actual chapter history and leadership
  • Polished, responsive UI with smooth animations
  • Scalable architecture designed for 26+ chapters nationwide
  • Completed 5 complete pages in 11 hours

What we learned

Technical: Next.js 14 App Router patterns, Firebase Admin vs. Client SDK, TypeScript API design, real-time database queries
Teamwork: Effective parallel development, continuous integration, clear API contracts
Product: MVP prioritization, designing for scalability, building for real users

What's next for Operation-Theta

Short-term: Admin panel for exec to manage missions, enhanced analytics, achievement badges
Long-term: Multi-chapter deployment, advanced puzzle types, mobile app, Discord integration, timed competitive events

Operation Theta can revolutionize pledge education and ongoing engagement across the entire KTP network.

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