Readit Game

Train your brain to read at superhuman speeds. Daily challenges test your reading speed from EASY to INSANE mode. Can you hit 1,100 words per minute?

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Inspiration

As a developer who spends hours reading documentation, Reddit posts, and research papers, I wanted to build a tool that makes speed reading feel like a game rather than work. The explosion of text-based content on Reddit - from AMAs to long-form storytelling - inspired me to create something that helps Redditors consume more content in less time while staying engaged.

What it does

Readit Game presents text one word at a time at controlled speeds using Rapid Serial Visual Presentation (RSVP) technology, eliminating sub vocalization and eye movement - the two biggest barriers to fast reading. Players choose from four difficulty modes:

  • EASY Mode: 250 WPM - Perfect for beginners
  • MEDIUM Mode: 550 WPM - Doubling average reading speed
  • HARD Mode: 850 WPM - Advanced territory
  • INSANE Mode: 1,100 WPM - Elite level performance

After each passage, players answer comprehension questions to prove they actually absorbed the content. Daily challenges (unique per difficulty mode) refresh every 24 hours, and leaderboards track top performers by difficulty level.

How I built it

Tech Stack:

  • Frontend: React + TypeScript with Radix UI components
  • Backend: Redis for real-time leaderboards and daily challenge management
  • Platform: Reddit Devvit framework for seamless integration
  • Styling: Custom CSS with cyan accent theme matching Reddit's design language

Key Technical Implementation:

I built the RSVP timing engine to calculate exact word display duration for maintaining consistent words per minute. I chunked text passages into optimal word segments while preserving readability and context. The leaderboard system uses database operations in Redis to handle simultaneous score submissions without race conditions. I implemented a scheduled system that refreshes daily challenges at midnight across time zones.

Challenges I ran into

Performance Optimization: Rendering words at 1,100 WPM (18.3 words/second) caused frame drops initially. I implemented requestAnimationFrame for smooth timing and pre-loaded all passage words into memory to solve this.

Comprehension vs. Speed Balance: Early testing showed players could "game" the system by guessing. I added 4-5 questions per passage with randomized answer orders to ensure genuine comprehension.

Content Curation: Finding engaging, appropriately-sized passages (150-300 words) that work across difficulty levels required building a content validation system.

Mobile Responsiveness: RSVP requires precise visual focus—adapting the single-word display for mobile screens while maintaining readability was challenging but critical for Reddit's mobile-first audience.

Accomplishments that I'm proud of

I built a fully functional speed reading game with real-time leaderboards and daily challenges that actually improves reading speed. The RSVP engine maintains precise timing across all four difficulty levels, and the comprehension quiz system effectively validates that users are genuinely reading, not just watching words fly by. I successfully integrated with Devvit to create a native Reddit experience that feels seamless within the platform.

What I learned

Technical Insights: Devvit's reactive state management requires careful consideration of re-render performance when updating word displays at sub-second intervals. RSVP effectiveness varies dramatically based on word length - longer words need slightly more display time for optimal comprehension.

Design Lessons: Users prefer gradual difficulty progression over jumping straight to maximum speeds. Immediate feedback through quiz results is crucial for maintaining engagement. Leaderboards drive significant replay value - competitive players attempt challenges multiple times to climb the ranks.

What's next for Readit Game

Community Passages: Allow users to submit Reddit posts and comments as reading challenges, letting the community curate content.

Progress Tracking: Personal analytics dashboard showing WPM improvement over time with detailed statistics and trends.

Multiplayer Races: Real-time head-to-head speed reading competitions where players race through the same passage simultaneously.

Achievement System: Badges for milestones like 100 challenges completed, first INSANE mode completion, perfect comprehension streaks, and leaderboard positions.

Reddit Integration: Cross-post scores directly to user profiles or community subreddits, and allow challenges based on specific subreddit content.

Adaptive Difficulty: Machine learning system that adjusts WPM based on individual performance to optimize the learning curve for each user.

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