Spot the Op

Spot the Op

Inspiration

Everyone has an op. A someone that you wish you could avoid on campus, past beef, failed relationship? Something is off and you don't want to run into them with awkward "Hi, great to see you hahah! (not at all) "s. We think that is what makes a part of human journey, and what makes our lives interesting. Life is dramatic sometimes, and we are allowed to be dramatic.

We asked ourselves: What if avoiding someone you don't want to run into could become a game? Thus, the idea for our app was born—a combination of entertainment and utility, transforming what could be an awkward social situation into a playful, gamified experience. Our market is clear: a social media app that has never been approached before, where you start games to see heatmaps of where your "ops" are to never run into them.

What it does

This app generates predictive "avoidance area" so you do not have to run into people you don't like through starting op spotting games with your friends. To start a game, you share the link with your friends or invite via their user name to join on a local game. When you spot an op, a rough heat map location is marked, as well as a counter for number of ops spotted in this game's leader board. We incorporate elements of fun to have AI generated image from setting description of the "op spotting" to be recorded as part of that game. As the game continues, you have the option of predicting an op's location with descriptions, to make it clear and vibrant which areas you want to never cross whether heading to class, dressed ugly walking around local grocery store, or really not in the mood to see your ops.

How we built it

We used Swift, XCode as our building platform for Spot the Op ios app. We integrated Google Maps and CoreLocation for dynamic location services, rendering real-time, update to date locations for gameplay. We incorporated collected data into backend firebase for processing of user and game relational database, generating leaderboard and AI predicative features. Using firebase, we were able to deploy encrypted and session-based user registrations. For real-time image generation, we utilize the Hyperbolic API, which generates images based on user-provided descriptions, adding a fun and immersive element to the gameplay. Hyperbolic API allows us to bring user-generated content directly into the app, enhancing customization and engagement. Groq helped us quickly generate tons of location data, which we used to predict where the opps might be. Finally, the entire system is built with SwiftUI and UIKit for a responsive, high-performance interface, while asynchronous API calls ensure smooth background operations without disrupting the user experience.

Challenges we ran into

One of the main challenges we faced was efficiently registering and updating data into our backend database to enable refined AI predictions. We needed to ensure that the data collected from various users, such as location and interaction data, could be processed in real time to make accurate in-game predictions and provide feedback. Balancing the complexity of the algorithms and keeping the app responsive required thoughtful engineering. Integrating multiple APIs, including location services and image generation, presented its own hurdles, particularly in synchronizing these external services for seamless interaction within the app.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We're incredibly proud of creating a game that entertains, where each member had fun with the building process. One of our major accomplishments is successfully integrating advanced AI-driven image generation and real-time location services to create a truly immersive experience. The heatmap visualization for player interaction is another highlight, as it dynamically updates with live data, creating a visually engaging element of gameplay. Overcoming technical challenges in API integration and building a scalable infrastructure while maintaining a smooth user experience is something we’re especially proud of.

What we learned

Throughout this project, we learned the importance of balancing innovation with practicality, especially when integrating complex APIs like image generation and location services. We gained valuable insights into optimizing real-time data processing, ensuring that our game remained responsive even with a heavy load of location-based and API-driven features. This experience has deepened our understanding of SwiftUI and UIKit, as well as backend integration and database management for real-time applications.

What's next for Spot the Op

The next step for Spot the Op is to further refine its AI-driven features. We plan to enhance the personalization of gameplay by using machine learning to predict user behavior and suggest optimal game strategies based on real-time data. We also want to expand the use of location services to introduce new game modes that leverage AR (augmented reality) for even more immersive experiences. Additionally, we aim to build out social features, enabling users to interact with each other in the game world, and possibly integrating cross-platform functionality so players can engage from multiple device types.