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  Game UI Screenshot

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  Single Prompt

The Gum Wall: A One-Shot Challenge

Inspiration

The inspiration for this project came from the real-life "Market Theater Gum Wall" in Seattle. The idea of a collaborative, slightly rebellious, and ever-changing piece of public art was fascinating. I wanted to translate that experience into a simple, interactive digital game that anyone could play. The "one-shot challenge" aspect added a layer of creative constraint, pushing me to see what I could create with a single, well-crafted prompt.

What I Learned

This project was a great learning experience in prompt engineering. Crafting a single prompt that could generate a fully functional game was a significant challenge. I learned how to be extremely specific with my instructions, defining the game mechanics, user interface, and even the "police patrol" element to add a sense of risk. I also learned about the limitations of the model and how to work around them to achieve the desired outcome.

How I Built the Project

The entire game was built using a single, detailed prompt. The prompt included:

• Game Concept: A description of the gum wall concept and the core gameplay loop of sticking gum on a virtual wall.
• User Interface: Instructions on the visual elements, including the brick wall background, the "Stick Gum" button, and the display for "Total Gum," "Chewers," and "Lives."
• Game Mechanics:
  • Clicking "Stick Gum" allows the user to place a piece of gum on the wall.
  • A "police patrol" appears randomly, and if the user is caught placing gum, they get "JAILED!" and lose a life.
  • The game tracks the total number of gums placed and the number of active players ("Chewers").
• Visual Style: A description of the desired aesthetic, including the colors, fonts, and overall mood.

Challenges Faced

The main challenge was the "one-shot" constraint. It required a lot of trial and error to create a prompt that was comprehensive enough to generate the entire game without any follow-up instructions. Another challenge was balancing the game's difficulty. I wanted the police patrol to be a real threat but not so frequent that it would be frustrating for the player. I also had to carefully consider the wording of the prompt to avoid ambiguity and ensure the model interpreted my intentions correctly.

Confession:

I initially developed a concept for the "Silly Shit Challenge" that, despite my best efforts, didn't meet my standards for the final output. However, instead of abandoning the project, I pivoted. I distilled the core logic of my work into a single, comprehensive prompt for the Devvit app in Bolt. To my excitement, this innovative approach generated "TheGumWall," a fully functional and engaging game. This journey of adapting my strategy and achieving an unexpected success has inspired me to apply for the "One Shot Champion," celebrating the power of a single, well-executed idea.

THANK YOU BOLT.NEW FOR THIS HACKATHON

Built With

• bolt
• css3
• html5
• javascript
• typescript