Margin Fighter
Design, Develop, and Deploy a web based game.
DevelopDesignDeploy
Old school
Early videogame creators lacked many of today's advantages. They worked with limited storage space. They developed with 8-bit graphics and sounds. Their games often only contained one type of level design. Yet, they created games which are still considered "approachable...and a genuinely rewarding experience." (BBC)
My first video game console was the Nintendo Entertainment system. My brothers and I spent days exploring the worlds and fun of the Super Mario Bros./Duck Hunt combo. So I had grown up with a dream to create a game experience of my own.
The Once and Future Thing
These games are still widely popular on tablets, phones, and even nostalgia console games. So, to better understand the mechanics I set out to create my own 2D game. I browsed the app store and reminisced about my favorite arcades; and finally decided on creating an “endless” flight game in the spirit of Galaga.
I believe there will always be a place for 2D game. experiences like Galaga and Donkey Kong paved the way for the gaming industry that we know and love today. Their straight forward mechanics make them approachable for all age-groups and skillsets.
Galaga, 1981
Angry Birds, 2009
Super Mario Bros, 1985
Hollow Knight, 2017
A Primary Goal
I wanted to create that “approachable and enjoyable experience,” but there were just so many styles and features that I could have created!
To make a game with easily grasped purpose and mechanics, I iterated through psuedo-code, interaction diagrams, and flow maps. This forced me to test my concept and outline the work that needed to be done.
Technical Feasibility
My objective was to create a functioning game. I put off designing a theme or even a visual style, and instead I dove into learning the methods for coding a game.
I learned a lot from YouTube, I gained valuable experience from CodingGame, and I found specific tutorials from the Phaser3 library.
Stages of Development
Following what I had learned through research, I started with setting up a game state and creating player input.
Next, I implemented enemy objects and gave them a short algorithm for when, and how, to play against the user.
Lastly, I implemented effects and created a local storage instance to save the player’s high scores!
Design Theme
I had spent much of my allotted time creating the working game. When it came to the visual design, I wanted a theme that was strategically cohesive. Something that could provide the player with an approachable story, location, and visual style.
I remembered my middle school notebooks with the sketches I made in the margins, and I ran with it. I imagined the game as wish-fulfillment for a distracted student. Their drawings coming to life - a more interesting life.
The game needed to be developed and then “deployed” to a provided web server. I packaged the assets and uploaded them to the designated directory, allowing my friends and family to check out the creation.
Deployment
I absolutely loved creating this working game. Going beyond the design step and into the delivery process made the idea “complete.” It allowed me to find usability issues that were logic and variable driven, rather than journey based. It also gave me a spark to keep pursuing development skills.
Final Thoughts
See more
Margin Fighter sparked a series of experiments into coding that I continue to this day. You can learn more about them through these projects!
BCI Ring
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