LoveStung

*Graphics by Clarissa Fernandez

Project Overview

Goal: Use any combination of software to design and implement a game.

Role & Duration

• Story Writer, Software Engineer, Graphic Designer

• Project for LMC 2700: Intro to Computational Media

• 3 weeks (Nov. 2022 - Dec. 2022)

Tools

• HTML/CSS

• JavaScript

Concept

“LoveStung” is a relaxing, text-based choose-your-own-adventure game that follows the life of computer science major George P. Burdell in his first semester at Georgia Tech. It features many Tech landmarks and classes to make the familiar setting relatable to the everyday struggles of current students.

Instructions for Play

Dreamy background piano music plays as soon as the player presses the “Start” button. The player reads the narration at the top of the screen, which describes the scenario or a character’s dialogue. The player can then choose a response using the yellow buttons below the image to progress the story. The button will make a “click” sound when selected, and the player will automatically be redirected to the top of the next page to read the narration. Once the character reaches the “End” button of any particular storyline, the game returns to the starting page to allow the player to retry for a different ending. 

Technical Execution

The game is primarily built using JavaScript but contains HTML and CSS elements. A JavaScript framework was utilized that gave the basic format for how different choices would be displayed. By using a series of text nodes and indices, each choice can directly link to the next part of the story. States are utilized to keep track of the choices made by the player, which allows for certain storylines to only be accessible if the player has fulfilled the requirements for it. This ensures that the player’s decisions affect the outcome of the story. 

Prior to coding, the story was first developed completely on paper. Traditional storyboarding techniques, such as brainstorming sessions and peer story reviews, were utilized. We then transferred our ideas to a Miro board to organize the different storylines and outcomes of the choices. Attached below is a picture of our initial ideas, with the various colored arrows representing a different love interest’s storyline.

After fully implementing the game, necessary edits, illustrations, and ambient music were added to further immerse players in the game.

Play the game below!