This year, PRODYNA hosted a company-internal Hackathon. All employees of our branch (Switzerland) were divided into teams of three to four members. The teams then received a couple of tasks. One of this task was the creation of a simple game.
Game Requirements
The required features were:
- Maze Generation: Procedurally generated game levels
- Controllable Player Character: Responsive player movement and controls
- Goal Objective: Clear win conditions and gameplay objectives
- Multiplayer Support: Multiple players in the same game session
RescueBomb: Game Concept
We developed a unique hybrid game that combines classic Bomberman mechanics with a rescue mission objective:
Core Gameplay
- Bomberman Mechanics: Players can place bombs to destroy obstacles and opponents
- Rescue Objective: Navigate through the maze to rescue the princess
- Multiplayer Competition: Multiple players compete to complete the rescue first
- Dynamic Obstacles: Destructible environment that changes as the game progresses
Technical Implementation
Backend (Java)
- Game logic and state management
- Multiplayer session handling
- Maze generation algorithms
- Real-time game synchronization
- Player action validation
Frontend (Vanilla JavaScript)
- Real-time rendering and game visualization
- Player input handling and controls
- WebSocket communication for multiplayer
- Smooth animations and visual effects
- Responsive game interface
Technical Challenges
Maze Generation
Implementing procedural maze generation that creates:
- Fair Gameplay: Balanced paths and obstacles for all players
- Strategic Depth: Multiple routes and tactical options
- Performance: Efficient generation for real-time gameplay
- Variety: Different layouts for replay value
Multiplayer Synchronization
Managing real-time multiplayer features:
- State Consistency: Ensuring all players see the same game state
- Latency Handling: Smooth gameplay despite network delays
- Collision Detection: Accurate bomb explosions and player interactions
- Session Management: Player connections and disconnections
Game Balance
Creating engaging gameplay through:
- Power-ups: Strategic items to enhance player capabilities
- Timing Mechanics: Bomb explosion delays and movement speeds
- Risk vs Reward: Balancing aggressive and defensive strategies
- Win Conditions: Clear objectives that encourage active gameplay
Hackathon Experience
Team Collaboration
Working in a small team under time constraints taught valuable lessons:
- Rapid Prototyping: Quick iteration and feature validation
- Role Specialization: Leveraging individual team member strengths
- Time Management: Prioritizing features for maximum impact
- Creative Problem Solving: Finding innovative solutions under pressure
Technical Decisions
Key choices that enabled rapid development:
- Technology Stack: Using familiar technologies for faster implementation
- Scope Management: Focusing on core features first, polish later
- Testing Strategy: Continuous playtesting throughout development
- Architecture Simplicity: Avoiding over-engineering for the timeframe
Results and Learning
RescueBomb successfully demonstrated:
- Functional Multiplayer: Stable real-time gameplay for multiple players
- Engaging Mechanics: Combination of familiar and novel game elements
- Technical Execution: Solid implementation within hackathon constraints
- Team Coordination: Effective collaboration under time pressure
The project showcased how classic game mechanics can be creatively combined with new objectives to create fresh gaming experiences, while also highlighting the importance of good technical architecture for real-time multiplayer applications.
This hackathon project became a great example of rapid game development and creative problem-solving within tight constraints.