JaaG (JSON as a Game)

Instead of building a Résumé-as-a-Game (as I originally planned), I will take the easier route and build a full-out side-scroller game 'engine'.

I say 'engine'... but that's a little strong. I will define a list of possibilities, actions, roles, etc. Then, a game can be created with nothing but a JSON configuration file (a BIG configuration file).

How to Run

• git clone this repo.
• Install dependencies: npm install
• Load game_config.js file into /front/config/ (along with any media into /front/media)
• Start Node server: npm start
• Visit http://127.0.0.1:3000 in a browser

game_config.js

I will keep the game_config.js template here for reference.

let game_config = {
  'hero': `{game_object}`,
  'playing_level': str,
  'frame_rate': num,
  'movement': {
    'actions' : { 
      'left' : num,  
      'right': num,
      'jet'  : num,
      'jump' : num,
      'duck' : num,
      'shoot': num
    },
    'jet' : {
      'start_vel' : num,
      'delta_factor': num, // not currently used
      'vel_cap': num,
      'timeout': num
    },
    'jump' : {
      'start_vel' : num,
      'delta_factor': num,
      'vel_cap': num,
      'timeout': num
    },
    'apex' : {
      'frame_count' : num,
      'timeout': num
    }, 
    'fall' : {
      'start_vel' : num,
      'delta_factor': num,
      'vel_cap': num,
      'timeout': num
    },
    'x_interval' : num
  },
  'levels' : {
    '{level_id}' : {
      'objects' : {
        'background' : {
          '{game_object_id}': '{game_object}',
          '{game_object_id}': '{game_object}',
          ...
        },
        'arena' : {
          '{game_object_id}': '{game_object}',
          '{game_object_id}': '{game_object}',
          ...
        }
      }
    },
    ...
  }
}

game_config Notes

• hero : This is you! See below
• playing_level:level_id referencing the level where hero should spawn. DEFAULT VALUE: FIRST LEVEL IN SET NOT IMPLEMENTED YET
• frame_rate : Time (in ms) between refreshes
• movement.actions : keyCodes, found here. Set any undesired actions to null (i.e. no shooting? shooting:null). KEYCODES MUST BE UNIQUE
• movement.jump.start_vel : Pixel count moved on first frame after jump action
• movement.jump.delta_factory : Factor (< 1) at which jump velocity slows
• movement.jump.vel_cap : Minimum pixel count allowed, triggers end of jump
• movement.apex.frame_count: Number of frames without vertical change between jump and fall
• movement.fall.start_vel : Pixel count moved on first frame after fall action
• movement.fall.delta_factory : Factor (> 1) at which fall velocity speeds up
• movement.fall.vel_cap : Maximum pixel count allowed during fall
• movement.x_interval : Pixel count moved on left or right action
• levels: set of level objects
• {level_id}: Arbitrary string name of level (must be unique)
• levels.{level_name}.objects.background: Set of game_objects within given level that cannot interact with hero, surroundings, and enemies
• levels.LEVEL_NAME.objects.arena: Set of game_objects within given level that can interact with hero, surroundings, and enemies
• {game_object_id}: Arbitrary string name of game_object (must be unique)
• {game_object}: See below

game_object Notes

Possible Attributes

• color: Any color allowed in HTML
• lives: hero ONLY number of lives hero has before end of game. Use -1 for infinite lives NOT IMPLEMENTED YET
• in_relation: OPTIONAL- game_object_id reference to another game_object within the same level. Used for relative positioning. The game_object referenced must be listed before the game_object referencing it. Assume the hero game_object is the last object in the set. NOT IMPLEMENTED YET
• bottom: Pixel count from bottom of object to bottom of window (or object, if in_relation defined
• left: Pixel count from left of object to left of window (or object, if in_relation defined
• width: Width of object in pixels,
• height: Height of object in pixels,
• static_position: OPTIONAL- Boolean determining if object moves when hero moves. DEFAULT VALUE: false

• has_gravity: OPTIONAL- Boolean determining if object affected by gravity. ONLY VALID FOR OBJECTS INSIDE arena. DEFAULT VALUE: false

  // jumping: false, // add this at start up for all objects in arena w/ has_gravity = true (then remove here) // falling: false // add this at start up for all objects in arena w/ has_gravity = true (then remove here)

CONSTANTS

The object CONSTANTS will have a set of values usable in game_config. CONSTANTS is as follows:

• CONSTANTS.WINDOW_HEIGHT : height of window at page load
• CONSTANTS.WINDOW_WIDTH : width of window at page load

Mutator Methods

getConfig(...args)

returns attribute value found at game_config[args[0]][args[1]]...[args[n]]

setConfig(updated_val, ...args)

sets updated_val at game_config[args[0]][args[1]]...[args[n]]

README UPDATES TO MAKE:

• adding explaination for id-ing for win/lose animation
• setting keyframes as big string
• adding 'moveable to objects in arena
• only covers Logitech Gamepad F310
• keys won't work if gamepad plugged in. might need to open in a new window to get keys working.