Inspiration
We originally wanted to make an app which would allow gamers to form smaller, independent leagues to compete with their friends on their team. However, later on we were talking with other people and gauging their interest in the app and found that a match making system isn't all that easy to show off. In this dilemma we thought: well why not expand the app to all kinds of activities? From here we decided to make an app to connect locals in an area, who wouldn't normally interact at all, through competitive activities such as basketball or ultimate frisbee or a video game tournament. Anything that would allow them to come together and interact while doing something they would enjoy.
What it does
The web app we built allows people to place markers down on the map where they will be having events/gatherings. They then fill out a quick form about what it is they will be doing, how long until they leave, how experienced they would like the people to be, and who can make comments on the event. Others can then look at the map and see what kinds of events will be going on and how long they have to get there - and if they like what they see, they can join the event! All of this is anonymous, so people only see the organizer's username, not who the person is, so nobody has to feel bashful about putting their marker down.
How we built it
We first made many test scenarios to see how a normal person would go about using such an app. We then used much of that data to form the server-facing code and to generate the database design. We then used html/css and the google maps API to create a nice front-end to look at on the main page. We used AJAX to communicate with the web server to get new data from the database without having to refresh the webpage.
Challenges we ran into
Our first challenge was the loss of one of our teammates who had to leave on Saturday, so we all had to put in a little extra effort to cover up for his absence. Then we also had trouble with continuous deployments and custom domains with Microsoft Azure. Thanks to the wonderful help from the mentors at Microsoft we were able to expedite the process of fixing this large problem. JavaScript closures were also a big problem - which many google searches and a very helpful stackoverflow article helped to solve.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
As this was all of our first hackathon, we were extremely happy with the amount of progress we made in such a short amount of time. In particular we were able to work with an API we had never used before and gained exposure into PHP and JavaScript.
What we learned
We learned that working as a team, having a proper budget design mentality, and pacing your work are all important skills to master to make a successful hackathon experience.
What's next for ComPlay
We are aiming to fully integrate chats, privacy features, and push notifications to enhance the user's experience on web and mobile phones. We also hope that with learning about these events going on nearby, more places around the world will develop closer bonds and tighter knit communities.
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