Silver Hollow Command Line Game

Introduction
Directions
Gameplay
Bank
General Store
Farm
Church
School / Library
Gameplay with full inventory
Death
Ending

Beginner Track SUBMISSION

Inspiration

Since Colorado always has sporadic snow, our team thought about how crazy it would be if we actually lived inside a snow globe. Thus, we came up with an escape game to reveal this plot twist.

What it does

This command line game reads user inputs to move around the map, select actions, and collect items. The user must use critical thinking to create a plan to escape successfully.

How we built it

We used VSCode to create C++ classes with header files and a main game driver. We also used libraries to read user input, clear the terminal, and add colored text. We also used a map template provided by CU Boulder's CSCI 1300 2022 Fall Semester's class.

Challenges we ran into

Storyline development was challenging because we were unsure about if the user experience should have full freedom or if the user experience should be controlled by instructions. However, once we decided the user can explore anywhere at anytime, we had to account for how their gameplay would turn out, since there are so many combinations. In the end, we were able to find a balance between guided and free range.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Because we only know C++, we had to get creative with our graphics. Because of this, we are proud of our ASCII text art, colored text, and map. We are also proud of the storyline and inventory function.

What we learned

This was our first Hackathon, so we learned how to collaborate as a team. We first had to work through explaining our ideas to each other to make sure we were on the same page. Then we downloaded an extension on VSCode that allows users to work on the same files at the same time. We also learned how to generate a new SSH key to connect to GitHub. Lastly, we learned about different ways to make functions in different files exit the whole app.

What's next for Silver Hollow

As we keep improving our programming skills, we want to move Silver Hollow to a different platform so that we can include better graphics. We also want to make our code more efficient and the game more interactive. Once we do that, we want to continue the story line and release a sequel of the user exploring the other snow globes.