I've decided to scale back my original vision for Blade of Valor. Instead of multiple levels, the game will focus entirely on the first level, which contains enough depth for a full experience of hidden-chess gameplay. This change came after realizing how much I got stuck in development, especially when AI couldn't provide the solutions I needed. This project has turned into a true labor of love, requiring significant human effort to bring it to life.
My goal has been to successfully create my first platformer using Phaser 3. However, I quickly discovered the challenges of working with this framework: its documentation is scattered across multiple websites, and I’ve spent a lot of time searching forums for guidance on specific features like camera control, tile-based collision detection, and sprite animations. Phaser 3’s flexibility is great, but it often means piecing together solutions from various community posts and GitHub examples.
Every time I hit a roadblock, I am reminded of a frequent message I got from Amazon Q:
I apologize, but your request seems to be outside of my domain of expertise. However I am happy to try discussing related topics that I may have more information on. How can I help further our conversation productively?Amazon Q has been helpful in many areas, like debugging code snippets and optimizing specific functions, but it struggles with more complex tasks, like understanding JSON map files from Tiled. For those issues, I relied heavily on Phaser’s community resources and trial-and-error testing to properly integrate exported JSON data into the tilemap system.
Most of the AWS services I used were fairly simple, and I didn’t want to add more services unless they were absolutely necessary. I aimed to keep things streamlined while focusing on creating a solid game experience.
On the visuals side, I used spritesheets I downloaded months ago to maintain a cohesive aesthetic. I built the level using Tiled, combining sci-fi and dark fantasy elements to bring the "simulation" aspect of the story to life. Exporting JSON files from Tiled and integrating them into Phaser’s tilemap system took time to figure out, especially when aligning collision layers with gameplay mechanics. Learning Tiled and editing assets in Aseprite added to the development time, so I’ve shifted my focus to assembling everything into a polished final product.
As an art school dropout, making pixel art has been nostalgic, but as a CS student, I’m ready to ship this project. I’ve worked hard to craft an atmosphere that’s integral to the gameplay experience, balancing futuristic elements with the darker tones of the narrative.
Below are screenshots showcasing the current development, debugging process, and platformer gameplay in action.
