🕹 My First Experience with Game Development During my Summer Semester in Year 2, I had the opportunity to explore game development for the first time. Using Eclipse IDE and Java, I built a memory game, which challenged players to match pairs of cards within a limited time. To make the game more engaging, I also implemented a hint system to assist players when they got stuck.
🚀 About the Game This game was designed to test and improve memory skills. It included features such as:
🃏 Card matching mechanics – Flip cards and find matching pairs.
⏳ Timer-based gameplay – Challenge players to complete levels within a time limit.
💡 Hint system – Reveal a matching pair temporarily to help players.
🎨 Simple UI and animations – Smooth transitions for an engaging experience.
🏆 Ranking system – Players were ranked based on their completion time and number of moves, encouraging competition.
🖼 Custom graphics with Photoshop – I used Adobe Photoshop ("Ps") to design UI elements, card images, and animations, making the visuals more attractive and professional.
💡 What I Learned ✅ Game logic and event handling: Implementing mouse events and game state management. ✅ Working with Java and Swing: Designing UI components and managing game flow. ✅ Hint system implementation: Managing temporary card reveals while keeping the game balanced. ✅ Ranking system development: Tracking player scores and creating a leaderboard. ✅ Graphics design with Photoshop: Creating custom game assets, improving visual aesthetics, and optimizing images. ✅ Debugging and optimizing performance: Improving game responsiveness and UI smoothness.
🎯 Looking Back This project was a turning point in my coding journey. It introduced me to game development concepts, making me more interested in UI/UX design and interactive applications.
✨ The ranking system added a competitive element, making the game more exciting and motivating players to improve their skills. ✨ Using Photoshop helped me design a more professional UI, enhance game aesthetics, and make smooth animations.
Though it was my first attempt, it inspired me to continue exploring game programming and design in the future! 🚀🎮