Game Jams
BotBot is Root
This project is deceptive! While it looks like a simple experience, there are actually two major technologies at work: wave function collapse and machine learning. Wave function collapse was used to generate random maps with predictable patterns extrapolated from a small set of hand-drawn sample maps. This allowed us to train a machine-learning algorithm to play as a flower’s roots. The final product is a small game where The Player (you) can provide up to two prompts to the flower determining how it values various tiles on this run. You then start the flower growing and watch as it navigates the randomly generated map according to its training and the provided prompts.
BotBot is Root was a blast to work on. I was invited to do this game jam with a co-working mentor and some of his previous coworkers. The ambitious and programming-heavy features were a delightful change of pace and a fantastic opportunity to grow and learn with some industry vets.
Sense
This project was my first time participating in a Game Jam and was also my first foray into Unreal. Although I primarily worked on things I would now consider very simple, I nonetheless valued the experience. On top of getting a better idea of how Game Jams worked, I had the opportunity to try out a new engine with a new group of people in a very unfamiliar setting, and… it went well! This was a great confidence booster and a fun team-building experience.
Garrison Lee's Game Dev Portfolio 