Project Details

Organisation : Republic Polytechnic
Mentor : Mr. Tan Kok Meng
Members : Wong Jun Jie, Benedict Cho, Edwin Soh
Project Title : Ant Farm

A. Brief Description of Project


We had to learn how to create a simple 2D animation game that involved the programming skills that we had learn and gradually had a better understanding of during the tutorials we were given by our external mentors in the first couple of weeks of the attachment. As it was a game that we had to create independently, we had to think of various creative ways to showcase the game we want to create and this thinking reflects the thought process that went behind our eventual game and the type of games we played in our leisure time.

B. Results

Our team has created a much simpler version of the incredibly popular ‘Tower Defense’ from the ‘Warcraft III’. The player has to build cannons with the gold coins to destroy the monster ants from reaching its target point. The game will end once the ants finish the ant trail. The game does not drag on and remains intriguing to the player because the ants will spawn faster and get stronger as you get to higher levels of difficulty, so don’t take these ants lightly even though they are small!

C. Reflection

Three content knowledge/skills that we have learnt

Firstly, we learnt the language of program coding in the form of python codes that are given out on the handouts by the mentors and are later explained by them since what we learn is something that we have not learnt before. Next, we are then able to apply these codes and use them to program in a desired way to make different features that can be included in a game to make it interesting. Lastly, we as a team have learnt to be initiative with our learning to ensure a smooth learning and to also absorb the maximum knowledge that we can get from this attachment.

Two interesting aspects about our learning


1) The way we learnt programming from the mentors was a self-exploration method teaching by our mentors, they believed that we learn best when we explore the world of code programming by ourselves, only when we are really in doubt, that we raise questions, and our mentors would answer those doubts with clear explanations. This kind of learning is similar to those we experienced in the Temasek Academy, as through our various projects based on various topics, I have found out we learnt certain topics better in this manner instead of learning through the conventional methods of teaching.

2) We learnt how to work together well with our team members as often we had to split up the work in the programming of the game, and it soon becomes mandatory for us to discuss frequently on how to make our game better despite being in charge of different parts of the game.


One take-away for life


We have learnt that while our timetable was very flexible, with our external mentors not coming in on certain days, we had to discipline ourselves to learn independently. As by doing so, we get to make use of our time fully such that when our external mentors come in the next day; we would get to ask them questions on parts we were not so sure on when learning how to program on our own.


Gallery


Ant Farm Loading Screen



Ant Farm



Our Game Coding