I coded one project EVERY WEEK for a YEAR

Summary

Over the course of a year, the creator took on the challenge of coding a new project every week, exploring a diverse range of topics including game development, math, and AI. From simple HTML canvas platformers to complex 3D games and fractals, each project showcased personal growth and learning. Notable works include a genetic algorithm for Flappy Bird, a GAN generating magic cards, and a custom chess game. This journey highlights the value of experimentation, persistence, and the thrill of mastering new skills, with the creator reflecting on how much was learned and shared with the community.

Takeaways

• 😀 The challenge involved creating a new project every week for an entire year, including a variety of experiments, games, and AI projects.
• 🎮 The first game was a simple platformer with a unique gliding mechanic, made using the HTML canvas for graphics despite its early graphical flaws.
• 🌀 The second project featured a Flappy Bird game that used polar coordinates, a mathematical trick that simplified the game's spiral mechanics.
• 💻 The creator's first 3D game involved learning rasterization-based rendering and basic game development concepts, despite early performance limitations.
• ♟️ A standout project was a custom chess game featuring historical and fantasy pieces, as well as unique modes like Chameleon Chess and Elk Chess.
• 🧮 Mathematical exploration played a big role, with projects that visualized complex numbers, fractals like the Mandelbrot set, and cellular automata.
• 🔢 One notable math project involved tracking complex numbers through the Mandelbrot set, and another involved visualizing Julia sets using WebGL.
• 👾 Cellular automata experiments included flocking behaviors (boids) and more advanced simulations using the GPU for organic-looking automata patterns.
• 🖥️ The creator explored artificial intelligence (AI) with a genetic algorithm that learned to play Flappy Bird, offering a simpler approach to machine learning.
• 🤖 AI projects also included creating an adventure game using OpenAI’s GPT-3 model and making a simple XOR-based AI using gradient descent and TensorFlow.
• 🎴 The final AI project featured a GAN (Generative Adversarial Network) to generate Magic: The Gathering cards, showcasing deep learning's potential for creative applications.

Q & A

What was the main challenge that the creator set for themselves?

The creator's challenge was to code one new project every single week for an entire year, including various experiments like 3D games, GANs, and other fun projects.

What were the three major categories the creator used to break down their projects?

The creator divided their projects into three categories: games, math, and AI projects.

What was the first game the creator made in their challenge, and what was its unique mechanic?

The first game was a small platformer that featured a gliding mechanic. It was built using the HTML canvas, and despite graphical flaws, the creator appreciated the mechanic.

What mathematical concept did the creator use to make the polar Flappy Bird game, and how did it affect the game's design?

The creator used polar coordinates, which replaced traditional X-Y coordinates with R-Theta coordinates. This allowed the game to move in a spiral pattern, giving it a unique design.

What was significant about the creator's 3D game project?

The 3D game was the creator's first attempt at 3D game development. It used rasterization, a popular 3D graphics technique, and despite its low resolution, the creator was proud of it due to the learning process involved.

What historical chess game inspired the creator's final game in the challenge?

The final game was inspired by Soku Shogi, a 16th-century Japanese chess variant that has over 1,000 squares and 804 pieces of 207 different types. The creator incorporated several unique chess pieces from various historical games.

What mathematical concepts did the creator focus on in their math projects?

The creator focused on complex numbers, Euler's formula, the Mandelbrot set, Julia sets, cellular automata, and fractals. These projects showcased how simple rules could lead to complex patterns.

How did the creator use the GPU in their cellular automata projects?

The creator used the GPU to accelerate the processing of multiple Neighborhood Cellular Automata, allowing cells to look at hundreds or thousands of neighboring cells at once. This resulted in more continuous and organic-looking simulations.

What is the genetic algorithm the creator developed, and what problem did it solve?

The creator developed a genetic algorithm to solve the problem of getting an AI to play Flappy Bird. The algorithm evolves through generations of equations that improve over time to play the game effectively.

What AI project did the creator work on that involved using TensorFlow, and what was its purpose?

The creator used TensorFlow to develop a GAN (Generative Adversarial Network) that creates magic cards. The GAN consists of two AI models: a generator and a discriminator, where the generator tries to create realistic cards to fool the discriminator.