Planet Healer is an engaging, educational, and visually appealing game designed to immerse players in the mission of restoring a damaged planet. As recruits of the Galactic Guardians, players embark on a journey to solve environmental challenges, using critical thinking to make a real-world impact. This project focuses on interactive learning, rewarding gameplay, and dynamic storytelling to inspire action beyond the game.
- Players are introduced as recruits of the Galactic Guardians, an advanced space organization dedicated to saving planets from ecological collapse.
- Guided by AERON, the AI companion, players are informed about the environmental issues affecting the planet.
- The game provides a seamless narrative flow from selecting environmental problems to solving them and witnessing the planet's visible recovery.
- A final congratulatory scene reinforces the player’s journey, leaving them with a sense of accomplishment as a "Planet Healer."
- Instead of passive learning, the game integrates interactive quizzes that encourage critical thinking about environmental issues.
- Players are faced with scenario-based questions related to real-world problems (e.g., deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions, ocean disruption), promoting analysis and application of solutions.
- As players progress, the planet visually transforms in real-time, showing the impact of their actions.
- Completing tasks rewards the player with the prestigious “Planet Healer” title.
- The game is designed to be both rewarding and satisfying, motivating players to achieve goals and see the real-time changes they bring to the planet.
- The final scene encourages reflection, inspiring players to take positive actions beyond the game.
- 2D Game Development: Used for rendering the planet, environmental problems, AERON, and UI elements.
- Animations & Effects: Applied effects such as blinking animations, typewriter text, and fade transitions to enhance engagement.
- Scene Transitions: Smooth navigation through different game stages:
ProblemSelectionScene → ProblemDetailsScene → QuizScene → CongratulateScene.
- Platform for Student Submissions: Ensures compatibility with Apple’s guidelines.
- Optimized for Interactivity: Facilitates smooth scene transitions and interactive game elements.
- Efficient Testing: Provides a lightweight environment to test animations, logic, and interactions in real-time.
- Seamless Scene Transitions: Enhances storytelling and keeps players engaged.
- Dynamic Dialogue: AERON’s guidance is presented via a typewriter effect for a more interactive experience.
- Fade Effects: Used to create an immersive atmosphere between different game stages.
I chose SpriteKit for its lightweight, efficient, and well-optimized nature in 2D game development within the Swift Playgrounds environment. Unlike heavier game engines, SpriteKit ensures smooth performance and responsive interactions, making it ideal for an educational experience. Swift Playgrounds provided an accessible platform to build, test, and refine the game, ensuring compatibility with Apple's guidelines and offering an efficient testing environment to optimize the game for engagement, learning, and interactivity.
To play Planet Healer, simply download this repository, extract it and open it in Xcode or Swift Playgrounds.
Planet Healer is more than just a game—it's a journey to inspire change. By allowing players to interact with environmental problems and see the impact of their solutions, the goal is to motivate real-world action. Whether you’re playing for fun or learning about the planet’s future, the experience offers both entertainment and education in an engaging format.