This is a submission for the Amazon Q Developer "Quack The Code" Challenge: That's Entertainment!

What I Built

I built a 3D Maze Game inspired by the Maze Runner series using web technologies. The game puts players in a mysterious research facility where they must navigate through a maze while battling an infection and avoiding dangerous creatures called "Grievers."

Game Features:

• Immersive 3D Environment: A fully navigable maze with dynamic walls that shift in darkness
• Compelling Storyline: Players uncover the mystery behind the maze and their own identity through collectible story notes
• Survival Elements: Players must manage their infection level, health, and stamina while searching for serum vials
• Dynamic Day/Night Cycle: The environment changes as time passes, with increased danger at night
• Enemy: Grievers hunt the player, especially in darkness
• Cinematic Sequences: Story-driven cutscenes that reveal the narrative
• Atmospheric Sound Design: Dynamic audio that enhances the tense atmosphere

Technical Highlights:

• Built with Three.js for 3D rendering
• Custom collision detection system
• Dynamic lighting and environmental effects
• Procedurally generated maze layout
• Optimized performance for smooth gameplay
• Responsive UI with health, stamina, and infection indicators
• Integrated sound system with spatial audio

Demo

You can try out the game at mazetrials.rachitkhurana.tech

Code Repository

The full source code is available on GitHub:

How I Used Amazon Q Developer

I used Amazon Q both as a CLI as well as a VSCode Extension.
Amazon Q Developer was instrumental in creating this project:

1. Game Architecture Design: I used Amazon Q to help design the overall architecture of the game, including the component structure and how different systems would interact.

2. Three.js Implementation: Amazon Q provided guidance on implementing Three.js features like lighting, camera controls, and collision detection. It helped me optimize the rendering pipeline for better performance.

3. Debugging Complex Issues: When I encountered issues with the player movement and collision detection, Amazon Q helped identify the root causes and suggested fixes.

4. Sound Management System: Amazon Q helped me design and implement the sound system that handles ambient sounds, music, and spatial audio effects.

5. Story Implementation: Amazon Q assisted in creating the cinematic sequence system and how to integrate the narrative elements into the gameplay.

6. Performance Optimization: When the game started experiencing frame rate drops, Amazon Q suggested several optimization techniques like frustum culling and staggered updates.

7. UI Development: Amazon Q provided guidance on creating responsive UI elements that update based on player status.

The most valuable aspect of using Amazon Q was how it helped me understand complex game development concepts and implement them efficiently. It suggested best practices for game architecture that made the code more maintainable and performant. When I got stuck on technical challenges, Amazon Q provided clear explanations and sample code that helped me overcome obstacles quickly.

For example, when implementing the dynamic wall movement system, Amazon Q suggested a pattern for updating the collision grid that I wouldn't have thought of on my own. This made the feature much more robust and eliminated several bugs I was experiencing.

Overall, Amazon Q Developer acted as both a coding assistant and a mentor throughout the development process, significantly accelerating my progress and improving the quality of the final game.