Space Invaders Game

A classic Space Invaders game built through prompting with Claude 3.5 Sonnet. The game features retro-style graphics, sound effects, and progressive difficulty.

Development Journey with Claude

This game was developed through a series of prompts with Claude. Here'''s the key development steps:

1. Core Game Development

   • Created base Entity class for game objects
   • Implemented player movement and shooting
   • Added enemy formation and movement patterns
   • Created collision detection system

2. Sound System Evolution

   • Started with basic alien movement sound
   • Refined to 55Hz base frequency
   • Added 4-semitone descending pattern
   • Implemented noise-based shooting sounds
   • Created modulated UFO sound
   • Added explosion sound effects

3. Game Mechanics Enhancement

   • Added diving aliens with 1->2->3 cycling pattern
   • Implemented level progression
   • Created destructible barriers
   • Added UFO bonus enemy
   • Implemented starfield background
   • Added initial delay before enemies shoot

4. Build System Development

   • Started with multiple script files
   • Created Node.js build script
   • Added minification
   • Implemented basic code obfuscation
   • Created single self-contained HTML output

Quick Start

1. Clone the repository
2. Install dependencies:

npm install

3. Build the game:

npm run build

4. Open dist/spaceinvaders.html in a browser

Project Structure

.
├── index.html          # Main game HTML
├── js/
│   ├── Entity.js      # Base class for game objects
│   ├── Player.js      # Player ship implementation
│   ├── Enemy.js       # Enemy aliens implementation
│   ├── Barrier.js     # Destructible barriers
│   ├── Bullet.js      # Projectile handling
│   ├── StarField.js   # Background star animation
│   ├── UFO.js         # Bonus UFO enemy
│   ├── SoundEngine.js # Web Audio implementation
│   ├── GameEngine.js  # Main game logic
│   └── main.js        # Entry point
├── build.js           # Build script
└── package.json       # Project configuration

Features

Game Mechanics

• Classic Space Invaders gameplay
• Progressive difficulty with each wave
• Destructible barriers that reset each wave
• Diving aliens with cycling patterns (1->2->3->1)
• UFO bonus enemy with unique sound
• Score tracking system
• Game over and restart functionality

Sound System

The game uses Web Audio API for all sound effects:

• Alien movement: 55Hz base frequency with 4-semitone descent pattern
• Shooting: Noise-based effects with frequency sweeps
• UFO: Modulated oscillators for distinctive sound
• Explosions: Noise burst effects

Visual Effects

• Animated starfield background
• Enemy formation movement
• Diving alien patterns
• Destructible barrier visualization
• UFO bonus enemy animation

Build System

The project uses a custom build script that:

• Combines all JavaScript files
• Minifies code and HTML
• Applies basic code obfuscation
• Creates a single, self-contained HTML file

Controls

• Left/Right Arrow Keys: Move player
• Spacebar: Shoot
• Enter: Restart game (after game over)

Development

For development:

1. Edit source files in js/ directory
2. Open index.html directly in browser for testing
3. Use build script for distribution:

npm run build

Credits

• Developed through prompting with Anthropic'''s Claude 3.5 Sonnet
• Inspired by the classic Space Invaders arcade game
• Built using vanilla JavaScript and Web Audio API

License

MIT License