Cleanify

Inspiration

Environmental pollution is a global issue affecting a wide range of ecosystems, from bustling cities to remote natural landscapes. "Cleanify" was inspired by the need to raise awareness about waste management and environmental impact across diverse locations worldwide. By using gameplay to tackle pollution in different types of environments, we aim to promote eco-friendly practices and awareness in a fun and interactive way.

What it does

"Cleanify" is a game that challenges players to clean up various locations around the world, each representing unique environmental challenges. Players collect trash in diverse settings and use it as in-game currency to unlock environmental facts in the shop, blending entertainment with education. Each level features a new setting with increasing difficulty and varied visuals, encouraging players to appreciate the importance of maintaining a clean, healthy environment across the globe.

How we built it

We built "Cleanify" using Python and designed the game to be modular, allowing easy expansion with new levels and features. Key components include:

Game Screens: Each screen, from the main menu to individual levels, is organized in its own Python module for streamlined navigation. The entire application was built using pygame
Level Progression: A leveling system that varies in difficulty and background setting, each requiring unique clean-up strategies.
Database Integration: Environmental facts, Achievements, and User Data are managed with database files, allowing dynamic data storage for future updates using MongoDB

Challenges we ran into

One of our primary challenges was creating a dynamic game environment that represents diverse global locations. We also faced hurdles in balancing the game difficulty to keep it challenging yet enjoyable. Managing modular code across different Python files while maintaining smooth performance presented a unique learning opportunity, requiring careful attention to the structure and logic of each module. Antoher Challenge our team faced was the limited compatibility of pygame for the front-end, due to the restrictions of only using pygame as the front end, we had to spend a large amount of time dedicated to the UI Design.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We’re proud of successfully developing an engaging and educational game that showcases environmental conservation across a variety of real-world settings. Our achievements include designing a dynamic leveling system, integrating an educational shop feature, and implementing a modular structure that allows future expansion. Additionally, we’re proud of creating a fun experience that resonates with players' sense of environmental responsibility.

What we learned

This project taught us valuable lessons in modular programming, database management, and game design principles. We gained insight into balancing fun gameplay with educational elements and learned how to create a scalable game structure that could support new features and levels. We also learned about designing intuitive user interfaces and optimizing performance across complex game components.

What's next for Cleanify

Future development for "Cleanify" includes adding more levels to represent additional ecosystems, implementing a scoring leaderboard to encourage friendly competition, and introducing multiplayer functionality for collaborative clean-ups. We plan to expand the educational aspect by adding more interactive elements, such as environmental quizzes or mini-challenges within each level.