Inspiration

We love rhythm games like Guitar Hero and Osu!, but making custom playable tracks usually requires advanced tools and lots of manual mapping. We wanted something more accessible — a game where anyone can upload a song they love and instantly play it. That idea became Beat Bash.

What it does

Beat Bash turns any song into a rhythm-game level. Users upload a MIDI or audio file, and the system automatically extracts beats, tempo, note patterns, and difficulty, generating a synchronized chart within seconds. Players can then play, score, and compete with friends.

How we built it

• Core gameplay, beatmap generation, and file handling written in C++
• MIDI parsing and tempo extraction using lightweight C++ libraries
• Terminal-based rendering for notes, timing, and scoring feedback
• Custom algorithms for rhythm detection, spacing, and difficulty scaling
• GitHub + pair programming + fast compile–test cycles in the terminal

Challenges we ran into

• Audio-to-note transcription accuracy, especially polyphonic songs
• Handling tempo drift and live-recorded tracks
• Preventing overwhelming note density at high BPMs
• Tuning latency across devices and browsers
• Building gameplay, backend, and UI in a short timeframe

Accomplishments that we're proud of

• Fully working prototype that generates playable levels
• Audio → MIDI → beatmap pipeline in under five seconds
• Smooth, intuitive UI that worked for non-gamers
• Positive feedback during live playtesting
• Learned new frameworks, tools, and audio processing techniques

What we learned

• How beat tracking, onset detection, and spectrogram analysis work
• The importance of UX timing, feedback, and clarity in rhythm games
• Scope management during fast hackathon development
• Communicating effectively across technical roles
• Real-world music data is messy — and fun

What's next for Beat Bash

• Mobile + VR versions
• Adaptive AI difficulty that learns player skill
• Online multiplayer + leaderboards
• Beat-synced visual effects and skins
• Public beatmap library and song discovery
• Collabs with indie artists to feature new music

Built With

• cpp
• midi.js
• music