Coders Nightmare

About

Coder’s Nightmare is a 2D shooter where the player must defeat oncoming enemies to prevent them from corrupting the player’s code.
It is heavily inspired by Space Invaders and was created using similar mechanics, serving as a basic starter game for myself.
The idea originated as an introductory school project to help me get familiar with the fundamentals of game design. In my opinion, it went quite well, though I did face some challenges balancing the timing of certain school projects alongside the game’s development. In the end, I consider it a success as a first project. Later on, I plan to revisit and improve this game, as well as future projects.

Screenshots

Here are some screenshots of the progress from the game starting from week 1 up to the end of the project.

Concept Idea

Here's the earliest stage of the project to understand the mechanics and see what needs to be improved.

In-game

Here you can see the progression of the game especially the change of sprites.


Menu

Here is also a quick peek at the Main Menu.



Details

Here I’ve listed the technical details of the game, covering everything from graphics to the bugs encountered along the way.

Graphics 🎨

Most of the graphics were created using AI due to my limited artistic experience. I’m satisfied with the results for now but may make changes if needed. The background uses Visual Studio’s coding theme to give the game more of a “programming” atmosphere. The player’s graphics were generated using a player sprite sheet generator, which also provided the animation frames.

Mechanics ⚙️

The game’s controls and mechanics are inspired by the original Space Invaders, aiming to capture its classic feel. Most enemies move left and right, but two out of the three enemy types can also shoot, adding to the challenge. The boss enemy has slightly different behavior, firing double shots, and may receive additional unique mechanics in the future.

Problems ❌

While developing and experimenting with ideas, I ran into several problems—some easy to fix, others much more difficult. Over time, I managed to create a playable version with a mix of minor and major bugs, which I see as part of the learning process. This project taught me many new mechanics and ways to improve my coding. I’ve always known that game development isn’t easy, but that’s exactly why I enjoy it—it constantly challenges me.

List of bugs/problems

  • Some bullets not disappearing when they should
  • Border collisions not functioning properly
  • Incorrect resolution in certain scenes
  • Audio issues

Improvements 🛠️

While developing the game, I kept a list of improvement ideas, most of which I plan to implement. My goal is to create games that players will enjoy for more than just a few minutes. Many improvement suggestions come from players themselves, as they can provide valuable feedback from a gameplay perspective. I welcome constructive criticism since it often reveals important insights for making the experience smoother and more engaging.

Progress ⌛

This was a solo project, as all students were tasked with creating an individual game before moving on to group projects. I’m pleased with how it turned out for a solo effort. The game received positive feedback from both my teachers and classmates, and it earned a high grade.