A Submission for Gamedev.js Jam 2026 | Theme: MACHINES

Concept

In a digital dystopia, an AI Overlord has automated the world’s infrastructure, turning developers into mindless digital zombies. As a rogue Software Engineer, you must infiltrate the core system and use raw syntax to breach firewalls, liberate processing nodes, and reclaim the codebase from the JS Overlord.

Technical Architecture

This project is a low-level engine exercise built without external frameworks to demonstrate fundamental software engineering principles.

• Core Engine: Developed with 100% Vanilla JavaScript and HTML5 Canvas.
• Audio Management: Integrated Howler.js for dynamic, high-fidelity sound processing.
• Physics: Custom AABB collision detection with gravity resolution and coyote time for precise movement.
• Optimization: High-performance Object Pooling for the particle system (zero-allocation) and a multi-phase Finite State Machine (FSM) for boss logic.
• Design Patterns: Data-driven architecture for scalable projectile and audio configuration.

Operational Protocol

Action	Key Binding
Movement	W A S D / Arrow Keys
Execute Syntax	Space (Semicolon Projectile)
Deploy Note	N + Click (Encrypted Message)
System Pause	ESC
Restart Process	R (Post-termination)

Development Transparency

This project was designed and assembled by Anthony G.C. as a Software Engineering student. Large Language Models (AI) were utilized as a pair-programming assistant for logic refactoring, Clean Code implementation, and rendering pipeline optimization. While the AI served as a technical consultant, all architectural decisions and system integrations were directed and executed by the developer.

Credits

• Developer: Anthony G.C.

• Audio Assets: Freesound.org and Google Action Sounds.