Forge Awakens: a rhythm mini-game that unlocks its own source

· 1 min read · react-three-fiber, game-dev, webgl, launch

A glowing forge with sparks flying around an anvil, the Forge Awakens rhythm mini-game

Forge Awakens is a small game with one idea: you earn the source code by playing it. It is a rhythm mini-game built with React Three Fiber, set in a mythic forge, and it is part tech demo and part challenge.

The forge, in the middle of a strike

How it plays #

Each forging is a short rhythm sequence:

  1. Press and hold to charge the forge.
  2. Drag through the numbered sparks in order.
  3. Release past the mark to strike.

There are three playthroughs, a hammer, an ice axe and a pair of chain blades, and each one has its own visual theme and a higher difficulty than the last.

The reward #

When every relic is forged, the game unlocks the full source code as your reward. I liked the idea of teaching a craft by making you earn it: you spend a few minutes inside the project before you read how it was built.

What is under it #

  • fluid shaders for the look of heat and metal,
  • post-processing to give the forge its glow,
  • 3D forge tools and a scoring loop,
  • Valtio for the game state.

Play it #

The game is live at forgeawakens.vercel.app, the source is on GitHub, and the details are on the project page.

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