Gopher kart

CONTROLS: - Desktop: - Right Arrow: Accelerate forward (increases speed) - Left Arrow: Brake / Reverse (slows down significantly) - Up Arrow: Move up / Change lane upward - Down Arrow: Move down / Change lane downward - Release Right Arrow: Automatically decelerate and move backward (when not pressing right arrow, player moves backward at -150 velocity) - Mobile/Tablet: - Touch controls not implemented (desktop required as indicated by mobile warning message) BASIC MECHANICS: 1. Character Selection: - Choose from three gopher characters before starting: Blue, Pink, or Purple - Each character has unique appearance and animations - Character selection screen with animated marquees - Must select a character before starting the game 2. Movement System: - Side-scrolling perspective (camera follows player) - Forward movement when pressing Right Arrow (velocity.x = 80) - Automatic backward drift when not pressing Right Arrow (velocity.x = -150) - Lane changing with Up/Down arrows (velocity.y = -90 or 90) - Maximum velocity limits (x: 500, y: 500) - Player position constrained between top and bottom rails 3. Lane System: - Three lanes for NPC racers: y positions 233, 289, and 345 - Players can move between lanes vertically - Strategic lane positioning to avoid collisions - NPCs spawn in random lanes - Proper lane management crucial for survival 4. NPC Racers: - NPC gophers spawn from right side of screen - Spawn rate: every 1.8 seconds (npcSpawnRate = 1.8) - NPCs move left at velocity -200 - Random lane assignment for each NPC - Random NPC appearance from 20 available sprites - NPCs can collect coins (NpcPickUp collision handler) 5. Collision System: - Collision between player and NPCs triggers crash - Crash animation plays on collision - Explosion sprite appears at collision point - NPC eliminated on collision - Player loses one life (heart) per collision - Collision causes temporary speed boost backward (velocity.x = -500) 6. Lives System: - Start with 3 lives (represented by heart sprites) - Heart sprites displayed in top-left corner - Lose one heart per collision with NPC - Heart drain animation plays when lost - Game over when all 3 lives are lost (lives === 0) - Hearts removed after animation completes 7. Coin Collection: - Coins spawn from right side of screen - Spawn rate: every 1 second (coinSpawnRate = 1) - Coins move left at velocity -200 - Random vertical position (between y: 240 and screen height - 70) - Collect coins by touching them (onPickUp handler) - Each coin worth 10 points (score += 10) - Coin collection sound effect plays - Coin spinning animation 8. Scoring System: - Automatic score increase: +3 points per second - Coin collection: +10 points per coin - Score displayed in top-right corner - Score persists and tracks throughout gameplay - High score can be posted to leaderboard 9. Timer System: - Timer tracks elapsed time from game start - Time displayed in top-center (TIME label) - Updates every second (setInterval at 1000ms) - Time format: two digits (01, 02, etc. for first 10 seconds) - Tracks total survival time 10. Background Parallax: - Multiple scrolling background layers at different speeds - Sky: -5 horizontal scroll, -0.5 on acceleration - Mountains: -15 scroll, -0.7 on acceleration - City: -30 scroll, -0.9 on acceleration - Truck: -550 scroll, -2 on acceleration - Road: -390 scroll, -2 on acceleration - Rails: -370 to -380 scroll, -2 on acceleration - Posts and extras: -330 scroll, -5 on acceleration - Creates depth and speed illusion 11. Countdown Sequence: - Game starts with countdown: 3, 2, 1, GO! - Countdown sprites fade in/out with tween animations - Each number displays for 1 second (500ms fade in, 500ms fade out) - Countdown sound effect plays - Input disabled during countdown (3 seconds) - "GO!" sprite appears to signal start - Game begins after countdown completes 12. Sound System: - Background music: racing main theme (looping) - Driving sound effect (looping, volume 1.3, increases to 1.6 on acceleration) - Acceleration sound effect (plays on right arrow press) - Coin collection beep sound - NPC explosion sound on collision - Countdown beep sound - Game over music - Sound playback rate changes on acceleration (1.0 to 1.4) 13. Visual Effects: - Player idle animation (frames 0-1, looping) - Player crash animation (frames 2-6, plays once on collision) - Coin spinning animation (frames 0-5, looping) - Explosion animation (frames 0-3, plays once on collision) - Heart drain animation (frames 0-5, plays when life lost) - NPC idle animations (various frames based on NPC type) - Parallax scrolling for immersion 14. Boundary Constraints: - Top boundary: game.height - 200 (top rail position) - Bottom boundary: game.height - 80 (bottom rail position) - Player cannot move above top rail or below bottom rail - Constraints enforced in update loop - Prevents player from leaving playable area 15. Game States: - Title screen (StateTitle): Main menu - Tutorial screen (StateTutorial): Shows controls animation - Character selection (StateChoice): Choose gopher character - Main game (StateMain): Active gameplay - Game over (StateOver): Score display and restart option - Leaderboard: High score posting and viewing STRATEGIC TIPS: - Constant Forward Movement: Hold Right Arrow to maintain forward speed. Releasing it causes automatic backward drift, making you vulnerable to collisions. - Lane Management: Use Up/Down arrows to switch lanes strategically. Anticipate NPC spawns and move to open lanes before collisions occur. - Coin Priority: Collect coins when safe, but prioritize avoiding collisions. Each coin is worth 10 points, but losing a life is more costly. - Predictive Movement: Anticipate NPC positions and move early. NPCs spawn from the right and move left at consistent speed. - Forward Momentum: Maintain forward movement whenever possible. Backward drift makes it harder to avoid NPCs and collect coins. - Lane Positioning: Stay in middle lane when possible for maximum maneuverability. Easier to dodge up or down from center position. - Timing: Learn spawn rates (NPCs every 1.8s, coins every 1s) to predict when threats and opportunities appear. - Collision Avoidance: Swerve around NPCs rather than trying to outrun them. Lane changes are faster than acceleration. - Life Conservation: Prioritize survival over coin collection when low on lives. One life left means game is nearly over. - Acceleration Management: Use acceleration sound cues to know when you're moving forward. Audio feedback helps maintain proper speed. ADVANCED TECHNIQUES: - Lane Dancing: Rapidly switch lanes to avoid tight NPC clusters. Quick up/down movements can slip between NPCs. - Coin Route Planning: Predict coin spawns and position yourself in advance. Maximize coin collection while maintaining forward momentum. - Speed Control: Master the balance between forward acceleration and avoiding collisions. Sometimes slowing (Left Arrow) is better than accelerating. - Collision Recovery: After collision, the backward velocity boost can be used to reposition. Use this moment to assess lane safety. - Pattern Recognition: Learn NPC spawn patterns and common cluster formations. Some patterns repeat and can be anticipated. - Optimal Lane Selection: Different lanes may have different NPC densities. Learn which lanes are safer at various game stages. - Sound Cue Awareness: Use audio feedback to know when accelerating. Driving sound volume and pitch indicate speed state. - Strategic Braking: Use Left Arrow brake strategically when NPCs cluster. Sometimes backing up creates space for forward dash. - Life Management: Know when to take risks for coins versus playing safe. Early game allows more risk-taking. - Endurance Building: Practice extended survival sessions. Higher scores come from longer playtimes and consistent coin collection. WINNING AND PROGRESSION: - Survival Goals: Survive as long as possible to maximize score. Each second adds 3 points, so longer survival = higher scores. - High Score Achievement: Beat your previous high score with each session. Continuous improvement shows skill development. - Coin Collection Mastery: Collect as many coins as possible. 10 points per coin significantly boosts total score. - Leaderboard Ranking: Post high scores to leaderboard. Compete against other players for top positions. - Perfect Run Attempts: Try to complete runs without losing any lives. Perfect runs maximize score potential. - Character Mastery: Try different characters to see if any feel better. Each character may have different visual feedback. - Timing Mastery: Master the countdown timing for immediate optimal start. Perfect start maximizes early coin collection. - Endurance Challenges: Set personal goals for survival time. Track improvement through elapsed time display. - Coin Collection Challenges: Set coin collection goals per run. Track coins collected to improve efficiency. - Mastery Achievement: Combine all techniques for maximum score potential. Perfect play involves lane management, coin collection, and collision avoidance. Enjoy racing through the gopher world in Gopher Kart and achieve the highest scores possible!