Environmental Technology
Inspiration
We were inspired by the growing urgency of climate change and air pollution, and how disconnected people often feel from those issues. We wanted to create something that makes environmental data personal and engaging. That’s where Pollute Pet comes in, a Tamagotchi-style game where your decisions, based on real-world environmental trends, directly impact your pet’s health and happiness.
What it does
Pollute Pet is a game where your choices impact the health of a virtual pet, based on real-world climate and pollution data. It teaches environmental responsibility through interactive gameplay.
How we built it
We built Pollute Pet using TypeScript, React, and Expo. The app uses real datasets on global temperature trends and air pollution levels in specific regions, which are processed into a format that drives gameplay decisions and consequences. We used state management to keep track of pollution, temperature, happiness, and year-over-year changes that affect the pet.
Challenges we ran into
One of our biggest challenges was data management. It was difficult to figure out how to incorporate real-world datasets into a format that worked well in a game without overwhelming the player. Another issue we encountered was navigation bugs—the UI would sometimes lose track of the game state due to screen transitions or improper state updates, which took a good chunk of time to debug and fix.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
One of the accomplishments we're most proud of is getting over the data management hurdle and incorporating real-world data into a game.
What we learned
We learned how to integrate real-world data into a user-friendly experience, how to manage app state effectively in React Native, and how to work as a team under time pressure. We also picked up valuable lessons in collaboration, especially when it came to syncing work across different components and responsibilities.
What's next for Pollute Pet
We're excited about the potential of Pollute Pet. We’d love to expand it with animations, improved visuals, and more interactive scenarios that reflect different global challenges. While we're not yet sure what the future holds for the project, we think there's real potential to make it an educational tool, or just a fun game with a message.
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