F24: Tilt Maze
Contents
Abstract
Tilt Maze is a motion-controlled puzzle game that challenges players to navigate a luminous ball through procedurally generated mazes using device tilting mechanics. Players must reach the exit within time constraints while maneuvering around obstacles and collecting power-ups that provide temporary advantages. The game combines physical device control with strategic gameplay elements, offering high replayability through its randomized level design and emphasizing skills in balance, spatial reasoning, and quick decision-making.
Objectives & Introduction
The Tilt Maze Game combines hardware and software to create an interactive puzzle experience. It uses an ADXL345 accelerometer for tilt-based movement control, navigating a character through a maze displayed on a 64x64 LED matrix. FreeRTOS manages concurrent tasks like accelerometer input, display updates, and game logic, ensuring smooth and responsive gameplay. Game states, collision detection, and immersive audio feedback via an MP3 decoder enhance the experience. Semaphores and mutexes ensure thread-safe resource management, while debug outputs provide insights during development. This project demonstrates advanced integration of peripherals and real-time systems in a cohesive gaming application.
TEAM MEMBERS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Shreya Belide
- Developed code for MP3 Decoder Driver to play background music and sound effects.
- Designed and implemented Game Architecture and State Machine logic.
- Developed collision detection logic to ensure smooth player interactions.
- Bug fixes in MP3 integration with FreeRTOS tasks.
- Integrated subsystems including audio, display, and game logic.
- Code Cleanup and Optimization.
- Game Packaging and Presentation Preparation.
- Jyoshna Mallineni
- Developed Accelerometer Driver for tilt-based control.
- Designed Maze Layouts and Game Graphics.
- Implemented logic for dynamic player movement and boundary restrictions.
- Developed and tested display rendering functions for the LED Matrix.
- Debugged issues with accelerometer sensitivity and movement logic.
- Assisted in subsystem integration and game logic testing.
- Code Cleanup and Documentation.
- Pavan Charith Devarapalli
- Developed LED Matrix Driver for rendering the game visuals.
- Implemented multi-level gameplay logic and player progression.
- Designed logic for traps and goal conditions in the maze.
- Integrated MP3 Decoder with SPI communication for audio playback.
- Debugged synchronization issues between subsystems.
- Tested and verified power supply stability for all components.
- Assisted with subsystem integration and final game testing.
- Managed Git Repository and Final Report Preparation.
Schedule
| Week# | Start Date | End Date | Task | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
|
|
|
| 2 |
|
|
|
|
| 3 |
|
|
|
|
| 4 |
|
|
|
|
| 5 |
|
|
|
|
| 6 |
|
|
|
|
| 7 |
|
|
|
|
| 8 |
|
|
|
|
| 9 |
|
|
|
|
| 10 |
|
|
|
|
BILL OF MATERIALS
| Part | # | Cost | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| SJ2 Board | 1 | $50.00 | Preet |
| Sparkfun RGB (64x64) LED Matrix Display | 1 | $32.72 | Amazon |
| Accelerometer | 1 | $10.99 | Amazon |
| 12v DC Power Jack Adapter Connector | 1 | $8.90 | Amazon |
| MP3 Decoder | 1 | 6.90 | Amazon |
| Packaging | 1 | $12 | Target |
| Jumper Wires | 1 | $6.99 | Amazon |
| Total Cost | $128.5 |
Design & Implementation
The design section can go over your hardware and software design. Organize this section using sub-sections that go over your design and implementation.
Hardware Design
Discuss your hardware design here. Show detailed schematics, and the interface here.
RGB LED MATRIX
It is composed of two upper and lower sectional LED pannels. Each pannel has R, G, B led channels and A, B, C, and D row control registers. Addtionally, column shift is controlled by Latch bit, clock is controled by CLK, and OE turns LED off when switching rows.
|
Connectivity Table LED Matrix to Sj2 Board:
|
Accelerometer
The ADXL345 accelerometer plays a central role in detecting tilt and translating it into game interactions. Here's a detailed breakdown of its purpose and usage: Tilt Detection: The ADXL345 measures acceleration along the X, Y, and Z axes, allowing you to detect the orientation and movement of the system. Game Control: The tilt input can serve as a controller for your tilt maze game. By tilting the device, you can move an object (like a ball) on the LED matrix to navigate the maze.
|
Connectivity Table LED Matrix to Sj2 Board:
MP3 DecoderThe MP3 decoder model Hiletgo GD3300 adds audio functionality, such as background music or sound effects for tilt maze game. Here's a concise explanation of its role and how to integrate it: Background Music: Play ambient or thematic music to enhance the gaming experience. Sound Effects: Trigger sounds (e.g., collision, level-up, or maze completion) based on game events.
</center> Hardware Interface
Software Design
Implementation
// Add acceleration smoothing static int16_t last_x = 0; static int16_t last_y = 0; const float smoothing_factor = 0.7f; // Increased for better responsiveness void accelerometer_init(void) { // Initialize I2C at 400kHz for faster response i2c__initialize(I2C__2, 400 * 1000, 96 * 1000 * 1000UL, &binary_sem_memory, &mutex_memory); // Create mutex for thread-safe movement movement_mutex = xSemaphoreCreateMutexStatic(&mutex_memory); // Configure ADXL345 accelerometer i2c__write_single(I2C__2, ADXL345_WRITE, REG_DATA_FORMAT, 0x00); // ±2g range i2c__write_single(I2C__2, ADXL345_WRITE, REG_POWER_CTL, 0x08); // Measurement mode // Initialize smoothing variables last_x = 0; last_y = 0; }
switch (new_state) { case GAME_STATE_TITLE: stop_gameplay_music(); mp3_decoder__play_song_at_index(SOUND_TITLE); enable_movement(false); break; case GAME_STATE_PLAYING: start_gameplay_music(); enable_movement(true); break; case GAME_STATE_LEVEL_UP: stop_gameplay_music(); mp3_decoder__play_song_at_index(SOUND_LEVELUP); enable_movement(false); break; case GAME_STATE_GAME_OVER: stop_gameplay_music(); mp3_decoder__play_song_at_index(SOUND_LOSE); enable_movement(false); break; case GAME_STATE_WIN: stop_gameplay_music(); mp3_decoder__play_song_at_index(SOUND_WIN); enable_movement(false); break; } }
typedef enum { mp3_decoder__next_song = 0x01, mp3_decoder__prev_song = 0x02, mp3_decoder__play_at_index = 0x03, mp3_decoder__play_loop = 0x08, // Added loop command mp3_decoder__set_volume = 0x06, mp3_decoder__select_device = 0x09, mp3_decoder__reset = 0x0C, mp3_decoder__stop = 0x16, // Added stop command } mp3_decoder__commands_e; // Added playback mode enum typedef enum { MP3_PLAY_ONCE, MP3_PLAY_LOOP } mp3_playback_mode_t; Testing & Technical ChallengesThe most challenging part of the Tilt Maze game was the integration and calibration of the accelerometer. Reading accurate tilt data and translating it into smooth, responsive movements for the game character required careful implementation. Additionally, ensuring the player's movement was constrained within the maze boundaries while avoiding unintended behavior added complexity. Bug/Issue Name
ConclusionBuilding the Tilt Maze game on a microcontroller proved to be a rewarding and challenging experience. Developing custom drivers for the accelerometer, LED matrix, and MP3 decoder required a deep understanding of embedded systems. Implementing FreeRTOS tasks to handle concurrent updates for accelerometer input, game logic, and display rendering added complexity but ensured smooth and responsive gameplay. One of the most challenging aspects was achieving accurate and stable accelerometer readings for tilt detection, which required calibration, noise filtering, and careful logic for player movement. Throughout the project, we encountered various issues, including synchronization conflicts, noisy sensor data, and priority balancing in FreeRTOS. These challenges taught us the importance of debugging, modular design, and leveraging RTOS APIs effectively. As embedded engineers, we learned that creating a system from scratch involves meticulous attention to both hardware and software integration. In the end, we successfully implemented a fun and interactive game that showcases the power of embedded systems. Future improvements could include adding a scoring system, dynamic maze generation, and more refined accelerometer controls to further enhance gameplay. Project Video[Watch the Tilt Maze game demo] Project Source Codehttps://gitlab.com/first892736/tilt-maze-group-2 ReferencesAcknowledgementSpecial thanks to Mr. Preet Kang for his lessons and detailed-documentation website on microcontrollers. References Used
Appendix
|
