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Field Goal
An American football field-goal kicking simulator built around one-button timing, moving aim, wind influence, score scaling, and fast arcade-style retries.
./project_summary
Project Overview
Field Goal is a one-button kicking game where the player times a kick based on a moving aim indicator, then watches the ball travel through wind toward the goalpost.
The game was created for a school one-button game prompt, with the core interaction designed around simple input and increasingly difficult timing.
I coded the mechanics and overall design. The background lights were made by Rohan Jhangiani.
./gameplay_loop
Gameplay Loop
Aiming
- Uses a constantly moving circle sprite as the aim indicator
- The player times their kick based on the circle’s current angle
- The aim indicator increases in speed as the score goes up
- The system creates a simple but increasingly difficult timing challenge
Kicking
- The ball launches when the player clicks or presses the input
- The launch angle is based on the aim circle’s position at the moment of input
- The kick immediately commits the player to that trajectory
- The result is readable because the aim-to-shot relationship is direct
Wind
- Wind is randomized within a threshold
- The wind threshold increases as the score goes up
- After the kick, wind adjusts the ball’s x-velocity while it travels
- This adds pressure and variation beyond timing alone
Scoring
- The game checks the ball once it reaches the aim sprite’s y-value
- The ball must be left of the right goalpost
- The ball must be right of the left goalpost
- The ball must be above the crossbar to score 3 points
./worked_well
What Worked Well
Difficulty Scaling
The game becomes harder as the score increases, making each successful kick feel like it pushes the player into a more demanding version of the same loop.
Wind Feedback
The wind system feels clear during play because it visibly affects the kick after the ball launches, creating a readable extra variable for the player.
Pixel Style
The bright pixel-style visuals help sell the football field atmosphere while keeping the game simple, readable, and arcade-like.
./potential_improvements
Potential Improvements
Depth Effect
- Shrink the ball as it gets closer to the goalpost
- Create a stronger sense of distance and depth
- Make the flight path feel more visually dynamic
Kicking Animation
- Add an actual kicking animation before the ball launches
- Improve the moment-to-moment game feel
- Make the kick feel more physical instead of instantly taking off
./tech_stack