i-coded-one-project-every-week-for-a-year_carter-semrad_22-03-2025

link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nr8biZfSZ3Y

Summary: I coded one project EVERY WEEK for a YEAR

Games

1. Platformer Game:

   • First project with a gliding mechanic.
   • Used HTML canvas to draw basic shapes.
   • Despite its flaws, plans to revisit it in the future.

2. Polar Flappy Bird Game:

   • Used polar coordinates for mechanics.
   • Made with simple shapes and math (e.g., spiral pattern using R = θ).
   • Ran well on mobile.

3. 3D Game with a Rasterization-based Renderer:

   • Learned rasterization from “2 Minute Papers” lectures.
   • Featured enemies and teleportation mechanics.
   • Used triangles and linear algebra to create the 3D objects.
   • Despite heavy math usage, still used HTML canvas rectangles for pixels.

4. Advanced Games:

   • Further games included:
     • HTML canvas enhancements.
     • A text-based dungeon roguelike.
   • Created a custom chess variant, inspired by historical and unique chess pieces:
     • Example pieces: Chameleon, Hyaena, Wizard, Flying Cat, etc.
   • Added multiple game modes, such as Chameleon Chess, where pieces change type every turn.

Math Projects

1. Complex Numbers and Euler’s Formula:

   • Explored rotation and beauty in complex numbers.
   • Created a spirograph to demonstrate rotation effects.

2. Mandelbrot Set and Julia Set Visualizations:

   • Built a Mandelbrot plotter and a point tracker.
   • Used WebGL to improve rendering.
   • Visualized Julia sets with mouse-controlled parameters.

3. Cellular Automata:

   • Developed simulations based on simple rules.
   • Example: Conway’s Game of Life.
   • Created a GPU-accelerated version for handling multiple cells.
   • Developed projects like Boids, simulating bird flocking, and Langton’s Ant with customizable patterns.

4. Other Math Projects:

   • Created graphing tools for 2D/3D equations.
   • Developed animations for relaxing weeks.
   • Experimented with wave function collapse algorithms and a multiplayer version of Conway’s Game of Life.

AI Projects

1. Flappy Bird with Genetic Algorithms:

   • Used genetic algorithms (simpler than other ML techniques) to teach AI how to play Flappy Bird.
   • Improved the AI over generations by copying top-performing solutions.

2. GPT-3-based Adventure Game:

   • Created an adventure game using OpenAI’s GPT-3 model.

3. Perceptron-based XOR Operation:

   • Built a neural network to solve the XOR problem, a fundamental AI task requiring multi-layered neural networks.

4. Generative Adversarial Network (GAN):

   • Built a GAN to generate magic cards.
   • Trained the AI using TensorFlow and Google Colab to create semi-realistic cards.