Newbie dev: I had ChatGPT help build a almost full game. Roast it (constructively).

Exploring Game Development with AI Assistance: A Beginner’s Journey in Creating a Zombie Roguelite

As an aspiring game developer with a background that includes two high school programming classes and approximately six months of self-directed learning in game development, programming, and AI tools, I recently embarked on an experimental project to test my skills and understanding. My goal was to create a nearly complete game with the assistance of ChatGPT, an advanced language model, to bridge the gaps in my knowledge and streamline the development process.

Project Overview: ZomBite Arena

The result of this effort is ZomBite Arena, a browser-based zombie roguelite game that I’ve hosted on itch.io. You can experience it here: https://trashyio.itch.io/zombite-arena. Please note that the game is not yet optimized for mobile browsers—I am working on that as a final feature before gathering broader user feedback.

Development Approach and AI’s Role

Throughout this project, ChatGPT served as a versatile assistant:

• Learning Aid: It helped me understand and implement new game mechanics and functions that I had not previously encountered.

• Debugging Partner: It explained why certain features malfunctioned and suggested ways to resolve issues.

• Asset Generation: Most visual assets were created with ChatGPT’s assistance, with a few sourced from the Gemini image generation model.

While AI significantly accelerated parts of the process, I still handled the critical tasks of integrating systems, coordinating game calls, and debugging on my own—this was not a fully automated development pipeline.

Seeking Constructive Feedback

As a novice developer, I genuinely value honest critique that can guide my growth. If you have a moment, I’d appreciate your insights on the following:

• Fun Factor: Does the game offer at least five minutes of engaging gameplay?

• Jankiness & Clarity: Are there areas where the game feels awkward, buggy, or unclear?

• Prioritized Improvements: Should I focus first on refining movement and combat, implementing better upgrade systems, or enhancing visual polish and “juice”?

• Next Steps: Is further development of this project justified, or should I move on to my next idea?

Final Thoughts

This project represents a significant learning milestone, blending traditional coding with AI-powered assistance. I look forward to your constructive feedback to help me improve and develop more polished, enjoyable games in the future. Thank you for taking the time to explore ZomBite Arena and share your insights!