Beat Em Bots

My Groups Game Jam 2/3 

Beat ‘Em Bots, a beat ‘em up where you program the actions of your fighter before unleashing them on your opponent.

Simple “programming” such as in applications like Scratch was the basis for this game. Players move and order command blocks into a list, and when the fight commences, each command will be carried out sequentially. Combos of actions can be discovered, allowing for players to gain the upper hand through cunning strategy. Each player additionally has a complexity score, encouraging people to win with as complex a list as they can.

The game is designed to be played on a single, large screen. This results in the players standing next to each other as they play, interacting both in and out of game. The proximity allows for some players to even “cheat” by moving commands on their opponents list. Their opponent can react in kind, creating a meta-game as each player interferes with the other’s attempts to build a successful fighter AI.