Crab Mail
Project information
My roles in Crabmail
CrabMail is a multiplayer webgame about two crabs working against the clock at a seaside post office.
I programmed the java server that handled log-ins, online chat and online multiplayer. I coded several in-game interactions, cleaned up, simplified and bugfixed the code. Lastly, I designed and implemented the main, settings and account menus, and the chat tab.
THE PROGRAMMING
Backend
I wrote the game’s server in Java, with SpringBoot. It can handle several concurrent games, and will end matches
where a player disconnects for a certain amount of time. It implements registering, log-in and account deletion.
We made a simple account system, that stores a high score for each logged-in player.
I also worked on the client side, using AJAX to communicate with the server.
It’s worth noting that online features don’t work on the itchio release of the game, since there’s no server currently running.
Other
I worked in all the features mentioned. Besides, I cleaned up redundant code and fixed bugs from colleagues.
THE ART
I was in charge of the UI. That means I designed, drew and implemented the main menu, login page, chat, settings and pause menus. They were all designed with immersion in mind, which means they’re beach themed. An exception is the pause menu, represented by envelopes instead, drawing from the other theme of the game. Notably, the settings menu features a small animation of crabs walking on sand, which represent the sliders. On top of the menus, I was also the designer of the game’s logo. It uses a crab claw to represent the letter C on top of an envelope.