CPE 471: 3D PacMan

Figure 1: Starting PacMan Screen

By: Rafael Kaliski

6/10/2004

3D PacMan is a simple 3D game with two characters, PacMan and the ghost.� The goal of the game is to eat all of the pellets before the ghost gets you.� Only a single map is loaded per game, i.e. this game is single level only.� Currently this program only loads the original PacMan map.� This game does not support transportation of PacMan.

Program Description:

This Game achieves its 3D look by loading a map file and changing the properties of each block based on the contents of the map file, at the given row and column.� Obstructed blocks are raised (z-coordinates) and subsequently a 3D look is achieved.� Each character is a Quadric like a Sphere (PacMan) or a cylinder (Ghost).� Normals are computed per face (square), for the map.� The pellets, power or normal, are created using glutSolidSphere.� Both glutSolidSphere and the Quadrics automatically compute the normals, for lighting.� Alpha blending is used for transparency.� Both the ghost and PacMan have 2D texture mapped faces (visible below).�

The ghost utilized a greedy search algorithm; consequently, it bounces around the screen.� The greedy algorithm is an informed search, i.e. it knows where the target (goal) is.� Bitmap characters are used to display the text (Statistics and data); most of the important statistics are echoed to the console.� When the program ends (normally), the console waits for user input before the program terminates.

Object collisions are detected at the data structure, versus graphical, level.� For example, when the ghost and PacMan are on the same square, a collision is detected.� A map of any size can be loaded.