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.