Case Study

Project Overview

The Drug Name Emoji Game is a web-based, mobile-friendly rebus-style quiz designed to help pharmacy students (and practicing healthcare professionals) learn and reinforce common anti-infective drug names. Players see an emoji puzzle alongside blank letter tiles and must either tap the correct letter tile or type their guess within a 30-second timer. Each round allows an extra 10–20% of the letters in guesses and starts with three lives. Incorrect guesses or time-outs each cost one life. The game features 40 drug names, and players earn points based on letters revealed, remaining guesses, and time left, encouraging replay to improve scores.

This project was inspired by Dr. Timothy Gauthier’s original PDF “The Drug Name Emoji Game” on idstewardship.com. It was also inspired by my daughter Ari, a CPhT, who I thought would enjoy a digital version. After reaching out, Dr. Gauthier agreed to collaborate, and I built out the web/mobile version under Pixel Pilgrim Studios.

Problem Statement & Objectives

Problem: Traditional paper-based quizzes can feel static and fail to engage today’s learners. Objectives:

• Migrate from a static PDF printout to an interactive, web-based experience.
• Ensure mobile compatibility so students can practice anywhere.
• Retain educational rigor while enhancing engagement through gameplay mechanics.

Target Audience & Context

• Primary: Pharmacy students studying infectious-disease pharmacology.
• Secondary: Healthcare professionals seeking a quick, gamified review.
• Assumptions: Users are familiar with anti-infective drug names and have access to a smartphone, tablet, or computer with keyboard/mouse.

Role & Team Composition

Role: Sole developer & designer.

Assets:

• Art: licensed from Craftpix.net and openemoji.org.
• Audio: sourced & edited via itch.io assets, FL Studio, and Audacity.
• Testers: Sara Diaz and Ariel Moya.

Team Size: 3 contributors (myself + 2 testers) plus outsourced asset providers

Timeline & Milestones

• Start: April 20, 2025.
• Prototype Complete: April 26, 2025.
• Beta Version: May 3, 2025.
• Launch: May 5, 2025.

Total Effort: ~40 hours (weekends only)

Technology & Tools

• Engine & Language: Godot 4.4.1 with GDScript, using our in-house “Wayfarer Framework” (autoloads for state management, UI controls, etc.).
• Art Tools: Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop.
• Audio Tools: FL Studio, Audacity.
• Development IDE: Godot Editor, Jetbrains Rider for scripts.

Game Design & Mechanics

• Rebus Presentation: Emoji + blank tiles represent each drug name.
• Lives & Timer: 3 lives per session; 30 sec countdown per word.
• Guess Limits: Players may make guesses equal to 10–20% of the length of the drug name before losing a life.
• Scoring: Coins earned based on unused guesses and time remaining.
• In-Game Store: Spend coins on extra time, hints, or additional lives.

Architecture & Code Structure

• Framework Reuse: Leveraged existing autoloads (GameStateManager, GameUtils) from Wayfarer.
• Modularity: Functional composition of game logic and separate resource files for drug-name data and emojis.
• Maintainability: Clear scene hierarchy (levels, UI overlays) and reusable UI components (pause menu, dev console stubs).

Challenges & Solutions

No major blockers arose. Thanks to the Wayfarer Framework’s built-in timer management and our prior work on composable UI scenes, development remained smooth and on-schedule.

Testing, QA & Iteration

• Methods: Five rounds of playtests and structured feedback sessions with Sara D. and Ariel M.
• Key Iteration: Added a visible “tried letters” tile overlay so players could track past guesses.

Launch & Distribution

• Delivery: Web build published on itch.io and embed code supplied to idstewardship.com.
• Promotion: Shared link on Discord, Threads.net, and relevant Reddit communities.

Metrics & Outcomes

• First 24 hrs: 16 unique players, average session ~2 minutes.
• Next Steps: Integrate Google Analytics tracking for retention, replay rate, and engagement heatmaps.

User Feedback & Testimonials

“It’s hard but fun.” - Ariel M.

“I loved deciphering the emojis!” - Sara D.

Players appreciated the challenge and replayability, noting the rebus format kept sessions engaging.

Lessons Learned

• Modular Code Pays Off: Composition enabled rapid reuse of UI components and logic.
• Data-First Design: Choosing flexible data structures up front simplified emoji and drug-name loading.
• Interactive Polish Matters: Custom shaders and AnimationPlayer effects significantly boosted “fun factor.”

Future Roadmap

• Content Expansion: Add more drug names to broaden the learning scope.
• Mobile App: Package as native iOS/Android builds.
• Thematic Re-skins: Repurpose the framework for other subject areas (e.g., software tools, art history) by swapping data, UI skins, and audio.

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