The Enlightened Path

Short description

This is a maze game written in C++ using SFML. A maze is procedurally generated using a depth-first backtracker algorithm. The player explores the maze, solves riddles to earn power-ups (vision radius expansion, invisibility, and combat abilities), encounters enemies, and races to reach the exit. The project requires a C++17 compiler and SFML.

Prerequisites

• A C++17-capable compiler (g++, MSVC, clang)
• SFML (graphics, window, system)
• A TrueType font (.ttf) placed in ./fonts/ (recommended)

Compilation & Running

Using Visual Studio (MSVC)

1. Create an empty project and add all .cpp and .h files from the src/ folder.
2. Configure include and library directories for SFML (or use vcpkg to install SFML):

   vcpkg install sfml:x64-windows
   

3. Link the following libraries:
   • sfml-graphics.lib
   • sfml-window.lib
   • sfml-system.lib
   • sfml-audio.lib (for music support)
4. Build the project (press F7 or use Build > Build Solution).
5. Run the executable: ./The-Enlightened-Path.exe from PowerShell in the project directory.

Using G++ (MinGW/Linux/Mac)

1. Install SFML development libraries:

   • Windows (MSYS2): pacman -S mingw-w64-x86_64-sfml
   • Ubuntu/Debian: sudo apt-get install libsfml-dev
   • macOS: brew install sfml

2. Compile from the project root directory:

   g++ -std=c++17 -o maze_game src/*.cpp -lsfml-graphics -lsfml-window -lsfml-system -lsfml-audio

3. Run the game:

   ./maze_game

Setup & Prerequisites

• Ensure a TTF font exists in ./fonts/ (e.g., fonts/DejaVuSans.ttf or fonts/arial.ttf). The game searches multiple locations, but having a fonts folder is recommended.
• Place audio file haunted.wav in the project root (or modify the path in src/Game.cpp).
• The game auto-generates riddles.txt if it doesn't exist.
• Leaderboard scores are saved to leaderboard.txt in the working directory.

Controls

• Move: W/A/S/D or arrow keys
• Start/New Game: SPACE
• Leaderboard: TAB
• Submit riddle answer: ENTER (type while riddle is active)
• Close riddle: ESC
• Give Up (in-game): G

Files of interest

All source files are located in the src/ folder.

Core Game Files

• src/main.cpp — Program entry point; constructs Game and calls run()
• src/Game.h / src/Game.cpp — Main game state machine, rendering loop, input handling, leaderboard management, and overall game orchestration

Maze & World

• src/Maze.h / src/Maze.cpp — Maze data structure, recursive backtracker generator algorithm, and maze rendering
• src/Cell.h / src/Cell.cpp — Individual maze cell representation, wall data, and cell rendering logic

Player & Movement

• src/Player.h / src/Player.cpp — Player position, movement mechanics, vision radius, and player rendering

Enemies & AI

• src/Enemy.h / src/Enemy.cpp — Enemy entity class with AI pathfinding logic, collision detection, and enemy rendering. Enemies patrol the maze autonomously and pursue the player when detected within their vision range. Includes state management for different enemy behaviors (idle, patrolling, chasing).

Gameplay Mechanics

• src/Riddle.h / src/Riddle.cpp — Riddles and riddle marker rendering within the maze
• src/GameObject.h / src/GameObject.cpp — Base classes for in-world objects providing shared functionality for game entities

Notes for customization

• Maze size / cell size: Constants in src/Game.h (e.g. COLS, ROWS, CELL_SIZE). Adjust with care.
• Enemy behavior: Modify enemy speed, vision range, and pathfinding logic in src/Enemy.cpp
• Font: Place a .ttf in ./fonts/ or change the font path list in Game::Game() within src/Game.cpp
• Leaderboard file: leaderboard.txt in the working directory