Spakbor Hills
A farming life simulation game inspired by Stardew Valley built with Java
Problem Overview
Spakbor Hills is a 2D farming and life simulation game inspired by Stardew Valley. The goal was to create an immersive and nostalgic gameplay experience where players can grow crops, explore nature, and interact with various in-game characters.
The project was born from a desire to explore object-oriented design, event-based gameplay mechanics, and pixel-style UI development using only native Java tools. The challenge was to replicate the charm and complexity of simulation games within a custom engine built from scratch, without using popular game frameworks or engines.
My Role
Game Developer
As the main developer, I handled both the logic and interface side of the game. My responsibilities included:
- Designing game systems such as time cycles, player stats, and planting mechanics
- Implementing an in-game day-night system and seasonal changes
- Creating UI elements using Java Swing
- Managing assets and animations for characters and objects
- Structuring the codebase using Gradle and object-oriented principles
- Debugging player interactions, collision, and event triggers
Gallery
Here are some snapshots from the development process and the final app screens.
Challenges & Lessons
Key Challenges
- Building game logic and rendering from scratch without a game engine
- Simulating interactive elements such as inventory, weather, and time progression using basic Java components
- Managing performance bottlenecks while rendering multiple elements in a lightweight environment
Lessons Learned
Game development taught me how to think in systems, from managing states and events to building reusable components in a clean architecture.
Constraints from not using engines like Unity forced me to deeply understand how every part of the game actually works under the hood.
Results
- Fully functional 2D farming sim prototype, playable on desktop.
- Served as a showcase for mastering fundamental game architecture and Java-based UI development.
- Opened opportunities for deeper exploration into pixel-based rendering, animation logic, and game feel design.
- Received positive feedback during internal demo sessions and continues to be iterated on for potential expansion.