A Java Swing–based 2D arcade game demonstrating principles of object-oriented programming, interactive graphics, and event-driven design.
Team Lead: Pritam Thapa Co-Developers: Ayush Shrestha, Roshika Rai, Omkar Ghimire Repository: Starlight_Collector
Starlight Collector is an interactive desktop game developed in Java using the Swing GUI framework. The project was created as an academic exercise to explore structured game development, real-time rendering, input handling, and the application of MVC architecture in a manageable but meaningful environment.
The player navigates a basket to collect falling stars while avoiding meteors. As the score increases, the game dynamically adjusts difficulty through faster objects, new backgrounds, and additional visual feedback.
Screen.Recording.2025-11-17.075841.mp4
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Core Gameplay: Player moves the basket horizontally using arrow keys to collect stars and avoid meteors.
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Scoring System:
- Normal Star → +2 points
- Rare Star (Type I) → +5 points
- Rare Star (Type II) → +10 points
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Dynamic Level Progression: Backgrounds and falling speeds change based on score thresholds.
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Power-Ups: Includes speed boosts and magnet-style attraction.
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High-Score Storage: The highest score is recorded and displayed for replay motivation.
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Immersive Feedback: Integrated images, sounds, and thematic visual transitions.
/src → Java source code organized using MVC principles
/res → Backgrounds, sprites, sound effects, and icons
/classes → Compiled class files
- Model: Game entities such as basket, stars, meteors; scoring and collision mechanics
- View: Swing-based rendering, UI painting, transitions, background management
- Controller: Keyboard input handling, game-loop timing, state changes
This project was developed to:
- Apply object-oriented principles (encapsulation, inheritance, polymorphism) in a real project.
- Demonstrate event-driven programming using Java Swing and timers.
- Implement a clear Model–View–Controller separation for better clarity and maintainability.
- Provide a learning-friendly codebase for understanding 2D game logic, resource loading, and animation loops.
- Create a playable, visually appealing game that motivates continuous improvement and experimentation.
The decisions behind the scoring system, level transitions, and power-ups were made to keep the gameplay simple yet progressively challenging, while also keeping the codebase approachable for academic demonstration and future expansion.
- Java Development Kit (JDK) 8 or higher
- A Java-supported IDE (IntelliJ, Eclipse, NetBeans, VSC) or command-line compiler
git clone https://github.com/PritamTheCoder/Starlight_Collector.gitUsing an IDE:
- Open the project
- Ensure the
resfolder is correctly referenced - Run the
Mainclass
Using terminal:
javac -d bin src/**/*.java
java -cp bin StarlightCollectorMake sure the res directory is accessible so images and sounds load correctly.
- Launch the game from your IDE or terminal.
- Use the Left and Right arrow keys to move the basket.
- Collect stars to increase your score.
- Avoid meteors—colliding with them ends the game.
- Advance through levels as your score increases and aim to beat the saved high score.
- Additional power-ups and star types
- Pause menu and in-game settings
- Export to runnable JAR for easier distribution
- Smoother animation effects and particle systems
- Multiple difficulty modes or challenge levels
We welcome contributions in the form of bug fixes, new features, or documentation improvements. To contribute:
- Fork the repository
- Create a feature branch
- Implement and test changes
- Submit a detailed pull request
This game was developed under the leadership of Pritam Thapa, with valuable contributions from Ayush Shrestha, Roshika Rai and Omkar Ghimire. We extend appreciation to the Java open-source community for tools, references, and learning resources used throughout development.