escape-from-wizard

Escape from Wizard is a classic dungeon-escape style game where the player must:

• Navigate through a maze-like map.

• Collect key items scattered around.

• Avoid being caught by roaming Hat Ghosts and the pursuing Wizard.

• Once all key items are collected, quickly locate the exit to achieve victory.

This was originally a university project for Game Algorithm Design and Analysis using C#, Microsoft XNA 4.0, managed with TFS, now migrated to GitHub and modernized with CI/CD.

✨ Features

• Classic dungeon escape gameplay with collectibles and enemy chasers.

• Implementation of A* algorithm for intelligent pathfinding.

Highlight

• Key upgrades (2025)
  • Update dependencies: Microsoft XNA 4.0 (VS2015) to MonoGame (VS2022).
  • Explored data generation with 'MGCB'
  • Modernized with solution generation using scripts, showcasing toolchain mentality.
  • Added CI/CD workflow with GitHub Action to build, and upload artifacts, and package release for Windows and Linux
  • Added debug functions for testing and level exploration.
  • Basic code refactoring.

Project Structure

escape-from-wizard/
├── .github/workflows/                  # GitHub Actions CI/CD pipelines
├── img/                                # Project screenshots & documentation images
├── script/                             # Helper scripts
├── src/                                # Main source code and content  (C#, MonoGame)
│ ├── Game/Content/                     # Game content pipeline (MGCB, assets)
│ ├── Game/Source/                      # Game logic, entities, algorithms
│ └── escape-from-wizard.csproj
└── README.md                           # Project documentation

Project Setup

Step 1: Generate Solution

Execute the generate-sln script depending on the operating system.

Windows:

./script/generate-sln.ps1

Linux:

./script/generate-sln.sh

Step 2: Generate Content

Execute the generate-content script depending on the operating system.

Windows

./script/generate-content.ps1

Linux

./script/generate-content.sh

Manual Generation

Open Content.mgcb with MGCB Editor with the generated solution, and build for the desired platform. The binaries will be generated at src/bin/$(Platform) and src/obj/$(Platform).

For more information, kindly refer to Generating .xnb files.

Running Project

Game Control

← → ↑ ↓ or w a s d to move around.

Game Objects

Feature	Description
Hiding Tiles (!)	Entering makes the wizard lose sight; pushes the character out after a delay
Star	Increases score
Wizard	Deal major contact damage
Ghost	Deal minor contact damage
Purple Potion	Mantatory Quest item (Collect 3)
Red Potion	Restores health
Colored Door	Blocks player path. Destroy on passing through with its key.
Colored Key	Unlocks corresponding color door
Exit Sign	Reach it to win
Esc	Quit game

Debug Functions

Key	Desciption
F1	Toggle God Mode
F2	Full Heals
F3	Obtained All Keys
F4	Obtained All Quest Items
F5	Unlock All Doors
F6	Toggle Guide Lines