Category: CS 461

All posts pertaining to CS 461

Turning Up the Heat: FireSim Development Update

Development on Firesim is well underway, and I couldn’t be more excited about our progress. My incredible teammates and I have been hard at work tackling map generation, asset creation, and the foundational algorithm driving the game’s fire spread. Personally, I’ve been immersed in developing the fire spread algorithm—a challenging yet immensely rewarding experience.

Let me walk you through the basics of how it works without delving too deeply into the technical weeds. The fire behavior is influenced by a few key components:

  1. Terrain Type: The type of terrain in a land cell determines its susceptibility to fire.
  2. Global Weather Conditions: Variables like humidity, temperature, and wind speed heavily affect fire spread.
  3. Flammability: Some cells, such as water, are non-flammable, but this often-overlooked factor is just as critical.

The algorithm traverses the game map as a grid, evaluating each cell and probing its neighbors to determine which areas are most likely to ignite. While the logic may seem straightforward on the surface, there’s a lot happening under the hood to simulate realistic fire behavior.

That said, the current algorithm may lack efficiency, particularly as the grid size and complexity of calculations increase. I’ve already identified areas where revisiting the data structures and algorithmic approaches could improve the speed and scalability of the fire spread mechanics. I’m eager to dive back into optimization in the coming weeks to ensure Firesim performs as smoothly as possible.

Of course, no project is without its challenges. There have been moments when the fire stubbornly refused to spread—an incredibly humbling reminder of the ups and downs of software development. Still, the satisfaction of debugging and resolving those issues has made the process all the more rewarding.

Meanwhile, one of my teammates has been making excellent progress on map generation and visual elements. I’m excited about the prospect of merging our work to bring the map and fire spread mechanics together, creating a cohesive and visually dynamic gameplay experience.

As the first term of this course wraps up, I’m feeling both grateful and eager. These past ten weeks have been a whirlwind of growth and learning, and I’m thrilled to continue working with such a talented team. Firesim still has a long way to go, but I’m confident that the best is yet to come. Stay tuned for more updates as development heats up!

Fighting Fire with Code

Image Source: Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash

I’m excited to share an update on my project. At first, my team and I were working under the guidance of a project mentor, but as we progressed, it became clear that our visions didn’t quite align. We were feeling a bit stuck, and the project wasn’t heading in a direction that worked for us. It was tough, but we realized that we needed to make a change in order to create something we were passionate about. After some brainstorming, we decided to transition into a new project. It felt like the right move, but we knew it would be a big challenge, especially since we were already about a third of the way through the term.

Switching projects halfway through wasn’t an easy decision, but it turned out to be exactly what we needed to get back on track. We immediately dove into creating a browser-based wildland firefighting game using Phaser, focusing on strategy, resource management, and wildfire simulation. The objective of our new project is to design a realistic and engaging simulation that allows players to manage firefighting resources and strategize how to contain and control wildfires. We want to challenge players with realistic scenarios, making them think critically about how different resources—like hand crews, helicopters, and fire retardant—can be deployed efficiently. The shift to this new direction was fast, but we were able to jump right into the design process. Our professor was incredibly supportive throughout the transition, offering guidance and flexibility when we needed it most. Their help made all the difference in ensuring we could make this transition smoothly and effectively, which we really appreciated.

Now that we’ve fully embraced the new project, we’re more excited than ever to begin development. We’re designing a game that combines strategy, resource management, and the real-world complexities of wildfire management. It’s been a great opportunity to learn new skills, from game development with Phaser to designing complex simulation algorithms. The lessons we’ve learned in a short amount of time have been invaluable, and we’re eager to keep pushing forward. We can’t wait to continue developing this game and share our progress with you all. Stay tuned for more updates as we bring this firefighting simulation to life!

Introduction

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you’ve imagined. -Henry David Thoreau

It’s hard to believe I’m starting my senior capstone project. My academic journey has been anything but linear, but I’m excited to see the finish line ahead. With the final terms flying by, I feel both nervous and eager to sharpen my technical and soft skills, preparing to launch my career as a software engineer.

Growing up in California, Disneyland has always been a part of my life. My family often took day trips, and over time, Disney became more than just a theme park—it sparked my love for entertainment and technology. As I now look toward my career, my goal is to work as a software engineer at Disney. While I haven’t yet narrowed down a specific area of interest, I would be thrilled to join any department and refine my focus as I gain experience.

I’ve always been fascinated by technology’s ability to bring imagination to life. As a child, I spent countless hours playing video games, lost in creative worlds. Later, I became captivated by how technology could break the boundaries of animation and entertainment. I’ll never forget the awe I felt when I first put on a virtual reality headset—it reignited my childhood wonder for what technology can achieve.

Through my time at Oregon State University, I hope that the projects I develop in this course, along with my other coursework and the soft skills I’m building, will prepare me for the career I’ve envisioned since childhood. I’m excited to put my creativity and skills to the test and collaborate with like-minded individuals.

I’d love to hear about your career goals or experiences that have inspired you! Feel free to leave a comment below.