VTerrarium

The VTerrarium is a compact game system designed in the shape of a terrarium, offering an interactive and immersive idle game experience. Inspired by virtual aquariums and classic Tamagotchi-style games, the VTerrarium enables players to collect virtual creatures, make them happy to earn money, and purchase more creatures and items for their environment. The system's unique feature is its ability to detect real-world conditions through temperature and light sensors that affect the in-game environment and creature happiness based on their preferences. The VTerrarium features two screens—on the top and front—creating the illusion of a 3D environment, with the top screen primarily serving UI functions (like feeding) and the front screen for viewing. The most unique aspect of this project is the integration of hardware and software components. A Miniature Computer runs the Open Source Godot Game Engine for rendering and game logic, while an Arduino Nano processes analog and digital sensor inputs through embedded code. This data is sent directly to the Godot Engine via a custom C# extension that translates serial bus information into usable global data in the engine and applies complex processing. The Arduino processes data from sensors, such as a photoresistor and temperature detector, allowing the VTerrarium to detect light levels and temperature. These factors directly impact creature behavior, influencing their mood and money generation within the game. The backbone of our software is the Open Source Godot Game Engine, processing sensor input and rendering the virtual environment. Each creature has their own state machine that uses the creature's data to make decisions. A built-in mood processing system tracks creature happiness, with happier creatures generating more money. Additional software components support selective viewport rendering for an intuitive UI and easy user experience. Users can interact with their virtual aquarium through several menus: Inventory shows all creatures in a grid view with detailed stats available when clicked; Accessories can be accessed from the creature detail view to customize their appearance; Feeding allows users to feed creatures with food from their inventory; and the Store allows users to buy packs of random creatures, with more expensive packs having better chances for rarer rewards. The VTerrarium is designed with expandability in mind. Future developments may introduce more sensors, advanced AI-driven ecosystems, and additional gameplay mechanics such as speech recognition, fluid simulation, or deeper environmental simulation. The current iteration prioritizes a complete project by focusing on user interactions rather than a deep ecosystem. With its unique combination of hardware integration, modular software design, and idle gaming mechanics, the VTerrarium represents an innovative approach to physical-digital interaction. It provides a scalable framework for interactive simulations, virtual pet experiences, and novel gaming concepts within a self-contained system.