Space Lab 76

Space Lab 76 is a retro-style isometric escape game built with Pygame.
You control Bot, a repair robot navigating through a failing space station.
Your goal is to restore systems, scan objects in the correct order, unlock doors, and avoid patrolling enemy drones.

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🎮 How to Play

• Move ➜ Use arrow keys to navigate Bot.
• Scan objects ➜ Press SPACE near a wall object to scan it.
• Collect items ➜ Drive over floor items to pick them up (some restore power, others provide hints or hazards, and some dont do anything).
• Unlock doors ➜ Scan objects in the correct order to unlock doors. (Currently you only need to scan one item per room.)
• Avoid enemies ➜ Sentry Bots patrol the station and will drain your power and freeze you in place for a bit if they hit you.
• Monitor power ➜ Power depletes over time; collect power disks to stay operational.

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🔥 Features

✅ Built with Pygame – Classic 2D rendering with an isometric perspective.
✅ Dynamic Level System – Easily add or modify levels using JSON.
✅ Enemy AI – Sentry Bots patrol and can damage the player.
✅ Power Management – Power drains over time; collect certain items to restore it.
✅ Particle Effects – Sparks appear when damaged, and energy waves trigger on successful scans.
✅ Modular Design – Easily add new levels, objects, and mechanics.

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📁 Creating & Modifying Levels

Levels are stored in levels.json, allowing for easy modification or addition of new levels.

Key Level Properties

• player_start → Defines Bot's starting position.
• objects → Interactive wall objects that can be scanned.
• progression → Defines the correct scan order and door unlocking mechanics.
• floor_items → Placed and random items that provide hints, restore power, or deal damage.
• sentries → Controls enemy count and speed.

Example Level Snippet

"level_1": {
    "player_start": { "x": 257, "y": 467 },
    "objects": [
        {"name": "printer_l", "interactive": true, "search_time": 1.0}
    ],
    "progression": {
        "interaction_order": ["printer_l", "door_floor_zone"],
        "unlock": ["door"]
    },
    "floor_items": {
        "random": { "count": 6, "directory": "floor_items/random" },
        "placed": [
            {
                "name": "5-14-floppy-red-tl",
                "x": 700,
                "y": 300,
                "effect": "hint",
                "hint_text": "Try scanning the printer\nPress SPACE."
            }
        ]
    }
}

Adding New Objects & Items

• Wall objects → Any image in the assets/ folder can be referenced by name in levels.json.
• Random floor items → Place .png images in floor_items/random/, and they will automatically be included.
• Placed items → Define them manually in levels.json under "floor_items".
• Wear items → These do not interact with the player but serve as environmental details.

Running the Game

Install dependencies:

pip install pygame

Run the game:

python main.py

Visual Effects

• 🟥 Damage Effect → Sparks appear when Bot takes damage.
• 🟩 Success Effect → A glowing energy ring expands outward when Bot correctly scans an object.
• ⚡ Power Items → Some floor items restore Bot’s power when collected.

💡 Hints for New Players

• 🟢 Scanning is key! Scan the wall objects in the right order to unlock the door. Check floor items first, they can hold clues.
• 💾 Look for floor disks – Some provide power, others hints, but some may be hazards.
• 🔴 Avoid enemy drones – If they hit you, you'll lose power.
• 🚪 Doors don’t open automatically – Move into the door zone once you have scanned all required objects.
• 🔋 Your power drains over time – Keep an eye on the battery level.
• 📡 Scanning takes time – Be sure you’re scanning the right object before pressing SPACE.