Programming Course: Illustration for A “Balloon defense Tower“ Game

In 2018, a friend of mine, Yukun, was enrolled in an advanced programming course at CMU. As part of the course, he needed to design a game. When Yukun shared his plan with me, I found it intriguing and captivating. However, he was concerned that he couldn't find suitable images for his game. In a moment of inspiration, I suggested that I could be his game illustrator, responsible for creating all the graphics for the game, even though I had no prior experience in game illustration.

Being a game illustrator was more challenging than I had initially anticipated. Yukun's game was a "Balloon Defense Tower" game, and over the following weeks, we met frequently as he outlined various requirements. Initially, I thought my task would be relatively straightforward, designing a few towers with different functions. But I soon realized I would need to create every detail, including small features like a gear button to represent "settings" and every character in the game. After repeating many times of modifying, discussing, and re-modifying, I realized that patience and minor details are essential for even small success.

Even though this project would not yield higher grades or financial compensation, I remained committed to completing it. I put forth my best effort and drew every element displayed on the screen. Being my friend's game illustrator was an enjoyable and unique experience for a mechanical engineering student like me. I relish a challenge, and our sense of accomplishment after successfully completing the game was immense.