Hoping to be able to accomplish this within the week while moving house. So far I've started scaffolding the code with classes for the main game functions and one for the trucks that'll be running to the sea. I've used pygame.draw.rect for the backgrounds and trucks for now, graphics aren't my priority with the little time I'll have, although I've also made some simple png's for 10 different truck designs. Next up I'll add in some images and work on the first truck scanner. The plan is to let the player install different types of scanning stations like a tower defence game, rewarding them with currency for immigrants caught and fining them for immigrants missed.

I've made a variety of truck images, but the rest is still all pygame rects as I'm still focusing on functionality over beauty. I've added the basic scanning functionality with scanning stations that can be placed with a mouse-click and a scanning bar to the trucks. The scanning stations need images and types, the graphics for which are worrying me! I've no idea how I'm going to draw the different types yet. But soon I'll be able to move onto the UI elements to select/ purchase scanning stations and fine trucks. Not bad considering I'm moving house this week :/

Graphics have never been my field of expertise, but with most of the functionality of the basic game-play completed I thought it was time for a face-lift. I've gone for a pixely look to the textures that make the trucks stand out a little more and I've adjusted the size of the scanners so that they are wider, which keeps the trucks in range just that little bit longer and means you don't need to build so many. So you can now select a scanning station from the menu at the top and build it, but upgrading needs to be implemented and the stats need to be tweaked. There is a currency system in place but it's not displayed yet, which all means I need to work on the UI elements. I want an info box on the currently selected scanning station too, giving the stats and info. Now I'm playing the game I'm wondering about levels and goals. It's clear this would play nicely on a touch screen device, which makes me think about moving it across to Kivy but I'm not sure how using that library would fair in this competition. Anyway, it's coming along. I know what you're thinking... that looks nothing like a ferry!

Made some serious progress today with lots of game testing to try and get the right balance of the variables that create the difficulty. The game's now got stages that get progressively more difficult and it'll tell you all the information you need to know while playing. I've included a couple of touches to make the game more visually appealing so the sea and ferry move a little and the scanners draw lines to their current targets so you know what's scanning what. I'll add more touches if time permits. Tomorrow's main jobs are to add sound and splash screens before packaging it up ready for submission. I need to let the player know when they've caught or missed an immigrant, which I'll probably use sound to do. I'm also thinking to add a top score feature to encourage efficient spending and make the game appealing to play multiple times.

So I'm going to be spending the best part of tomorrow at a beer festival and thought it best if I really crack on with this to get it done. I rather think that it's finally complete.

We've got stages, splash-screens, music, sound effects. I've tweaked the graphics to try and keep a steady 30 fps, so I dropped making the water and ferry ebb as in game you really couldn't see it moving whilst focusing on the trucks. I also kind of realised the game doesn't lend itself to the opinion I wanted to present with the theme, but I've tried to show the humanity of the people. I think it's the only game where you're not going to be proud of yourself for winning it!

Anyway, have a play and let me know what you think.

After an awesome beer festival I wasn't going to get anything of merit done on this little project yesterday. I just tidied up the display and fixed a bug in speed not resetting after a game over event. So yep, here it is, my first PyWeek entry, I'm looking forward to playing everyone else's games now.