So_long

A small 2D game built in C with the MiniLibX, as part of 42's common core curriculum.

About

So_long is an introduction to 2D graphics programming and game logic. Given a map file describing a level, the game loads and displays it using sprites, lets the player move around, collects collectibles, and reach an exit — all while validating that the map is well-formed before the game even starts.

The project focuses less on gameplay depth and more on rigor: proper map parsing, clean sprite rendering, memory management, and a stable game loop.

Features

• Parsing and validation of a custom .ber map file:
  • Rectangular map, fully enclosed by walls
  • Exactly one player starting position
  • Exactly one exit
  • At least one collectible
  • The map must be solvable (a path exists from the player to the exit, passing through at least one collectible)
• Rendering of the map using distinct sprites for walls, floor, player, collectibles, and exit
• Player movement in four directions, with collision detection against walls
• Move counter, printed to the terminal each time the player moves
• Collectible pickup logic — the exit only becomes usable once all collectibles are collected
• Clean window closing (ESC key, red cross) with proper memory deallocation, checked against leaks

Bonus (if implemented)

• Movement/idle animations for the player
• Enemies with basic movement patterns
• Multiple levels

(Check/remove bonus features depending on what you actually implemented.)

Build

make

This generates the so_long executable at the root of the project.

Other available targets:

make clean    # removes object files
make fclean   # removes object files and the executable
make re       # rebuilds the project from scratch

Usage

./so_long maps/map.ber

Example:

./so_long maps/valid_map.ber

Controls

Key	Action
W A S D (or arrow keys)	Move the player
ESC	Quit the game

(Adjust this table to match your actual controls.)

Map file format (.ber)

1111111111
10C0000001
1000P00001
1000000E01
1111111111

• 1: wall
• 0: floor
• P: player starting position
• C: collectible
• E: exit
• The map must form a closed rectangle, with no gaps in the outer walls

(Adjust this example to match the exact format you implemented.)

Project structure

so_long/
├── src/
│   ├── main.c
│   ├── parsing/
│   ├── render/
│   ├── game/
│   └── events/
├── includes/
├── textures/
├── maps/
├── libft/          # personal library reused across projects
├── minilibx/
├── Makefile
└── README.md

(Adjust this tree to match your actual project structure.)

What I learned

• Loading, parsing, and validating a custom file format representing a 2D grid
• Working with sprites and image buffers using MiniLibX
• Structuring a basic game loop and handling keyboard events
• Careful memory management in a graphical application (textures, structures, window/display cleanup)
• Path validation (checking that a level is actually solvable before letting the player start)

Authors

• Nathan Jeanbourquin — 42

License

Project built as part of the 42 curriculum. Educational use.