About the challenge

One Button. Infinite Possibilities . . .

Welcome to the 3rd annual Hack-A-Damien, a 24-hour game dev hackathon hosted by the IEEE Student Chapter at the University at Albany!

This year, we’re throwing a curveball: Can you make a game with only one input?

Whether it's a mouse click, a spacebar hit, or a single sensor trigger, your challenge is to design an engaging experience around a singular interaction. Think Flappy Bird, Geometry Dash, or something entirely new—the goal is to find the fun in simplicity.

No experience? No problem!

Hack-A-Damien is open to all majors. Game development isn't just about coding; A team of 5 needs artists, writers, designers, and enthusiasts. We’ll have mentors and events throughout the 24 hours to help you learn the ropes and build something awesome.

Get started

Join our discord! - IEEE UAlbany

• Technical Execution (10 pts)
  How well is the game built? This looks at the stability of the code, the complexity of the mechanics behind the scenes, and the overall performance. Did the team handle their chosen input method effectively without bugs?
• Creativity and Originality (10 pts)
  How unique is the concept? We are looking for projects that take the "one input" constraint and do something unexpected with it. Did the team create a fresh narrative or a mechanic we haven't seen before?
• UX (User Experience) (10 pts)
  Is the game intuitive and satisfying to play? Since there is only one input, the feedback (sounds, visuals, and responsiveness) is crucial. Is it clear to the player when they've succeeded or failed?
• Theme Match (10 pts)
  This is the big one . . . Does the game strictly follow the "One Input" rule? Points are awarded for how central that single interaction is to the core gameplay. If a game requires multiple keys or buttons, it will score lower here.
• Replayability (10 pts)
  Is the game engaging enough that a player wants to try again? Does the game actually support replaying? We’ll look for a functional "Play Again" flow that lets us jump back into the action without needing to refresh or restart the application.
• Judge's Choice (Bonus 5 pts)
  This bonus is awarded at the discretion of the judges for a specific element that stands out.