4951 Space Raiders – CDS’ First Mobile Game + Robotics Update

Zach Lawton
Grade 11 student, Ian Rokas ’19 recognized that CDS Robotics are going to lose most of their team next year, so has decided to use his skills as a programmer to create CDS’ first mobile game to promote the team.
Modeled in the style of the retro classic Space Invaders, Rokas’ game 4951 Space Raiders, pits the CDS Robot versus members of the Robotics team as they cascade downwards on the robot, sending missiles at the player. The name comes from the registered number of the school’s team - #4951.

As a player progresses, the rounds get faster and the user must act quicker to survive and eliminate the enemies descending on him or her. It has created some competition in the school, as students are trying to beat each other for the top score “We save the best scores so you can measure yourself against other people. As far as I know, Carter Moore ’19 currently has the highest score.”
Ian had created a few android applications and games before, so it was an easy idea to execute. “We wanted to make a game in a style that everyone knows. We didn’t want to start a game with brand new mechanics, so we created a space invaders style engine in Java.” After creating the initial engine, Ian asked Luke Bannerman ’18 to model the graphics for the game “Different stages have different animations featuring all of the students from the CDS Robotics team – the entire team is featured in the game!”

The game will continue to evolve as Ian receives requests from players “… extra lives more than anything else.”
If you want to beat the top score in 4951 Space Raiders, you can find the game in the Google Play Store.

ROBOTICS UPDATE 
The CDS Robotics team competed in their second and final tournament this past weekend at Western University. The tournament took place over three days, in which the CDS team played 12 qualifying matches. Ranked 18th out of 38 teams after the preliminary rounds, the team was selected by the 3rd place team to create an alliance and head into the playoffs. The CDS alliance proceeded to easily win its quarter-final matches. In the next round of playoff matches, the team unfortunately lost but was so thrilled with the semi-final finish. The team has been building, designing, testing and tweaking the robot since January and would like to thank all the sponsors this year for their support (Xakt Komponents; Moore Family; von Schilling and Gauthier Family and Rokas Family).
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Land Acknowledgment

CDS wishes to recognize and acknowledge the land on which the school operates. For thousands of years, these have been the traditional lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. We also recognize the traditional territory of the Huron-Wendat, Anishinaabe and the Haudenosaunee peoples who also shared this land.  CDS respects the relationship with these lands and recognizes that our connection can be strengthened by our continued relationship with all First Nations, by acknowledging our shared responsibility to respect and care for these lands and waters for future generations.

School Information

13415 Dufferin Street King, Ontario L7B 1K5 
(905) 833-1220 

communications@cds.on.ca
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Founded in 1972, The Country Day School is a co-educational private school offering programs in JK-12 and located on 100 acres north of Toronto in King.