Cyber Office Chronicles

A chaotic collection of bite-sized cybersecurity games that turn everyday digital dilemmas into fun, fast educational challenges. Fight cyber threats. Save your office. Don’t click the sketchy link.

I created this game for KU's annual hackathon: HACKKU 2025

Inspiration

With cybersecurity becoming more relevant in everyone’s daily lives—from email scams to suspicious app permissions—I wanted to create something fun, educational, and accessible. I was inspired to make a game that not only engages casual users who might not know much about cybersecurity, but also gives security professionals a chance to smile (or cringe) at all-too-real scenarios.

My goal was to bring awareness to common threats through humor, gameplay, and storytelling—and to do it all in a way that doesn’t feel like homework.

What it does

Cyber Office Chronicles is a collection of distinct, bite-sized cybersecurity-themed games:

• Secure or Sketchy? – Swipe your way through app requests and tech prompts to determine what's safe and what's sketchy.
• The Weakest Link – Play through branching scenarios based on real-world social engineering tactics. Your decisions shape the outcome.
• Cyber Maze – Navigate a digital labyrinth, dodge malware, collect the data, and escape without getting caught.

Each mini-game focuses on a different area of cybersecurity, from phishing and device security to human manipulation and stealth threats. The variety keeps things fresh, replayable, and engaging for different types of players.

How I built it

The game was built entirely using the Godot Engine. I worked solo after my teammates dropped out before the event started, so I focused on modular design—making sure each game was its own scene and functioned independently with a shared main menu.

• I used CharacterBody2D for movement in the maze
• Area2D and JSON files to handle scenarios, choices, and triggers
• Each mini-game includes scoring, feedback, and a fun ranking system
• I added pop-up intros to give each game a personality and help players know what to expect

Challenges I ran into

• Time: I only had Saturday to build everything after starting late, and had to scope realistically while still making something that felt fun and complete.
• Working solo: With no team, I had to manage game design, code, UI, and writing all myself.
• Balancing fun and education: I wanted to keep the tone fun while still being realistic and meaningful.

Accomplishments that I'm proud of

• Completing three distinct mini-games plus a main menu in under 12 hours
• Making the games accessible and enjoyable for both general users and cybersecurity professionals
• Including original scenario writing and playful ranking systems for feedback
• Adding stylish, funny intro popups and a polished flow between scenes

What I learned

• How to work quickly under pressure and still deliver something cohesive
• How to balance simplicity in mechanics with depth in theme
• That cybersecurity education doesn't have to be boring—it can be fun, weird, and memorable

What's next for Cyber Office Chronicles

I’d love to expand the game with more scenarios, a scoring leaderboard, and new mini-games like:

• BYOD Chaos – Manage an office full of sketchy devices and decide who gets network access
• Patch Patrol – A time-management game about keeping systems up to date

I also want to polish the art, add sound effects, and maybe port the game to web or mobile to reach more people. Cybersecurity deserves a bigger spotlight—and if it can be fun along the way, even better.