Full Stack Development for Baseball Web Game (2024)

Project Overview

Beat The Bot is a game where baseball fans can submit live predictions for the results of at-bats to try to beat a machine learning "bot" algorithm. Hoping to increase fan interaction in the Cape Cod Baseball League, I developed the full stack of this website from the ground up in a three week sprint for the MIT Sports Lab.

Breakdown

Video Oct 04 2024, 10 27 53 PM.mov

Joining the Team

Over the summer in 2024, my friend reached out asking if I could develop a website for a partnership between the MIT Sports Lab and the Orleans Firebirds. Despite lacking prior web dev experience, I saw the project as an opportunity to learn an interesting new skill, so I agreed. However, he soon informed me of a few more complications—the idea for the game itself was still in the concept phase, I would be the sole developer, and we had under a month to make it happen.

Full Stack Development

Excited by the challenge, I quickly set up meetings with friends who were software engineers to find a starting point. After combing through the helpful resources they shared, I dove into my IDE and began writing my first lines of HTML, JavaScript, and CSS. I set up the server and database using firebase, engineered the game logic for scoring and predictions, programmed interactive buttons, and designed the layout.

Demo and Details

The short video shown to the left walks through the main functions of the website. After creating a username, users can view the current pitcher-batter matchup at the top of the screen and submit a guess. Guesses are disallowed once the first pitch is thrown, and results are displayed at the end of the at-bat before the cycle repeats. Parallel to the user's actions, the backend searches a pre-generated lookup table of predictions based upon relevant at-bat parameters to relay a final bot prediction. Once the game ends (usually after three innings), users can view their final results and whether or not they earned a prize.

Outcome

Through consistent collaboration with my team, we rigorously tested and refined the website throughout the project, allowing us to meet our tight deadline. The game has been officially hosted three times thus far, each time drawing over a hundred enthusiastic fans. It was a hit—the majority of the stadium actively participated throughout the game! We received positive feedback, especially from parents who shared that their children who usually paid little attention to baseball "were glued to the game for all three innings, cheering for every at-bat in hopes of beating the bot."

Encouraged by the excitement and suggestions from fans, we're now focusing on expanding the game's features and aiming to release an updated version as a mobile app before the next season.

While my long-term career goals are not in software engineering, this project was a pivotal experience. It enhanced my programming skills, deepened my understanding of client-server interactions, and sharpened my ability to communicate effectively in a fast-paced environment. I now aim to apply these skills in the industry through a focus on controls and mechanical engineering.

Get in touch!

jsteins@mit.edu

(909) 614-311

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