3D Fishing Simulator Earns International Recognition for Hardware-Digital Integration

International PBL Expo 2025  ·  Finalist  ·  Game Dev Case Study

Selected as a finalist at the 2025 International PBL Expo, this Unity 3D project extended conventional game development with bespoke physical hardware. Haikal engineered a custom fishing rod controller using Arduino Uno, translating physical inputs — rod tension, reel rotation — into real-time game physics.

The software interface maps complex sensor readings into Unity via serial communications. Immersive 3D environments were rendered in Unity using custom assets prepared in Blender 3D, while hardware interrupt routines on the Arduino ensured sub-millisecond input responsiveness and direct physical integration.

The primary innovation lies in the tactile feedback loop. By deploying potentiometer readings and strain gauge values through an optimized baud-rate serial channel, game physics updates in real time. The tension of virtual fish struggles is translated back into tactile cues, resulting in low-latency physical responses.