Word Association Game

Overview

The Word Association Game is a multiplayer online game where players take turns submitting words that are logically associated with the previous word. The game uses OpenAI's GPT model to validate word associations and ensure fair gameplay.

Game Rules

1. Players must enter a valid OpenAI API key to start.
2. The game begins with an initial word generated by the AI.
3. Each player submits a word that is logically associated with the previous word.
4. The AI validates word associations before accepting the new word.
5. Players earn 10 points for each valid word submission.
6. The game continues indefinitely until players decide to stop.

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Folder Structure

The application is organized into a backend and frontend structure:

word_game_app/
│── backend/                 # Server-side code
│   ├── server.js            # Express.js and Socket.IO backend
│   ├── package.json         # Backend dependencies
│── frontend/                # Client-side code
│   ├── index.html           # Main game interface
│── README.md                # Documentation

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Dependencies

Backend (Node.js)

• express - Web framework for handling API requests.
• socket.io - Enables real-time multiplayer communication.
• body-parser - Parses incoming API requests.
• node-fetch - Fetches data from OpenAI's API.

Frontend

• TailwindCSS - For UI styling.
• Socket.IO Client - For real-time updates.

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Installation and Running the App Locally

1. Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/your-username/word-game-app.git
cd word-game-app

2. Install Backend Dependencies

cd backend
npm install

3. Start the Backend Server

npm start

4. Serve the Frontend

Use a static server like http-server:

cd ../frontend
npx http-server

5. Open the Game

Visit the provided URL from http-server in your browser.

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Deploy Backend on Google Cloud Run with Firebase

This guide walks through deploying the backend of the Word Association Game on Google Cloud Run with Firebase Firestore for persistent game storage.

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Prerequisites

Before starting, make sure you have: ✅ A Google Cloud account (Sign up)
✅ Google Cloud SDK installed (Install Guide)
✅ A Firebase project set up (Firebase Console)
✅ The backend code with Firebase integration (from the previous step)

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Step 1: Set Up Google Cloud Project

1.1. Log in to Google Cloud

Run the following command in your terminal:

gcloud auth login

This opens a browser window to authenticate your Google account.

1.2. Set Your Google Cloud Project

gcloud config set project YOUR_PROJECT_ID

Replace YOUR_PROJECT_ID with your Google Cloud project ID.

1.3. Enable Required Google Cloud APIs

Run these commands to enable necessary services:

gcloud services enable run.googleapis.com firestore.googleapis.com

• Cloud Run API → Allows deployment of containerized applications.
• Firestore API → Enables interaction with the Firebase Firestore database.

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Step 2: Prepare the Backend for Deployment

2.1. Navigate to the Backend Directory

Ensure you're in the backend directory:

cd word_game_app/backend

2.2. Create a Firebase Admin Service Account

Google Cloud Run needs Firebase permissions to read and write data.

1. Go to the Firebase Console → Project Settings → Service accounts
2. Click Generate new private key (this downloads a .json file).
3. Move the file to your project directory:

   mv ~/Downloads/YOUR-FIREBASE-ADMIN-KEY.json ./firebase-admin-sdk.json

2.3. Add Firebase Service Account to Environment Variables

Create an .env file in the backend directory:

touch .env

Edit the .env file and add:

GOOGLE_APPLICATION_CREDENTIALS=firebase-admin-sdk.json
PORT=8080

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Step 3: Deploy to Google Cloud Run

3.1. Build a Docker Container

Google Cloud Run runs containerized applications. Create a Dockerfile:

touch Dockerfile

Paste the following into the Dockerfile:

# Use official Node.js image
FROM node:18

# Set working directory
WORKDIR /usr/src/app

# Copy package files and install dependencies
COPY package.json package-lock.json ./
RUN npm install

# Copy all backend files
COPY . .

# Set environment variables
ENV PORT=8080
ENV GOOGLE_APPLICATION_CREDENTIALS=/usr/src/app/firebase-admin-sdk.json

# Expose port 8080 for Cloud Run
EXPOSE 8080

# Start the server
CMD ["node", "server.js"]

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3.2. Build and Push the Container to Google Cloud

Step 1: Build the Docker Image

gcloud builds submit --tag gcr.io/YOUR_PROJECT_ID/word-game-backend

Replace YOUR_PROJECT_ID with your Google Cloud project ID.

Step 2: Deploy to Cloud Run

gcloud run deploy word-game-backend \
  --image gcr.io/YOUR_PROJECT_ID/word-game-backend \
  --platform managed \
  --region us-central1 \
  --allow-unauthenticated

• --image → Specifies the Docker image to deploy.
• --platform managed → Deploys to fully managed Cloud Run.
• --region us-central1 → Choose the region closest to your users.
• --allow-unauthenticated → Allows anyone to access the game (you can restrict this later).

Step 3: Get the Public URL

After deployment, Google Cloud Run provides a URL (e.g., https://word-game-backend-xyz.a.run.app). Copy this URL for use in the frontend.

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Step 4: Connect Frontend to the Deployed Backend

4.1. Update index.html

Open frontend/index.html and replace:

const BACKEND_URL = "https://word-game-backend-xyz.a.run.app";

Replace word-game-backend-xyz.a.run.app with your actual Cloud Run URL.

4.2. Deploy Frontend (Optional)

You can deploy the frontend using:

• Vercel (vercel deploy)
• Netlify (drag and drop index.html)
• Firebase Hosting (firebase deploy)

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Step 5: Verify Deployment

1. Open your backend URL (https://word-game-backend-xyz.a.run.app) in the browser → Should return a 404 or JSON response.
2. Run the game from the frontend and check if:
   • Players can join.
   • The game state persists across refreshes.
   • Word submissions are validated via OpenAI.
   • Player scores are stored in Firebase Firestore.

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Step 6: Secure API Keys

For security:

1. Restrict OpenAI API Key usage to your backend's IP.
2. Restrict Cloud Run access:

   gcloud run services update word-game-backend --no-allow-unauthenticated

3. Use Firebase Authentication if you want login-based access. ======= update for Google Cloud services

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