Inspired by the poem: Un Petit Caneton - Mango Train (in French)

In the quiet of a spare room, a world is being pieced together. Beneath the soft glow of tealights and the hum of imagination, a little duckling (un petit caneton) prepares to prove that the forest is not a place to fear, but a place to call home.

The forest begins in a very dark night (nuit bien noire). As the duckling waddles (se dandinait) across the board, his courage manifests as light.

• The Radiant Path: Every tile the duckling touches transforms from a cold shadow into a Warm Golden Glow.
• The Shadows: Through the rain and the fog (la pluie et le brouillard), the owls (hibous) and foxes (renards) emerge.
• Mockery of the Dark: These predators do not attack; they mock. They move with a Cold Purple or Deep Blue light, “blowing out the candles” of the duckling's progress to reclaim the woods for the dark.

The duckling is not alone in these woods. Hidden in the deep shadows are resources and friends in need, such as the Rat, the Squirrel, and the Rabbit.

• The Discovery: Both Critters and Nuts are invisible in the dark until the duckling draws near. When the duckling is within 2 tiles, the game's electronics trigger a Soft Cyan pulse—a flicker of hope in the gloom.
• The Rescue: Upon reaching a Critter, the tile flashes. They gift the duckling Forest Spirit: a bonus that makes the duckling's light “stickier,” preventing predators from blowing it out for a few turns.
• The Forage: Finding a Nut (Noid) hidden in the brush grants a spirit boost, allowing the duckling to waddle faster or providing a permanent speed increase.

• The Pond: When the predators draw too near, the duckling may rest in a pond. In the water, he becomes one with the reflection of the stars. The fox and the owl, confused by his stillness, “unsee” him and wander away.
• Thunder Strike: The storm may come and the thunder may strike (le tonnerre a frappé), but the duckling remains unbothered. The electronics trigger a brief, full-board flash that reveals the location of all hidden Critters and Nuts.

The mission is to illuminate 80% of the forest before the dawn breaks (l’aube se pointe).

As the game reaches its climax, the forest lights undergo a global transition from Deep Teal/Night Blue to Bright Orange and White. Once the forest is aglow, the predators realize the duckling is truly the master of these places (maitre de ces lieux). As the sun rises, it is they who will cry: “Run for your lives!” (Sauve qui peut!)

The game logic is powered by a cost-effective PIC microcontroller (such as the PIC16F series). These chips offer enough I/O ports to manage the LED grid and sensor inputs from the conductive board.

/* Hardware Configuration */
#define _XTAL_FREQ 8000000 // Using a 8MHz internal clock for power efficiency
#include <xc.h>
 
/* Primary Color Palette (GRB format) */
const uint32_t COLOR_NIGHT     = 0x000033; // Deep Teal
const uint32_t COLOR_DUCK_PATH = 0xD7FF00; // Warm Gold
const uint32_t COLOR_PREDATOR  = 0x004B82; // Cold Purple
const uint32_t COLOR_CRITTER   = 0xFFFF00; // Cyan Pulse (Target Friend)
const uint32_t COLOR_NUT_GLOW  = 0x33FF00; // Pale Green (Target Nut)
 
/* Variables */
uint8_t noids = 0;
uint8_t spirit_shield = 0; // "Stickier" light duration
 
// Logic:
// 1. Scan proximity to hidden objects (Critters/Nuts).
// 2. If close, pulse target LED with Cyan or Pale Green.
// 3. Handle 'Thunder' flash via Timer interrupt for random atmospheric strikes.
 
void __interrupt() ISR(void) {
    if (TMR2IF) {
        // Atmosphere: Brief strobe to simulate lightning
        TMR2IF = 0;
    }
}