Corgi Codes: How a Dog's Random Typing Spawned a Playable Game
When Paws Meet Programming
The tech world has seen its share of unconventional coding methods, but Caleb Leak's latest experiment might take the biscuit. The former Meta research engineer has successfully turned his 9-pound Corgi named Momo into an unlikely game developer - with some clever AI assistance.
How Doggy Typing Became Game Design
Leak designed a specialized setup where Momo's random keyboard taps are anything but meaningless. Here's how it works:
- A Bluetooth keyboard connects to Raspberry Pi 5
- Momo's paw strikes generate random character strings
- The "DogKeyboard" program filters these inputs
- Claude Code interprets them as game code
The secret sauce? Whenever Momo hits a certain character count, an automatic feeder dispenses treats. "It's positive reinforcement coding," Leak jokes. "Momo thinks she's getting snacks for typing - we know she's creating art."
Teaching AI to Read Between the Paws
The real magic happens in Claude Code's interpretation. Leak programmed the AI with specific instructions to act as an "eccentric genius designer" who could decipher seemingly random inputs as brilliant game concepts.
Through automated feedback tools including:
- Screenshot analysis
- Scene verification
- Shader checks The system transformed Momo's typing sessions into playable content within hours.
Meet 'Quasar Saz': A Cosmic Canine Creation
The fruits of this unusual collaboration is "Quasar Saz," a space adventure where players battle with cosmic musical instruments. Developed using Godot 4.6 engine with C# logic code, the game features:
- Six challenging levels
- Epic boss battles
- Striking visual effects
- Immersive sound design
"The most surprising part?" Leak reflects. "How coherent the final product feels despite its chaotic origins. It makes you rethink what 'intentional' design really means."
Key Points:
- Animal-assisted programming is now officially a thing (at least experimentally)
- AI interpretation can find structure in randomness with proper guidance
- Positive reinforcement works for dogs and potentially for creative processes
- Game development may never look quite the same after "Quasar Saz"
