Generate Fun Bingo Cards with bingus.app

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Streaming and Personal Best in Hollow Knight
3. Bingus: A Bingo Card Maker
4. How to Use Bingus
   • 4.1 Making a Bingo Card
   • 4.2 Randomizing Your Bingo Card
   • 4.3 Locking the Grid and Playing
5. The Development of Bingus
6. Feedback and Contributions
7. Comparison with Other Bingo Card Generators
8. The Inspiration Behind Bingus
9. The Need for a Simple Bingo Card App
10. Conclusion

Article

Introduction

In this article, we will discuss a unique website called Bingus, which serves as a bingo card maker. Bingus was created as a small project to learn the React framework and provides a simple and convenient way to generate bingo cards for various events or activities. Whether you want to create a bingo card for a Minecraft stream or an in-person event like VidCon, Bingus allows you to easily customize and play your own bingo game. In this article, we will explore the features of Bingus, how to use it, its development process, and the inspiration behind its creation.

Streaming and Personal Best in Hollow Knight

Before diving into Bingus, let's briefly touch upon the author's experience with streaming and achieving a personal best in the game Hollow Knight. Last week, the author spent time practicing and streaming their progress in Hollow Knight, eventually achieving a new personal best in the any percent category. This accomplishment led to the creation of a video documenting their journey. Now, let's shift our focus to the main topic of this article - Bingus.

Bingus: A Bingo Card Maker

Bingus is a website that allows users to generate custom bingo cards for various events or activities. It was created as a side project to learn the React framework and offers a simple and user-friendly interface for creating and playing bingo games. Whether you want to make a bingo card for a live stream event, an in-person gathering, or any other occasion, Bingus enables you to create personalized bingo cards without the need for complex design software.

How to Use Bingus

Using Bingus is a straightforward process that involves a few simple steps. Let's explore how to create and play bingo cards using Bingus.

4.1 Making a Bingo Card

To create a bingo card on Bingus, start by specifying the dimensions of the grid. For example, you can choose a 5x5 grid for a classic bingo experience. Next, enter the text or phrases that you want to appear in the individual cells of the grid. For instance, if you're creating a card for a gaming event, you can include specific gameplay moments, achievements, or funny incidents as the content of each cell. Once you have filled in the cells, you can proceed to the next step.

4.2 Randomizing Your Bingo Card

If you want your bingo card to have a random arrangement of the text or phrases you entered, Bingus offers a "shuffle" button. Clicking this button will randomize the placement of the content within the cells of the grid. This feature adds an element of surprise and unpredictability to your bingo game.

4.3 Locking the Grid and Playing

Once you have created your bingo card and are satisfied with its contents, you have the option to lock the grid. Locking the grid prevents any further changes to the text or phrases, ensuring that the card remains constant during gameplay. This feature is particularly useful when you're ready to start playing and don't want any accidental modifications to the card. To enhance the visual appearance of the card, Bingus automatically centers the text within each cell, giving it a clean and professional look.

During the event or activity for which you created the bingo card, you can tick off the cells on your card as the corresponding outcomes occur. For example, if one of the predicted events takes place during a Minecraft stream, simply click on the cell representing that event on your bingo card, marking it as checked. If you manage to check off an entire line (vertical, horizontal, or diagonal), you have achieved a bingo! Bingus provides the flexibility to uncheck cells if needed, allowing you to reset the card for the next game.

The Development of Bingus

Bingus was developed as a learning project to familiarize the creator with the React framework. It is a relatively small project that showcases the creator's first attempt at building a real application using React. The website's codebase can be found on the author's GitHub repository, which is accessible through a link provided on the Bingus website. Since Bingus is an ongoing project, the creator welcomes feedback, bug reports, and even suggestions for new features or improvements.

Feedback and Contributions

The creator of Bingus encourages users to provide feedback on their experience with the website. Whether it's a bug report or a suggestion for a new feature, the creator is interested in hearing from users and improving the website based on their input. Users can submit their feedback and suggestions by raising issues on the Bingus GitHub repository. This collaborative approach allows Bingus to evolve and cater to the needs of its users.

Comparison with Other Bingo Card Generators

While there are various online bingo card generators available, Bingus stands out due to its simplicity and accessibility. Many existing generators focus on creating aesthetically pleasing designs that can be printed or shared on social media. However, Bingus prioritizes instant browser-based functionality, allowing users to quickly create and play bingo cards during events or activities. This unique approach sets Bingus apart by catering to individuals who prefer a no-frills experience with minimal setup time.

The Inspiration Behind Bingus

The idea for Bingus originated from the author's personal experience while raiding in the game Final Fantasy XIV. During long raid sessions, the author and their raid group found themselves repeating certain actions and phrases. This repetition led to the idea of creating a bingo card to add some entertainment and excitement to the raiding experience. However, existing bingo card generators did not fulfill the author's need for a simple in-browser solution. This prompted the creation of Bingus, which aims to provide a hassle-free way to create and play bingo cards instantly.

The Need for a Simple Bingo Card App

Traditional bingo card generators often require additional software or design skills to create visually appealing cards. While this approach may be suitable for specific use cases, many individuals prefer a simpler and more accessible option. Bingus fills this gap by offering an intuitive interface that allows users to create and customize bingo cards quickly, without the need for specialized software or design expertise. This simplicity makes Bingus ideal for casual and spontaneous bingo games during various events.

Conclusion

Bingus is a user-friendly website that allows anyone to create and play custom bingo cards without hassle. Its simplicity and instant browser-based functionality make it a convenient tool for events, both virtual and in-person. Whether you're a streamer, event organizer, or simply someone looking to have fun with friends, Bingus provides an easy solution to create personalized bingo cards. Give Bingus a try and see how it adds excitement and enjoyment to your next event or activity.

Highlights

• Bingus: A user-friendly website for creating custom bingo cards instantly.
• Easy to use interface with options for grid dimensions and customizable cell content.
• Shuffle feature to randomize the arrangement of content in the cells.
• Locking the grid ensures no accidental changes during gameplay.
• Ability to check and uncheck cells to track progress towards achieving a bingo.
• Flexibility to create bingo cards for various events or activities.
• Development of Bingus as a learning project using the React framework.
• Encouragement for users to provide feedback and suggestions for improvement.
• Comparison with other bingo card generators, highlighting Bingus' unique features.
• The inspiration behind Bingus and the need for a simple, browser-based bingo card app.

FAQ

Q: Can I use Bingus for both online and offline bingo games? A: Absolutely! Bingus allows you to create bingo cards for any event or activity, whether it's an online stream or an in-person gathering.

Q: Can I customize the dimensions of the bingo grid? A: Yes, Bingus allows you to specify the dimensions of the grid, giving you flexibility in creating bingo cards of different sizes.

Q: Can I share the generated bingo cards with others? A: Yes, Bingus provides a "Copy Link" button that allows you to easily share the generated bingo card with others through a URL.

Q: Is the generated URL for the bingo card very long? A: Yes, since Bingus does not store the grid's text internally, all the text is encoded in the URL. This may result in lengthy URLs, especially for grids with extensive content. However, the development version of Bingus aims to compress the text, making the URLs slightly shorter.

Q: Can I suggest new features or report bugs related to Bingus? A: Absolutely! The creator of Bingus welcomes feedback, suggestions, and bug reports. You can raise issues on the Bingus GitHub repository to contribute to its development and improvement.