A cosmic peer-learning platform where galaxies are states, planets are universities, and stars are students.
Built for MorganHacks 2026 by Ricky, Sudip & Sumit
College students struggle to find compatible study partners — especially across departments and universities. Existing tools are either too generic (Discord servers, GroupMe) or too rigid (assigned study groups). There's no platform that intelligently matches students based on skills, makes collaboration feel engaging, and keeps the experience within a trusted .edu network.
StudyVerse reimagines peer learning as an interactive 3D universe. Every US university is a planet, every student is a star, and the entire education ecosystem is rendered as an explorable galaxy. Behind the visuals is a smart matching engine, real-time collaboration tools, and a gamification system designed to reward genuine learning — not grinding.
- Interactive Three.js galaxy with 50+ university planets across US states
- Click planets to explore universities, zoom/pan with orbital controls
- Toggle between 3D system view and US state map overlay
- Cinematic camera animations on load
- Skill-blended matching algorithm — 60% self-rating + 40% quiz calibration
- Compatibility scoring (0–100%) showing what each partner offers and needs
- One-click connection requests with real-time status tracking
- Recommendations generated from live Firestore data
- Threaded direct messages with accepted connections
- Typing indicators, read receipts (single/double check), and presence status
- Search by name, university, subject, or message content
- Unread markers and last message previews
- Real-time timer with partner chat
- Take quizzes together after connecting
- XP rewards for sessions over 5 minutes
- Collaboration unlocks only after mutual connection
- Subject-specific quizzes (Calculus, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, CS)
- Score-based XP rewards (75%+ = 120 XP, 50%+ = 60 XP, 30%+ = 20 XP)
- Anti-farming system: 10-min cooldown, 300 XP daily cap, repeat penalties
- Questions loaded from Firestore with bundled fallback
- SOS broadcast when you need help — select subject + custom message
- Real-time signal feed visible to all
.eduusers - Respond to help peers and earn up to 180 XP daily
- 5-minute cooldown between signals to prevent spam
- XP from quizzes, study sessions, and helping peers
- Level progression (Level = XP / 200 + 1)
- Daily XP caps and cooldowns to encourage consistent learning
- Global leaderboard with subject filters and university display
- Skill constellation — pentagon radar chart with 5-level depth
- 3-step guided setup: University > Skill Rating > Match Preview
- Live radar chart as you rate your skills
- Draft state persists — resume exactly where you left off if interrupted
- Progress tracked in Firestore with analytics for UX tuning
- Animated gradient avatar with skill radar chart
- Stats: connections, quizzes completed, study sessions, level
- Editable bio with photo upload to Firebase Storage
- Presence mode control (Online / Away / DND / Invisible)
| Layer | Technology |
|---|---|
| Frontend | React 19, React Router 7, Vite |
| 3D Graphics | Three.js, React Three Fiber, Drei, Postprocessing |
| Animation | Framer Motion, GSAP |
| Maps | React Simple Maps |
| Backend | Firebase Auth, Firestore, Firebase Storage |
| Security | Firestore Rules with .edu email gating |
| Data Integrity | Firestore Transactions for atomic operations |
studyverse/
├── src/
│ ├── pages/ # Landing, Universe, CommandCenter, Messages, Profile
│ ├── components/ # MatchCards, ChatPanel, QuizPanel, Leaderboard,
│ │ # DistressPanel, SkillConstellation, UniversityCard...
│ ├── firebase.js # Firebase init (Auth, Firestore, Storage)
│ └── App.jsx # Route definitions + auth guards
├── firestore.rules # Security rules (EDU-gated)
├── firestore.indexes.json
└── firebase.json # Hosting + Firestore config
# Install dependencies
npm install --legacy-peer-deps
# Set up environment variables
cp .env.example .env
# Fill in your Firebase config values
# Start development server
npm run devVITE_FIREBASE_API_KEY
VITE_FIREBASE_AUTH_DOMAIN
VITE_FIREBASE_PROJECT_ID
VITE_FIREBASE_STORAGE_BUCKET
VITE_FIREBASE_MESSAGING_SENDER_ID
VITE_FIREBASE_APP_ID
VITE_FIREBASE_MEASUREMENT_ID
| Feature | Discord / GroupMe | StudyVerse |
|---|---|---|
| Smart matching | No | Skill-blended algorithm |
| Verified students | No | .edu email gating |
| Gamified learning | No | XP, levels, leaderboards, anti-farming |
| Visual exploration | No | 3D galaxy with university planets |
| Distress signals | No | Real-time SOS broadcasting |
| Typing + read receipts | Partial | Full real-time presence system |
Built with caffeine and curiosity at MorganHacks 2026