In Lux Veritas

Concept: Playing with ray tracing

This project is a small 10 days game jam to play around with Unreal 5. The whole timeline covering coming up with an idea, prototyping the mechanics and build a layout to create the gameplay space.

I wanted to play with lights which was my starting point. From then, I knew the idea would require an enclosed interior space instead of creating an exterior landscape/world. It led me to chose to be in absolute darkness and to have a light source (flashlight or vision) to lit the space as core mechanic. Some objects in the world would react tot the flashlight/vision to help the progression.

After that, I wanted to create some simple key door puzzle to reinforce the exploration. The character needs to find some power objects that have energy, absorb it from them and transfer it to a receiver object. Once the transfer is done, the locked door opens allowing the player to progress.

Tutorial Video:

Layout pictures:

Play the build:

Download the build here and give it a go.

Gameplay Reinforcement:

I realise that only a flashlight wasn’t fun enough and I wanted to incorporate some sort of mental pressure. I created a battery/power drain system with a collectible that fill the gauge. The player manages when to use the flashlight/vision as collectible are placed as a limited resource.

Level mechanics:

  • Let it be light. Iterating with the use of the flashlight/vision, I created some lights orbs that the player needs to power up. Once they have been touched by the light, they lit the way.

  • I also created some disappearing and appearing walls that react to the vision to reinforce the exploration.

  • Simple button door

  • Moving platform

  • Jumping obstacles

  • Secret room

  • Appearing/Disappearing wall

  • Floor disappearing

Main Hall Exploration:

What I learned:

  • Understanding more ray tracing

  • Ray tracing reaction on hit with Blueprints

  • Rotating a character’s head

  • creating a battery system and implementing it with a UI

  • Creating an energy system

  • Blueprint communication and event dispatchers

  • Iterate faster with blueprint

  • Playing with material and timeline updates for player feedback

If I had more time I would have:

  • Implement sound

  • Add a timer in the maze with the player locked in the room

  • create an enemy and a power to hit flying enemies

  • create a third room

  • implement more jumping gameplay elements

  • Maybe have the lights on a timer and have them powering off…maybe