Project Overview
One assignment for my first semester at University of Brighton was to create a game in Unity.
In just 10 days, I designed and developed Escape Gnipahellir, an immersive third-person adventure game built with Unity using the Universal Render Pipeline (URP). The game blends atmospheric exploration, puzzle-solving, and combat as players embody a Viking trapped in the depths of Gnipahellir (Gnipa cave). Their goal is to escape the ominous lair while contending with the constant, looming presence of Garmr, the legendary chained hellhound.
Core Gameplay and Features
-
Dynamic Puzzle Challenges: Players face diverse puzzle-based obstacles,
including:
- A pressure plate sequence where stepping on incorrect plates resets the path.
- A platform activation puzzle where platforms disappear when a timer ends, requiring precise timing and agility.
- Engaging Combat Mechanics: Players can melee attack or throw axes to defeat skeleton enemies and progress.
-
Atmospheric Environment: To create a living, breathing cave system, I
incorporated:
- Ambient cave audio for a rich, immersive soundscape.
- Glowing crystals, fog, moving platforms, and dynamic lighting effects for visual depth.
- Narrative Runestones: Runestones guide the player with hints and task descriptions, enhancing the sense of mystery and discovery.
Level Design Highlights
-
Level 1 introduces core mechanics:
- Navigate stone ledges and jump across an abyss.
- Solve a pressure plate puzzle and use axe throws to disable magical runes, unlocking doors.
-
Level 2 features a layout inspired by the Nordic Helm of Awe symbol:
- Engage in a bloodlock battle where defeating all skeletons opens a path.
- Solve a timed platform puzzle requiring speed and precision to reach the final runestone.
Rune Model Design
To enhance the game's Norse mythology-inspired atmosphere, I created custom 3D rune models that serve as key interactive elements. The health rune was designed based on the traditional Norse symbol for health, lending authenticity to its appearance and purpose. For the axe target puzzle, I combined the Eiwaz and Perthro runes to symbolize defensive strength and fate, creating a symbolic representation of an enemy for players to target. These design choices reinforced the thematic consistency while providing visually distinct and engaging puzzle mechanics.
Development Process
-
Tools and Assets:
- Unity URP for optimised visuals and lighting.
- Probuilder and Blender for custom 3D models of architectural and elements.
- Starter Asset: Third Person from the Unity asset store as a foundation for the character controller.
- Freesound.org for sourcing sound effects.
- Custom Scripting: I wrote bespoke C# scripts for puzzle mechanics, platforming triggers, combat interactions, and dynamic environment behaviours.
- Sourced Assets: Viking, skeleton NPC, Handaxe, and runestone models were sourced, while all other assets were modelled and textured in-house.
Conclusion
Escape Gnipahellir demonstrates my ability to create engaging gameplay, design immersive environments, and script complex interactive elements within tight time constraints. This project reflects my passion for atmospheric world-building, puzzle design, and fluid combat mechanics, all integrated into a cohesive experience. Given more time, I would expand the combat system to include more actions such as dodge, and diverse enemy types. I would refine player progression with additional rune-based puzzles and narrative depth, as well as an inventory system for collecting and equipping items, such as armour and weapons, to give players more choice.
