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Prism Shift
(Third Person Puzzle)

Student Project

Platform | PC
Playtime | 5-10 Minutes

Engine | Unreal Engine 5
Duration | One Month 

 Roles | Game Designer, Level Designer

Solo Project

Key Contributions:

  • Designed and implemented a modular light beam system using Unreal Engine Blueprints, forming the core of all environmental puzzles.

  • Created a switch-based mechanic allowing players to activate, rotate, and redirect beams across space, enabling layered spatial logic puzzles.

  • Built trigger-based interactions (e.g., doors, bridges, elevators) that responded to beam alignment, tying puzzle solving to navigation and world progression.

  • Integrated real-time visual feedback — beam trails, glow intensity, flare bursts — to enhance clarity, confirm input success, and support player intuition.

  • Tuned reflection angles, distances, and switch timing across multiple test sessions to promote clarity, precision, and satisfying solutions.

Puzzle System Design - LIGHT BEAM MECHANICS

Activation System

  • Created switch-based activation using Boolean logic and Blueprint flow control, enabling players to intuitively activate/deactivate beams with player agency in mind.

Reflection & Routing

  • Developed reflective crystals and mirrors that redirected beams at precise angles using dynamic vector math and trigger zones.

  • Allowed for multi-step puzzles with compound reflections, requiring spatial experimentation and logical sequencing.

Progression Triggers

  • Tied puzzle solutions to gated mechanics:

    • Light-powered doors​

    • Moving platforms

    • Hidden platforms revealed by solving environmental logic

Visual Clarity

  • Added glowing materials, trail VFX, and impact flares to provide immediate visual feedback on beam paths and successful puzzle resolution.

  • Ensured player-friendly readability across complex beam layouts without UI clutter.

Wrap Up

Prism Shift showcases my ability to design interactive, logic-based systems that support environmental puzzles. I handled all aspects of the project, from mechanical design and Blueprint scripting to puzzle layout and visual polish, and iterated with testers to refine both usability and challenge pacing.

Full Video Playthrough

Prism Shift is a first-person puzzle experience where players manipulate light beams using reflective crystals to solve environmental puzzles. Designed progression-based challenges focused on spatial reasoning and interaction clarity, emphasizing intuitive design and visual feedback.

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