Block
Changes forward movement and the result of the robot's next jump.
06 / Project
Indirect-control Unreal Engine puzzle prototype
Escape Lab
Instead of controlling the character, players place limited tools that alter the environment and influence an automatically moving robot.
- Timeline
- About one month · solo project
- My Role
- Solo Game Designer & Unreal Engine Prototype Developer
- Outcome
- Five playable levels · Blueprint guidance
My contribution
All concept, robot behavior, intervention tools, puzzle solutions, five-level progression, UI flow, and environment layout design.
Tools & workflow
Solution-first level sketches → robot rules and hazard layouts → Blueprint implementation and scene integration in Unreal Engine.
All design is mine. Blueprint implementation included technical guidance; the prototype uses free 3D assets.
Playable mechanic evidence
Place a tool, then watch the route change.
This direct gameplay clip shows the indirect-control premise without a presentation overlay: the robot keeps moving while the player changes the conditions around it.
Core mechanic
Control the conditions, not the character.
The robot continuously moves forward, uses ray detection to detect obstacles, and jumps when it detects gaps or obstacles. The player reads that behavior, changes the environment, and observes the result.
01Observe02Plan03Intervene04PredictRobot
behavior
behavior
Three intervention tools
Three tools change movement in different ways.
Lift
Changes vertical movement to clear platforms or meet overhead hazards.
Redirect
Changes travel direction and reconfigures the route through the level.
Tools have limited quantities, cannot be recovered after placement, and incorrect solutions require restarting the level.
Five-level progression
Introduce one intervention, then combine the consequences.
Explore all five levels
Wall + spikes
Introduce blocking and the robot’s jump response.
Bounce + overhead hazards
Change vertical movement and predict a new collision path.
Reversal + pendulum
Teach changing robot direction with the double-bladed pendulum.
Rolling columns
Apply the existing toolkit against dynamic hazards.
Tools + portals
Combine previous tools and hazards into a final challenge.
I designed from the intended solution backward: define the result, identify the required player actions, specify the robot response, and arrange platforms and hazards around that logic.
Removed from scopeTool-purchasing economy
Scope control
Keep the mechanic complete.
The project was scoped for roughly one month. The planned purchasing layer was removed because development time was limited. The final prototype kept indirect control, limited tools, restartable puzzles, health, slow motion, and a complete five-level arc.
Ownership
Complete puzzle design with a clear implementation boundary.
I designed the concept, robot rules, intervention tools, hazards, puzzle solutions, level progression, UI flow, win/loss conditions, and environment layouts, then assembled the playable Unreal Engine prototype.