Erica Williams

Lucid Dreaming is a solo level design experiment focused on creating physics-driven puzzles using Unreal Engine's built-in physics systems. I challenged myself to design interconnected puzzles that encouraged players to think creatively about movement, gravity, and environmental interaction.

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Players awaken inside a surreal dream world, trapped within a constantly shifting room. Upon realizing they are lucid dreaming, they gain the ability to rotate the entire environment at will, allowing them to walk across walls and ceilings while manipulating objects through gravity, momentum, and physics. This core mechanic transforms familiar spaces into dynamic puzzle environments where perspective and movement become the primary tools for progression.

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To escape the dream, players must solve a series of increasingly unconventional physics puzzles. Each completed puzzle rewards a Dream Gem, and collecting all five unlocks a portal back to the real world.

Responsibilities

• Designed a complete physics-driven puzzle experience from concept to completion.

• Developed custom gameplay mechanics in Unreal Engine 5 using Blueprint scripting.

• Designed and implemented environmental puzzles that leveraged player movement and physics-based interactions.

• Created a room rotation system that fundamentally altered player navigation and puzzle-solving.

• Designed level progression to gradually teach mechanics while increasing puzzle complexity.

• Built gameplay UI and player feedback systems.

• Implemented audio and visual effects to reinforce gameplay mechanics and atmosphere.

• Created and integrated environment art, lighting, and supplemental 3D assets.

• Optimized gameplay systems and level performance through iterative testing and refinement.

• Led all aspects of project development as a solo developer, including design, programming, art direction, and implementation.

Design Goal

My objective was to explore how environmental manipulation could become the primary puzzle-solving mechanic. Rather than giving players new tools or abilities throughout the game, I wanted rotating the room to create increasingly complex challenges through changing player perspective and physics interactions.