About the Project
Fox Fire Heist is a 3D physics-based puzzle game developed in Unity over two months of university coursework. Inspired by the Chinese folktale “Fox-Fire” as per the brief of the coursework. the game reimagines the story as a steampunk heist aboard an airship, where the player must steal a magical energy source nicknamed “Fox-Fire”.
The project emphasizes:
- Seamless puzzle integration: Environmental interactions are designed to feel like a natural extension of the world, rather than separate puzzle sections, all based on a few simple core mechanics.
- Systemic, extendable mechanics: Physics-based object manipulation, steam routing, and destructible elements.
- Solo development: Responsible for all game systems, level design, 3D modeling (Blender), scripting (C#), animation, and lighting.
Visuals draw from steampunk aesthetics blended with subtle Chinese motifs to mirror the folktale origins. All of the 3D models except for several pieces of furniture were created by me in Blender. The textures have been mainly sourced from 3rd party websites, but I also created some of them myself.
The project scripts can be previewed here: Fox-Fire Heist Scripts on GitHub
Gameplay GIFs
Pictured above are several examples of the previously mentioned mechanics. I took extra care into ensuring that every player action has suitable feedback and introduced a variety of environmental cues to guide the player through the puzzles.
Gameplay Mechanics
| Mechanic | Description |
|---|---|
| Physics-Based Interaction | Manipulate environmental props like levers and valves using Unity’s physics system. |
| Destructible Objects | Objects respond dynamically to impact or player actions, using custom damage logic. |
| Steam Pipe System | Simulation of steam flow through interconnected pipes with player feedback, integrated into puzzles. |
Development Contributions
| Area | Responsibilities |
|---|---|
| Game Design | Designed gameplay systems and puzzles to reflect narrative and mechanical goals. |
| Level Design | Built three distinct areas: Cargo Bay (tutorial), Lobby (main), and Engine Room (climax) with seamless puzzles in mind |
| Scripting | Architected and implemented all custom interactions and gameplay mechanics in C#. |
| 3D Modeling | Created all environmental models using Blender, with only minor use of third-party assets. |
| Animation | Developed object and environmental animations to reinforce puzzle feedback. |
| Lighting | Designed lighting scenarios that enhance narrative tone and puzzle readability. |
| Texturing | Applied a mix of custom and third-party textures across assets. |
Levels
The game consists of three main areas, each with their own set of puzzles and mechanics. The cargo bay, which server as the starting area and tutorial, the lobby, which is the main area of the game, and the engine room, which serves as the final area.
Level Design
Before modelling the levels I carefully planned the layout and puzzles involved. Below is a sample - the diagram illustrating the layout plan for the Lobby area, the most complex level in the game.
Gameplay Video
Below is a full walkthrough of the game without commentary.