Physics in Game Development · Unity Physics · CAMT, CMU · 2020
Inspired by the classic Maze Ball toy, Rolling in the Darkness brings the tilting-labyrinth experience to PC and adds a color-restoration narrative. The maze has gone dark. The player must guide a ball through the labyrinth, collecting 12 colored crystals scattered across the map to restore the light. Each crystal illuminates that zone and expands the player surrounding light radius. Collect all 12, and the Pure Crystal at the center unlocks as the final objective.
Collect all the Crystals.
The player tilts the entire 3D maze to guide a ball through it, like a classic Labyrinth board game brought into 3D. The maze is dark, with only the area around the ball illuminated. Collecting a colored crystal restores light to that zone and widens the light radius, gradually unveiling the full map.
The course features ten distinct physics-based obstacles, each designed to test the player control of gravity and maze orientation.
The core mechanic. Pressing A or D rotates the global gravity vector, making the ball roll in the new direction. Every obstacle in the level is designed around the player ability to shift gravity on command.
A turret that fires bullets in a fixed pattern. The player must time the gravity shift to roll past the firing arc. Contact with a bullet resets the ball to the last checkpoint.
A door on a hinge joint. The ball weight and momentum push it open as the player rolls through, then it swings shut. Gravity shifts can manipulate the door swing angle for tighter passages.
A door on a continuous rotation axis. Unlike the hinge door, it spins at a set speed. The player must time their approach to pass through the gap between rotations.
A gravitational pull zone. If the ball enters the radius, it gets pulled toward the center and destroyed. The player must maintain enough speed via gravity shifts to escape the pull or avoid the area entirely.
A surface that temporarily adheres the ball, slowing it significantly. While it can trap the ball in dangerous areas, skilled players can use it to decelerate before a tight turn or momentarily anchor to a wall.
A heavy pendulum swinging on a fixed pivot. The ball must roll past at the right moment to avoid being struck. The pendulum arc shifts slightly based on gravity direction, adding a layer of timing challenge.
A massive wall that sweeps across the corridor periodically. The player must shift gravity to accelerate out of its path before the sweep completes. Getting caught resets to the last checkpoint.
Generates directional airflow that pushes the ball. Depending on the fan orientation and the current gravity direction, the airflow can assist or hinder movement, and can be used to launch the ball across gaps.
Different surface materials are used throughout the maze with varying friction coefficients. High-friction floors slow the ball for precision sections; low-friction surfaces require the player to plan gravity shifts in advance to avoid losing control.
