PUNCH EVIL IN THE FACE

Inspiration

I tried to bring the fast-paced action of One Finger Death Punch into VR, but slowly the idea evolved into something new. Unlike rhythm games that keep players on rails or waiting for enemies to approach, this game game gives you the freedom to dash forward and meet the enemies head-on. That shift from passive reaction to active engagement is what inspired me to build PUNCH EVIL IN THE FACE.

What it does

PEINTF is a VR quick‑time event (QTE) combat game. When enemies are far you dash with the right punch for a bonus score; when they are close, you have to hit the right body part with the right hand. Miss a cue and the monster retaliates, fail to block in time and you lose your score multiplier. Each successful sequence builds your score and multiplier. The higher the score, the harder your final blow sends the boss flying.

How we built it

I used Unity and the Meta SDK for VR. The core punch mechanic was custom‑built; players bring their arms in to charge and extend them forward to dash or strike. A simple distance‑based trigger proved more reliable than motion analysis. I relied on Unity Asset Store art to prototype quickly, letting me focus on refining the core gameplay loop. For hand detection I opted for a pinch trigger for the block activation action.

Challenges we ran into

Making punch detection feel reliable in VR was tricky but the dash mechanic also proved harder than expected, with early solutions causing players to undershoot or clip off the map until a pathfinding solution stabilized movement. As a solo developer, limited art resources meant the boss punch lacked the spectacle I originally envisioned.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

This was my first VR project and building it solo made every step a challenge worth celebrating. I’m proud that I was able to design and implement a working QTE combat system from scratch, including reliable punch detection and a functional dash mechanic. Even with limited art resources, I brought the core gameplay loop to life within the hackathon timeframe, proving the concept and setting the stage for future polish and expansion.

What we learned

This project taught me how different VR development feels compared to traditional Unity work, especially when designing mechanics that must be both responsive and comfortable for players. I learned the importance of simplifying input systems and scoping features realistically under hackathon deadlines.

What's next for PUNCH EVIL IN THE FACE

Add better spectacle for the final punch to deliver the payoff it deserves.
Introduce a charged dash to reach distant enemies faster.
Implement pickable weapons that one‑shot enemies before breaking.
Expand enemy variety with blocking, armored, and armed foes.
Enhance immersion through better hand gesture controls and haptic feedback.
Longer term: explore new modes like time attack, custom levels, mixed reality, and leaderboards.