Rooftop Dino Escape Race

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  Rooftop Dino Escape Race

Inspiration

The idea for Rooftop Dino Escape Race was sparked by a fusion of pop culture and nostalgic gameplay. We drew heavy inspiration from the Godzilla film franchise — especially the thrilling contrast between towering creatures and urban architecture — and mixed it with the verticality and chaos of Donkey Kong on skyscrapers. The gameplay loop took cues from Mario Kart’s time trials, particularly the mechanic of racing against a ghost version of your best time, encouraging constant iteration and improvement. This mash-up aimed to blend cinematic scale with tight arcade-style mechanics.

What it does

Rooftop Dino Escape Race is an adrenaline-fueled rooftop racer and jump-and-run game. Players sprint, leap, and dash across skyscraper tops while dodging obstacles, using time-saving abilities, and evading a dinosaur-sized threat that kicks off the race. The goal: complete the course as fast as humanly (or superhumanly) possible — with leaderboards to track and challenge best times.

How we built it

The game was created using Meta Horizon World’s Editor, utilizing and extending the Rooftop Racer template. While the base assets provided a strong foundation, custom design played a crucial role. We designed new mesh components using generative AI tools to develop unique obstacles and characters — including our iconic rooftop dinosaur. Though built as a solo project, inspiration and feedback came from a small group of testers who helped shape the pacing and challenge level.

Challenges

One of the main challenges was building engaging, interactive elements in midair that felt plausible for a rooftop setting — especially in a stylized world where a “cute” Godzilla could appear believable. Balancing visual creativity with physics constraints in the editor also required careful tuning. Another challenge was designing a course that feels fast-paced and chaotic, but still fair and learnable over multiple runs.

Accomplishments

We’re especially proud of how the custom assets, environmental storytelling, and gameplay feedback loop came together. The leaderboard and ghost-chasing mechanics help make the game endlessly replayable. Breaking the 1-minute barrier feels like a real achievement for players, and seeing people shave seconds off their runs is incredibly rewarding. Creating a starting sequence that sets the mood — with a roaring dinosaur and dramatic music — was another highlight.

What we learned

This project deepened our understanding of using generative AI to create bespoke 3D assets, from sculpting characters to mesh optimization. We also learned how to iterate quickly within the constraints of Meta Horizon’s platform, from spawn logic to custom event triggers. Most importantly, we learned how to design around emotion — using environmental cues and pacing to drive player tension and satisfaction.

What's next for Rooftop Dino Escape Race

Future plans include adding multiple race tracks with increasing difficulty, multiplayer functionality for real-time rooftop races, and interactive enemies that change dynamically based on the player's progress. We’re also exploring a “boss level” where the dinosaur becomes an active antagonist instead of just a cinematic start. More power-ups, hidden routes, and even rooftop “shortcuts” are in the works to deepen strategy and replayability.

Built With

• comfyui
• gemini
• gpt4
• horizon
• meta
• python
• typescript
• worlds