Urban Explorer's Nightmare

Inspiration

My first idea was to make a simple top-down dungeon game, but I quickly realized that would be far too complex for the timeframe. So I simplified the concept and changed some of the core premises, eventually narrowing it down to just a few essential mechanics. The game is also partly inspired by FNAF, especially in how the flashlight works and how the monster decides to move.

What it does

This is a simple pixel-style horror game where your goal is to escape from a monster that has trapped you in a cat-and-mouse scenario. The game takes place on a 7×7 grid: you start at the exit, and the monster spawns on the opposite side of the map. You’re equipped with three tools to help you survive: A thermometer and a decibel meter to detect when the monster is nearby, A flashlight to briefly stun the monster. However, each tool has limited battery life, so you must use them strategically. To escape, you need to find a key and use it on the exit. This cycle repeats four times before the exit fully opens. With each cycle, the monster becomes increasingly active and dangerous.

How we built it

I started by creating all of the pixel-art assets in Piskel, then moved into the Godot Engine to build the game. The first step was getting all the assets into the project and making sure they looked right. After that, I implemented player movement, built the map, and added the various tools. Next, I worked on the escape mechanics, the death system, and the main menu. Finally, I created and implemented the monster. For audio, I used whatever objects I had nearby to record the small set of sound effects in the game, adding a bit of atmosphere to the experience.

Challenges we ran into

One of the biggest challenges I faced was my limited pixel-art skills. While I’m happy with how the visuals turned out, creating even the simple designs I had in mind took much longer than expected. Some assets also ended up a bit rough, so I had to compensate through code to make everything look and feel consistent. For example, the monster is never visible in the gameplay until the jumpscare, which is why there is no monster sprite, and the screen going black during room changes was another way to maintain immersion despite visual limitations. Another challenge was deciding which features I realistically had time to implement and which ones I needed to cut before even starting them. I had to strike a careful balance between finishing the project on time and not leaving so much time unused that I could have added more features.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

I’m proud that I was able to not only create a game in just 24 hours, but also upload it for others to play — making this my first officially published game (excluding Scratch projects). Usually, I work on remakes of other games or on programs unrelated to gaming, so finishing and releasing an original game is a big milestone for me.

What we learned

I improved in two major areas while working on this project. First, I’ve gotten better at creating pixel art. More importantly, I’ve learned how to better gauge what I can realistically accomplish within my skill set and the available timeframe.

What's next for Urban Explorer's Nightmare

I hope to implement several features that had to be cut due to time constraints. One of these is a knife tool, which would allow players to interact with certain objects—but using it would leave them exposed to the monster. Another planned feature involved using the camera to stun the monster and the flashlight to ward it off. Both of the features can also still be seen on the player’s sprite, hinting at mechanics that were originally intended to add more depth and tension to encounters. Finally, there were supposed to be batteries that could recharge one item at a time, introducing more resource management and strategic decision-making.

Built With

• gdscript
• godot