Project Story

Inspiration

This project was inspired by my passion for building immersive and dynamic worlds in Horizon Worlds, as well as my background in programming, 3D modeling, and music.
I wanted to push the limits of what’s possible in Horizon Worlds, creating a toolkit that allows not just me, but other creators, to design innovative gameplay experiences.
My published VR game Farcaster served as a foundation, and I aimed to reimagine its sense of adventure and platforming for mobile, while adding advanced systems never before seen in Horizon Worlds.

What I Learned

Throughout this project, I learned to balance technical innovation with performance optimization, especially when designing for VR and mobile simultaneously.
I deepened my understanding of spline-based systems, animation pipelines, and dynamic environment control.
I also learned how powerful modular design can be: by building reusable systems, I streamlined workflows and made the creative process faster and more flexible.

How I Built It

I built a fully modular development toolkit from the ground up:

A spline-based movement system with custom cameras.
A modular tween system with event-driven animation triggers.
Cinematic camera sequences and spline-based flythroughs.
Advanced player movement controls, supporting 2D, 2.5D, and 3D gameplay.
Dynamic environment management for skies, lighting, and fog.
Unique systems like animated tree wind effects and spline-based trains.

Each feature was integrated into a single ecosystem, ensuring that every system worked seamlessly together.
I used TypeScript and the Horizon Worlds API to program core mechanics, developed custom 3D assets, and composed original music to create a cohesive, polished experience.

Challenges I Faced

One of the biggest challenges was pushing technical boundaries in Horizon Worlds.
Building advanced features like spline-based navigation, dynamic wind simulations, and cinematic cameras required creative problem-solving, as these features had never been implemented in the platform before.
Another challenge was optimizing for mobile, ensuring performance without sacrificing complexity or immersion.
These obstacles taught me how to prototype quickly, refine iteratively, and stay resourceful, ultimately resulting in a toolkit that empowers both creators and players.