Overview
Echoes in the Mists is a retro-inspired horror Soulslike developed as my graduate capstone at RIT. Designed and built by a small multidisciplinary team, it was powered by my modular gameplay framework Mosaic and recognized at Imagine RIT, the GDC NYS Pavilion, and multiple RIT press features.
Challenge
We aimed to build a punishing yet fair action-horror game that balanced deep systems with rapid iteration. With a limited team and timeline, we needed scalable tools to support player abilities, AI, combat, and environmental interactions—without slowing down content creation or introducing brittle dependencies.
Approach
- Led system design and implementation across core gameplay: movement, combat, AI, and world interaction
- Built the game entirely on Mosaic, allowing rapid creation of new actors and systems without rewriting logic
- Supported team members (including non-engineers) in extending systems like animation events, modifiers, and scripted sequences
- Applied data-driven design throughout to maximize reusability and iteration speed
Outcome
- Featured at Imagine RIT 2025, with high public engagement and faculty recognition
- Selected for the NYS Pavilion at GDC, where I presented the project and Mosaic architecture
- Backed by RIT and spotlighted on Facebook, RIT News, and the Imagine portal
- Enabled clean, scalable development of key gameplay mechanics including lock-on targeting, parry windows, boss transitions, and a fully modular backstab system
Tech Stack
Unity · C# · Mosaic Framework · Modular Design · Utility AI · ScriptableObjects