Inspiration: Rune Runner was inspired by classic obstacle course games blended with fantasy themes and resource-based progression. We wanted to create a rewarding, immersive experience where players explore, earn, and compete. The aesthetic is influenced by low-poly medieval fantasy games, and the mechanics borrow ideas from adventure and racing-based media.
What it does: Rune Runner combines exploration, obstacle racing, and progression into a fast-paced fantasy challenge. Players collect diamonds across the map, exchange them for gold, and spend gold to unlock speed run gates. Each race tests reflexes with traps and hazards, and successful runs earn XP that can be used to unlock cosmetic hats. The world blends skill-based racing with a rewarding upgrade loop, encouraging repeat play and leaderboard competition.
How we built it: Rune Runner was built using Meta Horizon Worlds’ creation tools, combining environment design, custom UI, scripting for resource and race logic, and interactive systems. The world features a clean onboarding loop: players explore to collect diamonds, trade them for gold, and use gold to unlock timed race gates filled with hazards.
Challenges we ran into: The biggest challenge was making the world accessible without sacrificing complexity. Balancing free exploration with structured competition led to the use of directional signage, a smart race gate system, and intuitive UI for conversion and upgrades. Condensing instructions into one visually clear board also required several design iterations.
Accomplishments that we're proud of: I’m especially proud of how polished and engaging the world feels. From the visual clarity of the signs to the excitement of the speed run, every part supports the core gameplay loop. The leaderboard system and XP-to-reward mechanic help keep players engaged and coming back.
What we learned: Building Rune Runner taught us how to balance challenge and clarity in a fast-paced game loop. We learned how important onboarding and UI are to help players understand objectives quickly. We also improved our scripting techniques—especially around race logic, currency systems, and interactive signage. Most of all, we learned how to design a world that feels rewarding and replayable, even in short bursts.
What's next for Rune Runner: Future plans include new course variations, more cosmetic unlocks, and deeper leaderboard features like weekly resets or ghost races. We also want to refine animations and add light story elements for deeper immersion.
Rune Runner combines exploration, exchange them for gold, and spend gold to unlock speed run gates. Each race tests reflexes with traps and hazards, and successful runs earn XP that can be used to unlock cosmetic hats. The world blends skill-based racing with a rewarding upgrade loop, encouraging repeat play and leaderboard competition.
Built With
- blender
- codeblocks
- custom-ui
- metahorizoncreationtools
- typescript
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