Rift is a surreal adventure game that explores the boundaries of space, time and the imagination. The player takes the role of a young boy who awakes to find the fabric of reality collapsing outside his bedroom. The boy enters a surreal world known as the Rift-Wild where our reality collides with worlds from parallel dimensions in a fluctuating cataclysm of torn space-time.

The original Rift prototype was developed in a SCAD Studio class of 8 students (with help from friends) in under 10 weeks using the Unreal Development Kit. As the lead designer my responsibility was to guide all aspects of the creation of this project, and worked with a very talented group of artists to produce it.


Character by Leng Lor

A young boy is awoken by a terrible sound in the middle of the night. He is about to reach for his stuffed bunny Captain Cuddlesworth when a small hole opens up in space-time and the bunny disappears. Once his curiosity overtakes his fear, the boy grabs a flashlight and leaves his bedroom to find reality beginning to collapse around him.


Character by Ben Soderstrom

Simultaneously, in another dimension of space-time, a brilliant scientist tests a hair-brained theory. He enters equations into a control panel and a large device begins to charge. One cataclysmic tear in reality later, the two attempt to work together to fix the device and repair reality.


Our scientist had discovered a dimension of pure energy known as the Aether. A device was constructed to transmit energy across dimensions as a source of unlimited power. Such large amounts of energy traveling across dimensions caused the fabric of space-time to distort and tear, resulting in a rift in the fabric of reality.


Using Arduino and Processing, 4 players control fish which must eat to stay alive. As a fish eats one of 3 food items, it will grow and change depending on the type. Some food items make fish wider, some make them longer and a third gives them spikes with which they can cause damage to other fish.

Motion Fighter is an interactive game installation that utilizes a webcam and Processing.

Two players face each other, separated by a cloth on which the image is projected. The webcam, placed to the side of the screen, detects the motion of each player and creates projectiles from areas of high enough motion.
Players must then attempt to dodge their opponent’s projectiles.

Horror from the Other Perspective


Nightmare puts the player in the role of a monster living under a kid’s bed. The player must scare humans to gain power which he can use to evolve his monster and customize its look and abilities. Depending on the abilities a player chooses for their monster, gameplay can range from stealth tactics to fast paced combat and challenges have multiple solutions to accommodate many different ability types.


In the single player game, the player will meet interesting and creepy characters, and the ones he chooses to befriend or betray affect the progression of the story. The first character the player encounters is Spider Bear, a monstrous spider which has made a home in the hollowed out body of a teddy bear and lives in the attic. It is the player’s guide through the beginning of the game, and may even accompany the player later on in the game. Other monsters the player may meet include the Chupacabra, nordic trolls and the godfather of all monsters, the Boogeyman.


The multiplayer game is similar to hide and seek, with one person playing a monster trying to find and capture the 3 or 4 other human players. The humans must hide from the monster while completing tasks necessary to escape the area. Each round a new player takes the monster role and can use their customized monster character from the single player game.

Spider Bear


Eerie Sound

The user produces an eerie sound that alarms anyone within ear shot. The user can choose from several sounds, but they all have the same effect.

Alluring Whisper

The user projects an alluring whisper into the head of a subject that will cause them to wander towards him. This ability does not scare the subject, but can be useful in removing a subject from a large group.

Wall Climb

This allows the character to climb on walls and ceilings, either in a spider-like fashion, or “upright,” walking horizontally across the wall.