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Built a third-person shooter (TPS) game from scratch using Unreal Engine 5 with C++ custom coding and blueprints.
The network for creativity
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Creatives on Contra have earned over $150M and we are just getting started
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🕹️ What I Built
I created Neon Byte Runner, a fast-paced retro arcade game Lens for Snapchat inspired by classic endless dodgers and 80s neon aesthetics. Built entirely using prompt-based iteration in EasyLens, the game includes:
Procedural Pixel-Art Visuals: Glowing neon ships, data bugs, energy bytes, and background scanlines drawn in real time for crisp rendering across all screen sizes.
Drag-and-Dodge Controls: Intuitive mobile steering where players dodge incoming "data bugs" and collect "energy bytes" for score multiplier points.
Dynamic Damage System: A three-life mechanic where taking damage physically breaks off spaceship parts (wings and tail) with visual particle flares.
Magical Heart Repairs: Rare falling heart powerups that grant an extra life and visually repair broken spaceship parts back onto the ship.
Chiptune Audio & Global Leaderboard: Custom-generated arcade music and sound effects paired with an integrated HUD and leaderboard to drive replayability.
💡 Why I Built It
Reimagining Classic Arcade Mechanics for AR:
I wanted to capture the instant-play energy of old-school arcade cabinets and adapt it into a social, mobile-first Snapchat Lens. The goal was to create a game that takes seconds to learn, but offers enough depth and escalating difficulty to keep players saying, "Just one more run."
Visual & Emotional Damage Feedback:
Instead of relying on a standard health bar, I wanted players to feel the stakes. Making the ship parts physically break off and scatter across the screen creates an immediate, dramatic feedback loop when you make a mistake—and grabbing a rare heart to repair your ship feels genuinely rewarding.
Pushing the Boundaries of Prompt-Based Game Design:
As a developer, I wanted to explore how far prompt engineering inside EasyLens could go. I set out to prove that you can build complete, highly polished game systems—including state management, procedural rendering, sound synthesis, and dynamic damage states—purely by guiding AI with precise multi-step prompts.
✨ How EasyLens Made It Possible
Using EasyLens, I didn't need to hop between traditional 3D software, external audio workstations, or manual script compilers. I iterated through targeted prompts to handle:
Generating procedural visual assets on the fly.
Setting up custom arcade music and dynamic sound triggers.
Fine-tuning game controls, collision boxes, and damage states.
EasyLens handled the heavy lifting, allowing me to focus on game feel, pacing, and player experience
Saw a fun game on a reel and decided to build it myself instead of buying it! 🛠️ Here is my submission for the challenge: Pop Color Board. I generated it using Easy Lens, tweaked the UI, and it’s ready to go. Remember: avoid the purple!
Explain what you built
I built an interactive water-filling mini game where players must press and hold a button to fill a bottle with water. The goal is to stop filling exactly at the marked fill line. If the water reaches the target without overflowing or stopping too early, the player wins the round. The game includes smooth water animation, responsive button controls, progress feedback, satisfying sound effects, and a simple, polished interface designed for quick and engaging gameplay.
Why I built it
I wanted to create a game that is easy for anyone to understand but still challenging to master. The press-and-hold mechanic makes every attempt feel exciting because players need good timing and precision. The satisfying water effects, clean visuals, and instant win or lose feedback encourage users to replay the game multiple times, making it fun, engaging, and highly shareable on Snapchat.
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