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NoRail

Platform:

PC

Tools Used:

Unreal

Duration:
8

Team Size: 

13

Role:

Designer Lead

Overview

NoRail is a sci-fi horror action roguelite set aboard a state-of-the-art space cargo train trapped in an endless loop through a dead solar system. As the train’s sole passenger, the player fights through warped pocket-dimension cars overrun by grotesque human-machine hybrids while scavenging abandoned stations that hint at a larger cosmic disaster.

Driven by the need to reach the engine and break the cycle, the journey gradually blurs the line between external horror and psychological collapse, raising a central question: is this nightmare caused by an incomprehensible higher existence, or by the protagonist’s own descent into madness?

​

Project Positioning

NoRail is a third-person shooter roguelite that combines high-pressure combat, in-run weapon crafting, and modular buff building. The core experience centers on fighting through combat encounters, collecting resources, modifying a single weapon build, and adapting to different stage objectives across each run.

Core Gameplay Loop

Combat → Gather Resources → Return to Crafting Station → Modify Weapon / Craft Supplies → Improve Combat Capability → Proceed to the Next Encounter

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2. Gameplay

  1. 3C

    1. Camera

      1. Field of View (FOV)

        • 70

      2. Camera Distance

        1. Default: 270

        2. Aiming: TBD

    2. Character

      1. Movement ValuesSprint

        1. Speed: 550

      2. Hip-Fire Movement Speed:

        1. Forward

        2. Backward

        3. Left / Right

      3. ADS Movement Speed:

        1. Forward

        2. Backward

        3. Left / Right

      4. Jump

        1. Height: 1.2 meters

        2. Distance: 1 meter

      5. Damage Formula

        1. Weapon Damage:

          1. Base Weapon Damage × Weapon Damage Multiplier × Critical Damage × Enemy Vulnerability × Player Damage Multiplier

        2. Buff Damage:

          1. Base Weapon Damage × Weapon Damage Multiplier × Flat Buff Damage

        3. Grenade Damage:

        4. Player Damage Multiplier × Grenade Damage × Vulnerability

    3. Controls

      1. Movement: WASD

      2. Jump: Space

      3. Fire: Left Mouse Button

      4. Aim: Right Mouse Button

      5. Throwable: E

      6. Craft / Interact with Crafting System: F

3. Rule Details

  1. Win / Lose Conditions

    1. Standard Rule Set

      1. Victory: Defeat the final boss

      2. Failure: Player HP reaches 0

    2. Stage Rules

      1. Defense Stage

        1. Stage Summary

          1. Once the device is activated, nearby enemies are attracted to attack it.
            The player must defend the device through a limited number of waves and prevent it from being destroyed.

        2. Detailed Rules

          1. Victory Conditions

            1. All enemies are defeated

            2. Device HP is above 0

            3. Player is alive

          2. Failure Conditions

            1. Device HP reaches 0 or below before the required waves are completed

            2. Player dies

          3. Resolution

            1. Victory: The exit to the next stage opens

            2. Failure: Game over; the player returns to the starting point and begins a new run

          4. Stage Start Rule

            1. A defense device is placed in the level.The stage begins when the player interacts with it by pressing F, which triggers the first enemy wave.

          5. Wave Rules​​

            1. ​​​​​​​​​​​​Wave Display

            2. At the start of the stage, the center of the screen displays the current wave in the format 1/X, where:

              1. 1 = current wave number

              2. X = total wave count

            3. Whenever a new wave begins, the UI displays a wave-start message for X seconds

              1. Spawn Rules

                1. Once a wave begins, a countdown starts

                2. When the countdown ends, the next wave spawns automatically

                3. The next wave does not wait for the current wave to be fully cleared

              2. Device Rules

                1. HP Loss

                  1. The device loses HP when attacked by enemies

                  2. The device cannot regenerate HP

                  3. The device has no damage reduction

                2. Display

                  1. The device’s total HP is displayed at the top of the screen

        3. Capture Point

          1. StageStage Summary

            1. When the player enters the capture zone, the station begins charging and a countdown starts.The player must fill the charge bar before the timer expires.

            2. Detailed Rules

              1. Victory Conditions

                1. The capture progress bar reaches 100% before time runs out

              2. Failure Conditions

                1. The timer reaches 0 before the progress bar reaches 100%

                2. The player dies

              3. Resolution

                1. Victory: All enemies in the current area must be defeated, and no additional enemies will spawn. Enemies drop materials normally.

                2. Failure: Game over; the player returns to the starting point and begins a new run

              4. Stage Start Rule

                1. The stage begins when:

                  1. The player enters the capture zone

                  2. The capture progress bar starts increasing

                  3. Enemy spawning begins simultaneously

              5. Capture Rules

                1. Progress Increase

                  1. When the player remains inside the capture zone, progress increases by X points per second

                  2. Total progress required is X points

                  3. Progress stops increasing once the maximum value is reached

                2. Progress Decrease

                  1. When the player leaves the capture zone, progress decreases by X points per second

                  2. Progress cannot drop below 0

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