Overview

Box Rush is a physics-driven delivery game in which the player must transport stacks of cargo boxes to designated delivery points while maintaining balance and avoiding hostile AI. The project focuses on force-based movement, constraint-driven object stacking, AI state machines, and multiplayer systems.

Gameplay Summary

The player navigates the environment by applying forces for movement and torque for rotation, creating momentum-based control. Cargo boxes are collected by colliding with them and must be carefully transported to delivery zones without losing balance.

As cargo is stacked higher, movement becomes increasingly unstable, encouraging deliberate control and risk management.

Physics & Cargo Systems

• Player movement is implemented using force application and torque rather than direct position manipulation

• Cargo collection uses trigger volumes with AABB collision bounds to register pickups without applying collision impulses

• Upon collection, cargo is spawned above the player and attached using physics constraints

• Additional cargo is stacked vertically using chained constraints and velocity adjustments

• Cargo stacks dynamically sway in response to player movement, reinforcing weight and instability

Enemy AI

• A hostile goose enemy is controlled using a finite state machine with two primary states:

  • Patrol: follows a predefined path using grid-based navigation

  • Chase: actively pursues the player

• State transitions occur when:

  • The player collects cargo

  • The enemy detects the player using raycast-based line-of-sight checks

• Enemy navigation uses a navigation grid with A* pathfinding for dynamic pursuit

Combat & Consequences

• When the enemy collides with the player, force is applied to the top cargo, potentially destabilising or removing it

• If the player has no remaining cargo and is hit, they respawn at the initial spawn point

Puzzle & Progression Systems

• Implemented a colour-coded key and door system used for environmental puzzles

• Keys unlock corresponding doors, encouraging exploration and route planning

Multiplayer & UI

• Integrated basic networking functionality allowing two players to join the same game session

• Implemented a leaderboard system to track and compare player performance

• Built a menu system using a pushdown automata, enabling clean state transitions and layered UI navigation

What This Project Demonstrates

• Physics-based gameplay design using forces and constraints

• AI behavior using state machines, raycasting, and pathfinding

• Object stacking and dynamic instability systems

• Experience with multiplayer gameplay fundamentals

• Structured UI logic using formal automata concepts