Time for an update on my Horizon Worlds project, Borked AIM.LABS! This is a VR take on the popular PC aim trainer Aim Lab, built just for fun back in 2023 after noticing that the short-lived VR version of Aim Lab didn’t stick around.
The concept was simple:
- Grab a gun.
- Shoot colored balls that spawn randomly in front of you.
I originally threw it together with basic CodeBlocks and some primitive shapes, but it did the job. Surprisingly, it still pulls in a few players every day. So, I figured it was time to give it the overhaul it deserved.
Early Upgrades: Better Guns and Leaderboards
Once I got into the Horizon Creator Program, I knew I could improve the experience. Here’s what I tackled first:
- Upgraded the Pistol: Replaced the old “couple of rectangles” gun with a better-looking model. Not AAA quality, but way more immersive.
- Expanded the Shooting Lanes: Added more variety to the lanes to keep it interesting.
- Stats and Leaderboards: Players can now track their accuracy and shots fired. Plus, there’s a daily-reset leaderboard for shots fired to add some replayability.
That was all a few months back, right before the Horizon Creator Competition. Now that I’ve got access to more powerful tools like TypeScript, Custom UI, and the ability to edit from PC, it was time to step things up.
The Latest Updates: Smoother Gameplay and Cleaner UI
Basic In-Game UI
I built a simple but functional HUD that shows:
- A timer during the session.
- Points scored.
- Accuracy % to track how well you’re doing.
The UI sits at the top of the player’s view, out of the way but easy to glance at.
One of the biggest changes was ditching the old, clunky stat display and rebuilding it with a Custom UI. The old system just wasn’t cutting it, so now player stats are much cleaner and easier to follow.
Countdown Start
To make the start of each session feel more polished, I added a countdown timer before the action begins. Once the countdown finishes, the 60-second timer kicks in, and the targets start spawning.
How-To-Play Instructions
I threw together a “How to Play” UI so new players can quickly understand the game without needing to figure things out on their own. Simple but necessary.
World Sign Refresh
The old world sign was… functional. Just plain text. I cleaned it up with a more polished version featuring the world name. Might design an actual logo later, but it’s a step up for now.
Code Overhaul: From CodeBlocks to TypeScript
One of the biggest improvements was converting all the old CodeBlock scripts to TypeScript. It’s way easier to manage now, and with everything version-controlled in the new repo on the Borked Reality GitHub, updates will be much smoother going forward.
New Custom Feedback UI + Discord Integration
One of the coolest new features is the custom feedback UI I added. I wanted to give players a way to share feedback, report bugs, or just chat, so I set up a panel in-game with:
- A prompt to submit feedback or bug reports.
- An invite to join the Borked Reality Discord for players who want to complain, suggest features, or hang out.
It’s a fun way to connect with the people actually playing and maybe get some ideas for future updates.
What’s Next?
The world still has a lot of room for improvement, but this update is a solid foundation for bigger things. I’m thinking about:
- Creating a proper logo for the world.
- Adding more game modes or target types.
- Improving the gun mechanics for a more satisfying feel.
- Expanding the leaderboard to include more stats or weekly rankings.
For something that started as a quick build, it’s starting to feel like a real project now.
