About
Rust Dust & Bust is a 2D RPG created in C with CSFML over 6 weeks as a final project of the first year at Epitech. Developed by a team of four, it aimed to deliver a polished, commercial-quality game featuring tactical combat, character creation, an original story, and unique visual direction.
Inspired by the universe of Cyberpunk 2077 and the Cyberpunk TTRPG, we built custom systems for combat, inventory, dialogue, and world exploration, along with entirely original pixel art and a curated synthwave soundtrack to immerse players in a dystopian setting.
Recognition
🎖️ Voted “Best My_RPG of the Year” among over 10 projects.
🎥 Presented in front of a live jury with a trailer and gameplay showcase.
🕹️ Praised for its rich mechanics and cohesive visual identity.
This project was a deep dive into producing a complete RPG from scratch, managing every step of development – from concept to polish.
Project Info
- Role: Pixel Artist & Generalist Programmer (menus, character creation, movement, and more)
- Team Size: 4
- Time Frame: 6 weeks
- Language: C
- Engine / Library: CSFML (C binding of SFML)
🎮 Introduction
Set in a grimy, high-tech world, Rust Dust & Bust follows the story of a former soldier mourning the loss of a fallen comrade. The player navigates a dark cityscape, choosing one of three roles – Solo, Tech, or Med– each with unique stats and abilities.
From character creation to tactical turn-based combat, we aimed to blend deep RPG mechanics with smooth gameplay, intuitive UI, and a gripping atmosphere.
🎞️ Trailer
🧠 Gameplay Mechanics
Combat System
- Turn-based with a dynamic flow inspired by Baldur’s Gate and the Cyberpunk tabletop RPG.
- Each turn allows one movement action and one main action (attack, sprint, or skill).
- Each class offers different combat strategies and perks.
Classes
- Med: has the option of purchasing unique heals and drugs.
- Solo: Combat-focused with double attack.
- Tech: Hacker-type with the ability to repair equipement.
Character Creation
- Customizable name, appearance, and class.
- Early choices influence starting stats and gear.
Inventory & Dialogue
- Inventory and looting system with weapons and consumables.
- Branching dialogue with NPCs shaping the story.
🎨 Visual Design
Art Style
All visuals were drawn in pixel art to match the gritty, retro-futuristic setting. I created:
- Character sprites and portraits
- Combat UI and menus
- Environmental tiles and effects
Color Palette
Muted cyberpunk tones with pops of neon (purples, reds, and teal) created a moody yet vibrant world.
📤 Play the game
Try the full game on GitHub:
👉 Rust Dust & Bust – GitHub
📚 What I Learned
- How to take a complex game from idea to playable product under real deadlines.
- Managing both visual production and gameplay programming in a collaborative team.
- Designing scalable gameplay systems like inventory, character creation, and turn-based combat.
- Creating engaging UI and menus entirely in C with CSFML.
- Working under technical constraints (no crashes, memory limits, consistent FPS).
- Presenting a game project to a jury and audience with confidence.
Winning “Best My_RPG” of the year validated our creative and technical approach, and solidified my passion for building immersive gameplay experiences from scratch.