Eclipsed Truth Rattles in the Cup

Overview

Eclipsed Truth Rattles in the Cup is a digital adaptation of the classic Liar’s Dice game, designed and developed from scratch in Unreal Engine. Inspired by Tian Guan Ci Fu (known in English as Heaven’s Official Blessing), the project blends bluffing mechanics with character‑driven dialogue to bring familiar personalities to life. Each player begins with five dice, hidden from their opponent. Players bid on the total dice count between both cups, bluffing or challenging as the tension rises. If a bluff is exposed, the liar loses a die. The match continues until one player runs out of dice — a deceptively simple premise that becomes a battle of wit, risk, and trust.

Gameplay Mechanics

• Each player rolls five dice, visible only to themselves.
• Players bid on the combined total across both sets of dice.
• Bids can be raised, bluffed, or challenged.
• If a bluff is caught, the liar loses a die.
• The game ends when one player has no dice left.

Localization Challenges

Unlike most games, this one was designed with localization in mind from the very start. Because TGCF is originally a Chinese series and has such an extensive international fanbase, we wanted the game to resonate across English, Japanese, and Chinese players. This shaped design decisions early on, including the title itself (which is VERY TGCF-esque). It was super important to us to keep the character personalities faithful to the source books; With Qi Rong, his...strong personality needed to be clear and consistent across all languages. By prioritizing localization early, we avoided time-consuming changes later and ensured that the game’s emotional tone carried across cultures. Our Chinese linguist catching some numerical discrepancies early on led to a quick rework of the UI from the start.

Key Features

• Authentic Liar’s Dice mechanics with bluffing, bidding, and challenges.
• Dialogue and character interactions inspired by TGCF.
• Localization in English, Japanese, and Chinese.
• Stylized visuals and immersive audio design.
• Iterative Blueprint systems built entirely in Unreal Engine.
• NPC AI logic and gameplay that are true to the characters' personalities.

Conclusion

As a huge fan of the books, Eclipsed Truth Rattles in the Cup was a great passion project and learning experience for me. By blending Liar's Dice mechanics with TGCF‑inspired dialogue, and by embracing the challenges of localization, the project grew into something richer than its original concept with unique flavors in each locale. Every surprise, mistake, and recovery shaped the final product into a game that resonates across cultures and I can't wait to add on to the game and expand our scope!