In this project-based course, I gained hands-on experience developing games with the industry-standard Unity3D Game Engine and writing gameplay systems in C#. The course focused on full-cycle game development, combining technical implementation with user-centered design.

Key Skills and Experience:

• Developed 2D and 3D games in Unity, using C# for scripting gameplay mechanics, UI systems, and interactions.
• Applied software engineering principles such as modular design, debugging, and performance optimization in a game context.
• Managed state machines, object lifecycles, and Unity’s component-based architecture.
• Integrated audio, animations, and external assets using Unity’s timeline, animation controller, and asset pipeline.
• Developed products both individually and collaboratively in teams of 2–5 using agile production methods.
• Practiced rapid prototyping and presented game concepts through concise pitches and playable demos.
• Conducted user testing, gathered feedback, and applied findings to improve gameplay.
• Showcased final game projects at public exhibition (winning 1st place in the process).
• Explored the broader game industry and its career pathways.

This course also emphasized the application of game development skills to non-game software — improving interactivity, accessibility, and engagement in broader software design.

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Projects

Project 1: Metroid NES Remaster

Collaborated with a partner to develop a short remaster of the NES classic Metroid in Unity.

Key Contributions:

• Developed engaging interactions for key game elements, including damage mechanics, lava hazards, collectible pickups, and seamless door navigation.
• Designed and implemented gameplay mechanics for various collectibles such as health restoratives, long beam upgrades, and missile ammunition, enhancing progression and replayability.
• Engineered a responsive player interface and camera system that followed the player with dynamic bounds based on room types. UI elements updated in real time to reflect player inventory.
• Created a unique chargeable beam mechanic, enabling players to perform high jumps, defeat multiple enemies, and destroy destructible walls. Designed custom sprites to represent different Super Beam charge levels.
• Reconstructed the original map’s layout by placing enemies and collectibles in their authentic locations, and developed ~75% of a custom level to highlight the new Super Beam mechanic.
• Implemented simple cheat functionalities including God Mode and seamless switching between the original and custom game levels.

This project strengthened my proficiency in game design, object-oriented programming, and collaborative development, while enhancing my problem-solving abilities through creative mechanic implementation and level design.

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Project 2: Rapid Game Development

This project began as a rapid prototype developed over the course of three days to test core gameplay mechanics. Through iterative development, I incorporated user feedback from a gameplay testing session and refined the prototype into a more polished and engaging experience. The process emphasized adaptability, continuous improvement, and user-centered design.

Technical Highlights:

• Custom Summon Mechanic:
  Designed and implemented a unique summon system where the player could spawn a companion entity that:

  • Automatically targeted and attacked nearby enemies with projectiles.
  • Allowed control-swapping between the player and the summon.
  • Supported a "grapple rope" mechanic where the player could attach to and steer the summon to navigate platforming challenges.
  • Automatically reverted control back to the player upon summon destruction.

• Combat and Movement Systems:
  Implemented melee (punching) and ranged combat mechanics alongside core movement functionality including jumping and summon-assisted traversal.

• AI and Enemy Design:
  Created enemy characters with behavior logic that chased and attacked the player upon detection.

• UI/UX Implementation:
  Developed a responsive UI system to display player health and in-world text popups for guidance, enhancing clarity and accessibility.

• Visual & Environmental Polish:
  Integrated animations for player and enemy characters to bring fluidity to gameplay. Enhanced atmosphere with volumetric fog effects and polished visual assets using Unity's built-in tools and the Unity Asset Store.

This project strengthened my skills in Unity development, gameplay systems engineering, and AI behavior scripting, while deepening my understanding of playtesting, player feedback integration, and environmental design.

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Project 3: Pick It Up

Official Blog Post: Pick It Up! – itch.io

Welcome to Pick-It-Up, a high-energy, competitive 2-player party game created by Driver's Seat Studio. Players take on the roles of Garbots, racing to collect the most trash across four chaotic and platforming-focused environments:
The House, The Backyard, The Basement, and The Upstairs. With tight platforming mechanics and rapid-fire matches, the game delivers exciting, short-session gameplay that’s accessible to all skill levels.

1st Place Winner at the EECS 494 Showcase out of 14 competing games. 1200+ Downloads across online platforms! (GameJolt, Itch.io, etc.)

Key Contributions:

• Level Design:
  Designed and implemented layouts for all game levels, focusing on flow, pacing, and replayability to support competitive balance.

• Asset Integration:
  Sourced and integrated high-quality assets from Unity and online libraries to create visually engaging and cohesive environments.

• Gameplay Scripting:
  Developed C# scripts to control interactive elements such as collectible trash, player interactions, and game events, ensuring fluid and responsive mechanics.

• Visual Effects & Shader Work:

  • Created volumetric smoke using Unity’s Particle System.
  • Designed custom fire and water effects with Shader Graph for dynamic environmental elements.
  • Implemented stylized cel-shading on in-game objects using Shader Graph, enhancing the visual identity of the game.

Skills & Impact:

This project deepened my proficiency in level design, gameplay scripting, and visual effects engineering within Unity. It also strengthened my knowledge of Shader Graph, particle systems, and interactive environment creation.
Working in a team setting under tight deadlines honed my time management, cross-discipline collaboration, and ability to rapidly iterate based on testing and feedback.