Shahil Saha

Recently, I had the opportunity to collaborate on a game jam where the theme was Microscopic Magic. We have worked on a 3D Top-Down strategy game where the idea is to strategically place ant towers on the map and prevent the enemy ants from stealing the orbs.

As one of the duo of programmers within the team, my role encompassed overseeing the entirety of the project. This involved crafting the gameplay loop and designing all the user interfaces, including the creation of game managers and UI elements. Furthermore, I took charge of managing our source control system, utilizing GitHub for this purpose. Beyond programming tasks, I also played a part in shaping the overall design of the project.

Key Gameplay Mechanics Involve:

• Tower Placement
• Spline AI Movement
• Wave Progression
• Money Management

Learning Outcomes

• Deeper Knowledge on the Engine: During the six-day jam, I had the opportunity to experiment with new packages in Unity, such as the Spline package. This experience significantly deepened my understanding of the engine.
• Enhanced my knowledge on C++: Gained knowledge on some of the advanced C++ concepts like templates and constexpr to enhance performance.
• Collaborative Skills: Got the chance to work with people with different backgrounds which also enhanced my communication skills.
• Time Management One of the motivations behind this was to challenge myself and assess my ability to perform under pressure, as well as to determine if I can meet strict deadlines effectively.

Developing a tower defense game like this has always been a drea\m project for me, and this endeavor marked my first foray into such a substantial undertaking. However, it presented a significant risk of over-scoping due to the multitude of ideas and features I envisioned for implementation. Balancing ambition with the constraints of time was paramount, as meeting project deadlines was imperative.
Despite the challenges, I approached the project with confidence, drawing upon my prior experience with the game engine and insights gained from previous endeavors. This foundation enabled me to not only complete the project on schedule but also incorporate several of the envisioned features.
A notable hurdle I encountered was with AI development, particularly grappling with the unfamiliar EQS system. Time constraints added to the complexity, necessitating a steep learning curve. Thankfully, I leveraged connections with experienced developers in the industry and tapped into valuable resources, facilitating my understanding and implementation of the AI mechanics.
In hindsight, the journey was a valuable learning experience. It provided opportunities to refine existing skills while acquiring new ones, ultimately enriching my expertise in game development.

Game Mechanics

• Building Placement
• Upgradeable Mechanics
• Wave Progression
• In-game Currency
• Shop System
• AI Enemies

Learning Outcomes

• Deeper Knowledge on the AI systems: Developed a deeper understanding of AI systems, including Behavior Tree and EQS, to create engaging and challenging enemy behavior.
• Explored further into Collision Channels: Given the interactive nature of mouse control in the game, I found it necessary to delve into collision channels and their application to elevate the game's attractiveness.
• Enhanced my knowledge on C++: Gained knowledge on some of the advanced C++ concepts like templates and constexpr to enhance performance.
• Debugging skills: Was introduced to new debugging tools and techniques for identifying and resolving bugs in the game, such as the Visual Logger, Profiler, and Widget Reflector.

Creating a multiplayer third-person shooter game proved both thrilling and daunting, particularly in mastering replication, a crucial aspect of ensuring consistent gameplay across all players. The challenge lay in guaranteeing that game events, such as scores and player actions, were accurately reflected for all participants, requiring extensive research and collaboration with fellow developers to troubleshoot issues effectively.

Game Mechanics

• Hosting/Joining Multiplayer Sessions
• Capture the Flag
• In-game Currency
• Scoring

Learning Outcomes

• Understanding of Replication: Grasped the intricacies of replication in multiplayer game development and its significance in maintaining synchronization across players.
• Problem-solving and Collaboration: Developed skills in troubleshooting and seeking solutions through research and engaging with peers, leveraging collective knowledge.
• Time Management and Prioritization: Navigated time constraints effectively, prioritizing essential features while acknowledging potential areas for future expansion.
• Continuous Learning and Adaptability: Recognized the iterative nature of game development, fostering a mindset of continual learning and adaptation to improve future projects.

Bounce Back is a 2D side-scrolling platformer game and was developed on Unity. This project is inspired from the Bounce game on the old Nokia phones. I have tried to extend this game and added some new features to make it engaging for a player. Some of the main features and mechanics includes a shop system which offers a few powerups for the player to use against the enemies to attack or defend themselves, some differen types of enemies which can now attack on sight and some additional levels as well. I had a wonderful time and the one thing that make this project different. By the time I started with my 2nd semester project, I was very comfortable with the engine and decided to try out and implement some of the other features provided by the Engine for my game and Some of them includes the new Input system and the 2D toolset. I did face a few hurdles although it was very little compared to what I had in my first semester. Overall, it was a great learning experience and I loved it.