BOUND BY A DYING STAR

In the space between life and death, you find yourself tied to another person. Together, you must restore the bonds between others, in a couch co-op puzzle game.

Featured at Gamespond 2024 and PAX Australia 2024.

OVERVIEW

PROJECT

Role

Lead Programmer

Team Size

11

Time

8 Months (PT)

GAME

Released

2024

Genre

Puzzle

Platforms

PC

DEVELOPMENT

Engine

Unity

Languages

C#, HLSL

Tools

GitHub

PROJECT DUTIES

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SYSTEMS PROGRAMMING

  • Established an event-driven architecture with C# events
  • Created an additive Unity scene system for a layered scene structure
  • Handled a 2 player controller couch co-op system using Input System Package + accounting for edge cases in other systems (i.e. 2 players going in different directions offscreen)
  • Developed interaction and puzzle system frameworks for designers and programmers
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GAMEPLAY PROGRAMMING

  • Developed UI, Cutscene, and Respawn systems
  • Programmed a dynamic single screen fixed camera system with Cinemachine
  • Created custom character movement to compliment both the fixed camera system and cloth physics with Vector + GeometryUtility Libraries
  • Applied sine wave for custom cloth physics to simulate natural ‘wind’ movement
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QA + PERFORMANCE

  • Wrote modular tests
  • Undertook performance testing + optimisations for PAX machine specs
  • Performed general debugging duties
  • Optimised lights by adhering to 8 lights affecting a single mesh + lightmap baking
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TECH ART

  • Worked on screen space outlines via Scriptable Render Features with extensive tutorial help + external code
  • Utilised ShaderGraph to create cel shader look + sand + ethereal glowing objects
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DESIGN

  • ​Guided processes for level design + mechanics design
  • Designed and implemented Timer Particle System for timer puzzles
  • Implemented level blockout
  • Refined and playtested level design
  • Provided puzzle design feedback to designers
  • Assisted designers with puzzle design

PROJECT BREAKDOWN

WHAT I LEARNT

  • Cinemachine's intricacies + extensions
  • The basics of URP's custom render pass workflow when implementing outlines
  • How to handle device pairing, disconnections, button pressing vs holding, and action map switching with 2 players using Input System
  • Basic shaders using ShaderGraph + HLSL​
  • Videoplayer and how render textures work
  • How real-time lighting works in Unity + Lightmap baking
  • Layers and layermasking
  • Cloth physics
  • Managing scope and leading a team of programmers

UML DIAGRAM