Project Summary:

Software used:

• Engine: UE5.2
• Audio: FL Studio/Ableton
• UI design: Adobe Illustrator

For this project I was tasked with creating a 3D platformer in Unreal Engine. I wanted my game to be from a first person perspective as I felt it was an uncommon perspective to have for a platformer. The movement mechanics were heavily inspired by the Titanfall and Mirror's Edge series. I wanted to create a game with synthwave/cyber aesthetic set within a VR simulation as I was inspired by music I had made around that time, as well as the context of a VR simulation allowing me more freedom to create interesting mechanics in levels without worrying about how they would have to fit into the context of a real world environment

Contributions:

I created all of the movement mechanics such as wall running, double jumping,  and wall jumping. These all interreact with each other as the player can reset their double jump by performing a wall run. The game also features a sprinting mechanic with a burnout system, this encourages the player to use the mechanic sparingly, as filling out the meter will lead to the player having to wait for the bar to fully recharge at a slower rate before being able to sprint again. Finally, the dash mechanic can be used to give the player more control over their movement in mid-air, allowing them to dash a short distance in the direction they are facing, however they encouraged to use this mechanic sparingly, as doing so resets their velocity, causing them to lose any momentum they have built up, as well as using up a resource in the form of a cooldown mechanic.

I composed a soundtrack for the game using FL Studio, taking heavy inspiration from genres such as Jungle, House, and Techno. I also created a dynamic soundtrack system using the Metasounds plugin, that allows me to switch between different sections of a track seamlessly by using transitions that are timed to keep the rhythm of the music. This is used to add tension and energy when the player passes the first checkpoint of a level

I designed all of the levels. I created 4 for the game. The tutorial gives the player instructions for how to control their character, and the subsequent levels challenge the player's ability to string together these mechanics and use their resources as quickly and efficiently as possible

I created a timer and medal system in order to give the player a goal they could work towards and give the game a feeling somewhat similar to a racing game, which then inspired the idea to add a speedometer, allowing the player to learn which manoeuvres allowed them to accelerate and preserve their momentum