Sight Unseen:
Independent Eye Mechanics for VR
Engine: Unity (HurricaneVR + Built-In RP) targetting Meta Quest 2
Sight Unseen is a VR proof-of-concept that has received:
Outplay Entertainment 'Gameplay and Systems' award, Abertay Digital Graduate Show 2024
Rebellion's 'Technical Excellence' runner-up award, Gamebridge Showcase 2024
Finalist game for DARE Academy 2024!
Virtual Reality requires rendering 2 outputs across each eye. What if you could make a game that uses each eye viewport differently, and subverts the idea that the eyes must always be where the head is?Sight Unseen features 7 levels that answers these question, testing how the brain creates images by giving the players a cybernetic eye that can see the unseen via:
Cyber-vision: See the world in wireframe, infrared lasers and optically-camoflagued enemies.
Eye-Spy: Take the eye out of your head and throw it somewhere, to see in places outside of your body that would otherwise be enemy territory.
Why did I make this?
I really enjoy sci-fi and cyberpunk ideas of post-humanity, like the use of cybernetic augmentation for your vision, such as in AI: The Somnium Files.While these are commonly employed in media to represent our imagination of futuristic technology, it is rarely considered what the lived experience is for someone with advanced Terminator-esque cybernetic optic.
By creating this game I am exploring this potential future in the present, while parodying the tropes of high-tech spy films by gameifying it.
Future development
I am proud to announce my new team of amazing colleagues have been selected by an industry backed panel as finalists for DARE Academy 2024!
We are excited to develop Sight Unseen into an innovative stealth-action game with a spy-thriller or heist theme which I am interested in pursuing to fully realise this concept.Part of this development allows for further research into how this system of eyepatching and radically different viewports could be used in applied settings, such as treating amblyopia.
Cyber-vision demonstration
Eye-Spy demonstration
Teaser trailer
About
I have been developing games and prototypes for different jams and competitions since I was around 11 years old. Since being nominated for the BAFTA YGD Game-Making categories in 2016 and 2019, I have been honing my craft as a game designer and studying the development process at Abertay University (2020-2024).I am looking for experience in production or design roles. Specifically, I have experience with designing game mechanics and managing production for small teams (see Net Carbon industry experience). I am interested in developing my level design and content design skills.In 2021, I received the BAFTA YGD Mentor Award recognising my efforts with mentoring through running an after-school club on game design. Since then, I have been invited to speak at schools about my journey and the experience of developing games in an industry context.In 2022, I was asked to present one of my games to Prince William and discuss with him my BAFTA YGD journey. I was also fortunate to be invited to be a juror for the BAFTA Games Awards 2022 for the 'Game Beyond Entertainment' category.I am flexible and can learn new tools, however I am currently more experience with Unity and Unreal Engine 5. I can set up and manage Git workflows (through GitHub), I can collaborate and work well in a team of programmers. I understand the difficulties different roles present in a team and the importance of communication.
Desert Temple level encounter
Engine: Unreal Engine 5 (Advanced Locomotion System)
Into Games Sprint: 'Level Design with Peter Field' showpiece
Prototyping mechanics requires level design to contextualise it and ensure gameplay is fun (you can't just play chess with the pieces, you need the game board too!)
While I understood this theory in my stealth game level earlier in the year, I wanted to improve my skills at blocking out realistic spaces. To improve these skills I attended the Into Games Sprint course run by senior level designer at Media Molecule, Peter Field.The video shows the final blockout I designed in under 2 weeks for an Uncharted-style mock game, to demonstrate a workflow for creating organic sequences based on spatial design.
Open-Ended Stealth Prototype
Engine: Unreal Engine 5 (Advanced Locomotion System)
Abertay University Personal Development Project
This project challenged me to create a small stealth game level that showcases an understanding of the design philosophies of the HITMAN series and Metal Gear Solid V, so I could build familiarity with making 3D levels.I used the Advanced Locomotion System v4 character controller to demonstrate my ability to prototype new functionality on top of established frameworks. In Blueprint, I added equippable weaponry (a camera), stealth detection meters, basic objectives and AI pathing. This created the context to experience the open stealth level design.
Absolute Bull
Engine: Unity
Game Design Year 3 Prototyping Module Submission
A top-down arena survival game that explores disconnecting the player's agency to fight back against enemies, and tying it to a bull entity, which adds chaos to the mix.In my gameplay overview video I explain the process of developing the prototype from the conceptualisation to implementation phase and the discoveries I found through playtesting and adapting to changing circumstances.
Corporate Viruses
Engine: Unreal Engine 4.26.2
Game Design and Production Year 2 Student Project
A vertical slice build of a first-person "shooter" game set in an indoors office environment. Computer viruses have become real and are wrecking the office.
You play as the IT technician, picking up and launching anything you find in the office at these viruses to destroy them, while leaving behind a path of havoc and mayhem!I was the team's Lead Programmer and Mechanics Designer, which required using Blueprint to prototype our game and player mechanics based on the direction of the Design Lead. I pushed myself to learn new systems in the engine as I was still learning how to use it, namely particle systems and AI logic.I also was responsible for creating and maintaining the Git workflow and on-boarding our team with how to use version control and branches to work collaboratively at an industry standard.
Right to Bear Arms
Engine: Unity
Developed for GMTK Jam 2021
A first person game designed around the theme "joined together", the player is joined with the level, on a conveyer belt heading towards a furnace. Using their detachable arms, they need to find the emergency stop button in each level!I was a co-designer for this project. My main responsibilties involved coding most of the core systems for the minimum viable product - gameplay loop, audio and dialogue sequencing and polish. I also managed the team, ensuring the art/music direction and game design matched the comedic tones we had envisioned.
Spirit Cleaning
Engine: Unity
Developed between December 2020-January 2021
A hybrid visual novel game that combines a character-driven story with third-person exploration and first-person shooting mechanics developed in Unity.My responsibilities included team management with a couple of friends over 3 different timezones (UK, USA and NZ), game design, UI design as well as most character writing and dialogue sequencing.
Onegeon
Engine: Game Maker Studio 2
Developed for GMTK Jam 2019
A 2D top-down puzzle game about resource management, designed for the theme "only one": each weapon you have breaks after only one use.I was responsible for gathering and managaing a small team of 3 people and overseeing art and music production, ensuring our artist and musician were creating assets that fit our ancient dungeon aesthetic.
As the main coder, I was responsible for the main movement system, AI movement and visual polish. I am particularly pleased with the feel of each level transition, as all assets smoothly lerp into their locations and signify their importance, such as spikes being a deadly obstacle and the portal being the goal (as they enter the scene last).
Tempo
Engine: Game Maker Studio 2
BAFTA YGD 2019 Game Making (15-18) Nominee
Awarded A* for Edexcel Extended Project QualificationFor my EPQ project I documented the development process of making a top-down shooter with a unique mechanic, as you fire projectiles from your weapon automatically in time with the music.I developed the original prototype with an 8-bit art style and was responsible for maintaining the code of the whole game. I directed a friend to produce a music track for the game which was used as part of the game mechanics, being used in an audio track where different instruments could be dynamically enabled or disabled, affecting what parts of the game would animate.After completing this project, I worked with a teammate Louis Jackson to expand the game and add new systems, such as a boost mechanic that would reward the player if they tapped a button to the timing of the music.
Illuminate
Engine: Game Maker Studio
BAFTA YGD 2016 Game Making (10-14) Nominee
A mix of memory game and platformer, Illuminate is a platformer where each level is shrouded in darkness and can only be unveiled through specific ways, such as using the mouse as a torch, following a scan-line that loops in the background, or through flashes of lightning.This was the first game I ever made, with an original concept coming to me when I was 12 but me developing it when I was 14.
Net Carbon
Featured at COP26 Green Zone (2021), BAFTA 195 re-opening (2022).Net Carbon is an educational platformer game developed in collaboration between Abertay University and SSE Thermal.I formed a student team with a few friends in my course who are also BAFTA YGD alumni, which we called Hot ChocolaTay.
Harry Petch - Producer, Assistant Programmer
Jaime Williams - Artist & UI/UX Designer
Jordan Han - Gameplay & Systems Programmer
Cameryn Tuliao - Narrative & Audio DesignerWe developed the initial prototype in under a week for Abertay's Carbon Capture & Climate Action Game Jam. After the voting period from lecturers, SSE Thermal and members of the industry, we were announced as the winners of the jam. From here, we were funded by SSE Thermal to develop the prototype further over a period of 5 weeks.My role was the producer for the project, responsible for keeping a development schedule and communicating with the SSE Thermal client to incorporate their desired messaging into our design and narrative.In addition, I was responsible for assistant programming, creating C# scripts for most 'low-hanging fruit' mechanics and polishing and prototyping the online functionality mechanic (a global carbon score that reflected shared responsibility through a game mechanic). I also handled the entire UI implementation based on assets and concepts from our artist Jaime.SSE Thermal were very happy with the end result. Since then it has been played by Abdulla Shahid (President of the UN), HRH Prince William - Prince of Wales and attendees at the COP26 convention.
The Healing Tree
Engine: Unity
Year 3 Professional Project submission,
International Serious Play Award 2023 Bronze WinnerA narrative-based sidescrolling platformer inspired by Mutazione and Spiritfarer exploring healing from grief and trauma through a safe, non-competitive environment where players cannot fail.As Mechanics Designer, I was responsible for adding challenge and creative expression when the player navigates the environment, with the restriction of no failures/deaths or time pressure. I designed different movement mechanics for the character controller, and weaved this in with a real-time decoration system that we wanted in the game to enforce a theme of "healing through redecorating". Players complimented the structure of the game, with the consideration of how the game flows being cited as a strong way of reflecting the theme outside of its narrative delivery.I also continued to develop my production skills as the Programming Team Lead, taking broad features and breaking them into achievable tasks, working alongside Max and Lewis to delegate implementation responsibility based on their strengths.
Gamification Research TTRPG Workshop Participant
I took part in a research project conducted by Darshana Jayemanne and Martin Zeilinger to share ideas and playtest changes to the structure of a collaborative world-building game Microscope. To direct future development of the research, I wrote design critiques to analyse the flow of the game and what pain points we were reaching in our playtest session, while suggesting further mechanic changes that could solve those problems.
Workshops & Outreach
During my years in Sixth Form (Sep 2018 - March 2020) I ran an after-school Game Development Club for students in all years of secondary education. The main aim was to promote the BAFTA YGD initiative which I have personally found very valuable. The club was very successful, with 8 students from the club nominated for YGD awards.Since receiving the BAFTA YGD Mentor Award for my efforts with the club, I have been exploring ways to promote game development and increasing access to learning skills useful for the creative industries.Here is some of what I have been up to!
Student Recruitment Intern @ Abertay University
Between 2022-2024 I have been a part-time Student Recruitment Intern for Abertay University, assisting the Student Recruitment Office with RUK events such as WASD Live, EGX and UCAS London. Responsibilities include responding to email enquiries about the game development courses on offer, and speaking to students about the pathways into university and the 40+ courses.
Vice President and Secretary of Abertay Game Dev Society 2023-24
As Vice President and Secretary of the society during my final year at university, I was responsible for keeping minutes and attendance documentation for committee meetings. During periods when the President was unable to work, I was trusted to take over decisions regarding talking to the Student Association organisation on behalf of the society.What I enjoyed the most at my time with AGDS was organising and hosting various extra-curricular events for our students that expanded on topics important to the games courses. My particular favourites included a discussion on publishing and production with Square Enix Collective and the technical-art and studio-startup talk with Polygon Treehouse.This is an extension of my passion for opening the door to new experiences and learning opportunities across disciplines for students. I am continuing to assist the society through suggesting ideas for events.
Primary School visits
In January 2022, I was asked by Abertay University to represent them for a primary school workshop about games design near Dundee.
In September 2023, I came back to the school as part of the BAFTA Roadshow with Place2be. to help host the game-making workshop activity!Running workshops for younger generations is very rewarding, as it feels like I can make a difference by introducing people to this awesome creative industry.
P6 had two students from Abertay come to discuss with the learners their course and about the gaming industry, then they helped the pupils navigate scratch coding. @AbertayUni @DundeeLearning pic.twitter.com/HWDaLfQSqQ
— Claypotts Castle PS (@ClaypottsPS) January 25, 2022
Into Games Club
I was a consultant for the planning of the Into Games Club - an after-school pilot scheme to make game development resources accessible to underrepresented young people in the sector.
Using my experience running a successful gamedev club as a basis, we constructed a series of lesson plans to guide students through the processes of game concepting and implementation.The aim was for games created at the club to possibly go on to become BAFTA YGD entries, so we also created extension activities that would help build their ideas even further.