OVERVIEW:

• Year: 2023

• Primary Goals: Create an immersive youth-driven digital narrative game set in the future (year 2175) focusing on water scarcity, resource management, and strategic decision-making.

ROLE & RESPONSIBILITIES:

As the key developer for this project, my responsibilities included:

• Developing blueprints for the Quest UI and game mechanics.

• Implementing the intricate game mechanics, such as Work Money, Water management, Legacy points, End-of-Day conditions, and the Gauge Mechanic.

• Collaborating with the design team to integrate the narrative into the Unreal Engine environments.

• Crafting the first-person interactive blueprint for a seamless gaming experience.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

This project revolves around a narrative-driven game where players navigate a water-scarce future, making strategic decisions to ensure survival and accumulate Legacy points. The game features three distinct environments - Dome, Urban Nexus, and Borderlands - each presenting unique challenges and opportunities.

GAME MECHANICS:

• Work Money:

  • Earned by completing tasks with random costs between 3 and 18.

  • Depletes randomly from trigger boxes activating Event cards.

  • Players must manage tasks wisely for sustainable Work Money.

• Water:

  • Central currency for energy, resetting to 100 at the start of each day.

  • Starting values vary by location: 100% in Dome, 75% in Urban Nexus, unusable in Borderlands.

  • End-of-day redistribution of water for Legacy or Money at a 50% exchange rate.

• Legacy:

  • Represents long-term achievements and reputation.

  • Slowly drains from 100% to 0% in 20 minutes.

  • Accumulate Legacy points for progression and conversations.

• End-of-Day Condition:

  • Checks Work Money, Water, and Legacy values.

  • If two out of three values are below 20%, the next day is considered "unsustainable," requiring replay.

• Gauge Mechanic:

  • Mid-game presents a gauge showing red system failure.

  • Complete 5 tasks to bring the gauge back to green.

Interactive Blueprint Development:

• Utilized Unreal Engine to create a first-person interactive blueprint.

• Integrated Quest UI and Game Mechanics Blueprints for a cohesive gameplay experience.

• Tested and iterated on the blueprint for a smooth and engaging player interaction.

Technologies Used:

• Unreal Engine

• Maya

• Miro