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Kenechukwu Umelo
Technical Gameplay Designer
On weekends or free time, I explore my creative urges with mechanics, systems, and concepts inspired by my favorite video games, technology, and media entertainment for skill-honing, experimentation, and learning purposes.
Here's a collection of prototypes and scripting projects I've worked on.
COOKING POT PROTOTYPE
Design Challenge
Inspired by The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Engine:
Unity
Time of Development:
2 Weeks
I worked on a small prototype where I recreated Breath of the Wild's cooking system and attempted to capture the UI display as closely as possible within the time frame I gave myself. I designed the system in a way that allows players to be experimental with the kinds of recipes they can cook.
Accomplishments
Implementing the Cooking Pot
Scripting the cooking pot was a fun and partially difficult process, the goal was the logic itself required heavy usage of the LINQ library to help compare and contrast ingredients players put in the pot vs. recipes that contain those ingredients. My goal for the logic was to allow players to experiment with ingredients to cook. I scripted fail-safe ingredient just incase if there is no matches for the player.
The official ingredient evalution logic for where the ingredients in a pot are being evaluated to match with the best recipe.
UI Inventory HUD
Keeping the two-week deadline in mind, I wanted to ensure that the UI for the ingredient and food inventories reflected as closely as the design from Breath of The Wild. I scripted custom UI button logic and slots to ensure that it was easily navigable and accessible for players.
Ingredient Slots
Food Slots
Food and Ingredient GameObjects
To ensure players can consume both foods and ingredients, I created a base food entity script that holds several values such as the quality status, flavors added, and attributes for any potential health booths or power-ups. However, there are key differences between the foods and ingredients such as:
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Ingredients hold a freshness meter that dynamically updates based on input game world conditions.
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Foods only hold information for the food inventory slots to read off once cooked.
FORCAST WEATHER SYSTEM
Systems Design
Engine:
Unity
Time of Development:
2 Weeks
I spent one week utilizing and extending the Polyverse Skies Plugin to create a forecast weather system for Action-Adventure Games. I wanted to allow designers to craft different environmental forecasts from morning to nightfall. The system includes a customizable environmental cycle scriptable object that features custom daylighting, weather (rain), optional clouds, etc. I also made the system very flexible to allow ease of expansion.
Accomplishments
Enviromental Forcast Scriptable Objects
Normal Day Forcast Scriptable Object
Cloudy Day Forcast Scriptable Object
Base Template Forcast Scriptable Object
Upon Learning how Polyverse Skies assets handled their skybox materials, I took advantage of those features and programmed a scriptable object that designers can use to create new forecasts without touching any code. For testing purposes, I created several new scriptable objects with crafted forecasts that can be fed into the main weather system.
Applying the Forecast Scriptable Object to the Environment System
Once added to the list, the system reads off each variable on the scriptable object and applies it to variables on the system and the base Polyverse Skies material.
The forecast lighting evaluates over the game clock, creating the day/night time transitions.
When the game clock hits past 1 AM, the weather system randomly selects any available forecast scriptable objects in the list and the logic here is applied seamlessly.
#BLOCKTOBER2024
Level Design
Engine/Tools:
Unity, Probuilder
Time of Development:
1 Month
My approach to my first blockout was inspired by a small exploratory subway station. Since this was my first time doing a blockout, my main goal was to create a personal process for designing levels through research, blockout references, and experimentation to allow for proper production. I wanted to also test my ability to create exploratory areas and motivate/encourage players to explore unknown areas.
PICKLOCK MINIGAME PROTOTYPE
Design Challenge
Inspired by Uncharted: The Lost Leagcy
Engine:
Unreal Engine 4
Time of Development:
1 Week
After being inspired by the small interactions in Uncharted: The Lost Legacy. I wanted to strengthen my skills with Unreal Engine 4, blueprint scripting, and rapid prototyping after taking my first GameDev.TV Unreal course. I spent a week designing and replicating Chloe's pick-lock minigame encounters from the game.
Accomplishments:
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Implemented a locked chest blueprint script and added a customized visual indicator UI and trigger to toggle when players are close to the chest, opening up the picklock minigame upon interaction.
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Scripted the Minigame UI Widget to include several references to allow for the rotating pick handle, angle target detection, and minigame completion check.
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Utilized elements of "game feel" using animations, sound cues, and haptic feedback, and used vector math to give players hints of succession when rotating the pick handle towards the targeted angle.
Shaking and Flashing Animations
Sound Cues
Toggling the UI Minigame
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