ENZO
2019
Group Leader / Game Designer / Programmer / 3D Artist
Student Project
Enzo is a 3D physics-based exploration game developed in Unreal Engine 4 during my senior year at SCAD. The game explores a player’s journey as an alien dog navigating a mysterious, foreign world governed by strange rules. Inspired by my experiences raising my dog, Enzo, the project aimed to create a fresh, immersive perspective where the player learns through environmental interaction, with an AI "owner" guiding them through positive and negative reinforcement. The game featured interactive objects, platforming challenges, and survival mechanics that rewarded curiosity and experimentation. Despite a tight 3-month timeline, we delivered a functional prototype with compelling systems and engaging gameplay.
As Project Lead, Game Designer, and Programmer, I guided my small, multidisciplinary team through the project’s concept, design, and implementation phases. I was responsible for shaping the vision, designing core systems, and ensuring the creative and technical cohesion of the final product. Additionally, I contributed directly to art, audio, and technical elements to overcome resource constraints.
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Game Design:
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Designed the player’s learning experience, ensuring intuitive interactions and environmental storytelling without relying on text or dialogue.
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Developed and balanced survival mechanics, including hunger and happiness systems, creating an added layer of immersion and challenge.
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Iterated on the concept and design of the alien world through brainstorming and collaborative abstraction, transforming familiar objects into foreign, intriguing constructs.
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Designed platforming challenges and playful interactions (e.g., jumping through hoops with sound effects and particle explosions).
My Contributions
Programming and Systems Development:
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Built the character controller and interactive object systems using Unreal Engine 4 Blueprints.
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Implemented core mechanics, such as object manipulation, AI owner behavior, and environmental interactions (e.g., a food bowl spraying kibble).
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Created and optimized game assets with Levels of Detail (LODs) to improve performance and visual fidelity.
Art and Creative Direction:
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Guided the artistic vision of the game, ensuring the alien environment felt cohesive and compelling.
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Modeled props for the level and designed particle effects and sound effects to enhance player feedback.
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Established visual indicators to communicate gameplay objectives, utilizing principles of color contrast, light, scale, and rhythm.
Team Leadership and Collaboration:
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Organized and led group brainstorming sessions to solve design challenges and refine the game’s concept.
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Facilitated communication across team members to ensure alignment on creative and technical goals.
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Assisted teammates with additional tasks, such as asset creation, to meet deadlines and deliver a polished product.
Results:
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Delivered a fully functional prototype within three months, with positive reception from players intrigued by the innovative concept and alien perspective.
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Gained valuable experience designing abstract mechanics, iterating on visual storytelling, and leading a multidisciplinary team under tight deadlines.
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Demonstrated the potential of non-verbal game design by engaging players through exploration, curiosity, and intuitive feedback systems.