Overview
This is a sample project structure based on best practices from game development portfolios. Your project should tell a compelling story about what you built, the challenges you faced, and the solutions you implemented.
Project Design Goals:
- Create engaging gameplay mechanics
- Demonstrate technical proficiency in Unity/Unreal
- Showcase problem-solving abilities
- Document the development process
The Sponza Atrium is a classic benchmark for testing global illumination, PBR (Physically Based Rendering), and general 3D engine performance. See how Saint 3D tackles it!
Technical Implementation
Core Systems
Describe the main systems you implemented:
- Player Controller: Implemented responsive movement system with physics-based interactions
- AI System: Created behavior trees for enemy NPCs with patrol, chase, and attack states
- Combat System: Developed hit detection, damage calculation, and health management
- Save System: Built persistent data management using JSON serialization
Gameplay Mechanics
Detail specific mechanics you created:
Level Design
Explain your approach to level design:
- Tutorial Level: Introduced core mechanics gradually
- Pacing: Balanced combat encounters with exploration
- Environmental Storytelling: Used props and lighting to guide player
Challenges & Solutions
Challenge 1: Performance Optimization
Problem: Frame rate dropped below 30fps with multiple enemies on screen.
Solution:
- Implemented object pooling for frequently spawned objects
- Optimized draw calls by batching similar materials
- Used occlusion culling to reduce rendering overhead
- Result: Maintained 60fps with 50+ active enemies
Challenge 2: AI Navigation
Problem: Enemies getting stuck on obstacles during pathfinding.
Solution:
- Integrated Unity's NavMesh system
- Added dynamic obstacle avoidance
- Implemented fallback behaviors for edge cases
Results & Learnings
What Went Well:
- Successfully implemented all planned core features
- Received positive feedback from playtesters
- Learned advanced C# patterns and Unity best practices
Areas for Improvement:
- Could have planned better for scope creep
- More time needed for audio implementation
- Would benefit from earlier playtesting
Media
[Include screenshots, GIFs, or video embeds here]
Download & Links
- Play the Game - Itch.io link
- Source Code - GitHub repository
- Design Document - Google Docs link
Technical Blog Posts
For detailed implementation guides on each system:
- Microservice Architecture for Live-Service Games
- Building Authentication with Steam & JWT
- Real-Time Communication: REST vs TCP Sockets
- Metagame Systems & Stripe Payment Integration
- Deploying Game Backends with Kubernetes
This project taught me valuable lessons about game systems architecture, the importance of playtesting, and how to scope features realistically for solo development.