Sam Sage
Project Incrementum
Solo Procedural Generation Project | Unity
September 2019 - April 2020
Project Incrementum is an independent exploration into infinite procedural generation of terrain and flocking animals in Unity. It features a sandbox environment that demonstrates different terrain generation and and population algorithms with customizable sliders for algorithm values. Some features include:
- Perlin noise and diamond-square generated terrain capable of making mountains, plains, island chains and more.
- Blending between customizable height defined biomes built using Unity Shader Graph.
- Prop population by biome adjustable to create densely packed or loosely spread objects across the world.
- Herding animals capable of traveling as groups, avoiding obstacles, eating food, and being adorable
- A play mode that dynamically generates chunks of terrain to create an infinite landscape for a free moving camera.
Hallowed Under
Technical Director | C++ Engine / Unity
September 2018 - April 2019
Hallowed Under is a 3D stealth game where the player must use bait and careful planning to avoid giant owls and navigate through various levels.
As the technical director, I led a team of 6 coders in building a custom C++ engine to be used by a team of 20. My contributions to this engine included:
​
- Core functionality running an ECS engine including initialization, logging, system execution order, and more.
- Slotmap driven system for constant time insertion, access, and deletion of objects and components.
- Modular 3D data driven editor with both dockable windows and background systems using ImGUI.
​
Midway through the project we pivoted to using Unity in order to prioritize bringing the artists, musicians, and designers vision to life. In this new workflow I served as a gameplay and AI programmer who built:
​
- A behavior tree system for Unity that allowed quick iteration of enemy AI by designers.
- An easy to edit pathing system to define enemy patrol paths over a Unity navmesh.
- A stealth system with enemy cone vision, terrain cover, and enemy bait.
Daybreak​
- Featured at PAX West 2018 -
Technical Director | C++ Engine
September 2017 - April 2018
Daybreak is a 2D top-down action adventure game in which the player must collect light to fend off hostile swarms of dead stars and restore day in a world plagued by endless night.
As the technical director and co-producer, I led a team of six coders in building a custom C++ engine to be used by a team of 11. My contributions included:
- Building a modular Entity-Component-System (ECS) framework for a custom C++ engine.
- Creating engine systems, including full 2D physics, rapid-json serialization, and boid flocking AI.
- Incorporating in-engine tools, including system performance analytics.
- Coordinating with artists, designers, and musicians to create usable engine and editor features.
- Producing of all technical reports, guides and documentation for game production.
Forgotten
Technical Director | C++ Engine
December 2016 - April 2017
Forgotten is a 2D puzzle platformer about manipulating the direction of gravity to navigate through levels and discover your past.
As the technical director, I led a team of 5 coders in building a custom C engine and game. My contributions included:
- Creating core engine functionality including gamestates, level loading, and sprite animation.
- Implementing gameplay mechanics including player controller, shooting, and gravity flipping.
- Building a 2D physics engine to support a 2D platformer with gravity flipping.
- Integration of Tiled as a level editor and exporter.
- Creation and testing of 10+ platforming levels.
Treacherous Travels​
Lead Programmer | C++ Text Game
September 2016 - December 2016
Treacherous Travels is a fantasy text adventure about discovering and navigating a world filled with riddles and comedy.
As the lead programmer, I lead a team of 3 in creating a completely console run game in C. My contributions included:
- Building a text parser to process and interpret user given commands.
- Multiple engine systems including room management and navigation, inventory, and actions.
- Custom text file reader to create formatted and colored text.