Category Archives: Gameplay

Gameplay, Indie, Programming, Published games, Tools

Teku Studios: The Stone of Madness

October 10, 2024 [EX3]

"From the creators of Blasphemous"

To be honest, this is an original game designed and developed by the creators of Candle, Teku Studios, with help and support from The Game Kitchen and not viceversa. This is the truth.

The Stone of Madness is a real-time tactical stealth game set in an 18th-century Spanish Monastery. Five prisoners pool their skills and resources to face their phobias, stave off insanity, uncover the mysteries of the Monastery, and find a way to escape.

Senior Game Programmer and Tool Programmer working on the system and tools to manage and design the campaign missions and objectives, used by the game designer to easily structure all the logic involved on the different campaign missions and objetives in the game, and to be able to fast prototyping ideas on the game levels without affect or collide with all exsisting work.

Also I worked, in minor way, maintaing and extending the code of some systems and entities (players and NPC characters, items, dialog system features...).

Other tasks was help with the optimization the code of some systems (thinking on the porting to consoles) and a QA tool for ease catch unhandled exceptions and end the game session (to prevent false error feedback up from this point due the Unity feature to continue execution with unhandled exceptions) recolecting all possible debug data (exception message, full stack trace, screenshot of the last frame rendered...) pack it on a zip file and show a "BSOD like" screen with all collected data.

Advergaming, Gameplay, Programming, Published games, Tech, Technical Artist, Tools, VFX Artist

MEGA (Mundo Estrella Galicia) Sport Training (Kinect)

June 19, 2019 [EX3]

Lead Programmer and Tool Programmer for the development of MEGA Sport Training, an interactive experience for MEGA: Mundo Estrella Galicia museum, in A Coruña, Galicia, Spain.

My main task in this project was develop the entire game architecture, focused on modularize all critical parts of the project for ease maintenance, upgrade or deep-changes quickly, the creation of requested tools during the development, and supervising the work of a junior programmer, the person that was develop the 4 mini-games that compose the game (basket, football, hockey and rugby) and help me to integrate the Kinect v2 SDK in Unity and study how implement features like the advanced gesture recognition.

Other tasks that I colaborate was supporting the 2D and 3D artists as Technical Artist, optimizing all 3D assets and materials in-game (combining meshes, fixing materials setup in Unity, and advise the 3D artist, a junior profile, in some tasks involved with optimizing modeling and asset exporting), setup the lighting in all scenes and setup all post-processing effects to fit the limited requeriments of the target machine (an Intel NUC without dedicated graphics card) to achieve a good performance without lost quality visual look & feel.

Also of the difficulties recording custom gestures using the official Kinect SDK tools, implmenting a custom gesture system to avoid some issues with some gesture recognitions, and the many other related and technical issues, the true challenge to develop and maintain this project are the Kinect 2.0 + Windows 10 combo:

Kinect 2.0 has been discontinued by Microsoft in fall 2017 and removed support on Windows (drivers, tools, etc...) a few months after publising the tools for Kinect 2 for Windows (supported Windows 8.1 as last official version).
Never existed an official SDK for Unity, only a few outdated particular user implementations on the web for Unity 5.6 (we developed the game with Unity 2018.3.5). We using the only full implementation solution available and well documented by examples, that can be found in the Asset Store.
No all PC configurations supports Kinect 2 hardware. During the pre-production, we found that only 2 PCs in our studio are capable to run Kinect 2 without problems. Other PCs directly can't work, can't recognized the Kinect hardware. Seems the USB 3.0 in most of them has issues related with power supply or the drivers (in some cases, Kinect burned the AC Power unit on a couple of our PCs).
Kinect 2 hardware can't works on current versions of Windows 10. The last supported version is the build 1803 (April 2018 Update). The USB 3.0 drivers has many known issues and one of them affect to Kinect 2 USB connector. The solution initially seems very simple: using the build 1803, but...
In Windows 10 you can't full disable Windows Update services. And, later or soon, your Windows 10 will be forced to upgrade to latest version. In our case, disconnect the PC from the net is not a solution. The PC can not we unpluged from the net because need access to internet to send mails and send and read signals from an UDP server. Basically, the solution passed to reroute the all Windows Update known server address to localhost in the Windows hosts file, setup all Windows Update related services to manual and disabled it, and blocking the internal Windows folders related with Windows Update downloads and deployments.
The official Kinect 2 AC Power Unit not works on current PC configurations. One of the Kinects, supplied by the museum worked with the Surface 3 AC Power Unit instead of the Kinect official unit. For any reason the Kinect 2 official AC Power Unit not works properly on current PCs.

But the true challenge was the final issue of the Kinect 2 + Windows 10 combo. At the final stages of the development and testing, we found the game sometimes was freeze without any reason! (very inappropiate for a museum experience).

After 2 weeks of deep debugging and testings in the source code of the Unity implementation of the Kinect SDK, I found that the reason of the game was freezing was the avatar recognition event in a driver level. It's seems that the outdated driver in Windows 10 has any internal memory leak or something related bug.

Because I'm not was capable to fix this, because is an internal driver bug and not a source code issue, I designed a little "trick" to able the game to catch the freeze state and reset himself. I developed a little program that works as a monitor instance of the game. A simple terminal program that run in fist place and launch a new instance of the game as child process. Basically the game instances comunicate with the monitor to tell that it's alive. When the game stop to send signals to the monitor, the monitor understand that the game is freezed, kill the freezed process and launch a new one.

For prevent the user noticed the game reseting process, as idea of Carlos L. Hernando, we empty the entire Windows desktop of icons and hide the task bar, and using the same game splash screen background as desktop background. With this, the user not see any stranger thing except that the game has return to the main menu screen.

P.D.: In a way to avoid several freezes and their resepective resets, I needed to reimplemented all avatar recognition logic system in the game to avoid conitnuous calls to native Kinect avatar recognition functions.

Artist, Gameplay, Misc, Practical Exercises, Programming, Tech, Technical Artist, Tools, VFX Artist

Argos: CICE MPV Project (Unity3D Master degree final project)

October 26, 2017 [EX3]

My final project for my Unity3D game development master degree coursed in CICE on 2017. A 2.5D cinematic action-platformer developed over a custom multiplatform framework (the true core of the project).

This project was developed while I was working on the porting to Nintendo Switch of Ginger: Beyond the Crystal in Drakhar Studio. During this period (3 months) I was working in the idea of creating a framework that ease the common tasks in a multiplatform development with Unity3D, like manage the input setup or the file system over the different operating systems or consoles. After finish my contract with Drakhar Studio, I was working on the playable part of the final project, the 2.5D platformer and how integrating the framework in his development. I made it in only 4 weeks.

The framework cover the following areas:

Input system:

A single player oriented input system, based on Input Map assets witch defines actions and axes definitions for use in separate areas of the game like UI or player actions.

This system is based on Virtual Axes that bring the posibility to define input based on keyboard, mouse and/or gamepad axes (sticks, DPads), and Input Actions to define actions like jump or shoot, using input from keyboard, mouse and/or gamepad buttons, DPad and triggers. Input Actions can managed from events, and both Input Actions and Virtual Axes can allow input rebind in runtime.

This system nativelly support the popular game controllers like XBox 360, XBox One, PS4 and Nintendo Switch Pro Controller (on supported systems). The input system manages automatically a common map between different controllers, in a way to only uses a unique button list to setup the actions and axes. The system also allow the use of generic gamepads and uses a generic input map asset to setup the input map, also allow this setup in runtime.

This system implement a custom Standalone Input Module and some custom components to bring full support on Unity UI components for UI navigation.
Multiplaftform file system layer:

A file system layer to safe manage the basic file operations between Windows, Linux and Mac systems. The system manage a predefined paths to manage savegames, settings, screenshots and custom data folders on user document folder, and avoid errors on path formatting or creation/check the current folders.
Localization system:

A simple localization system that allow to localize UI text elements with rich text formatting support. The system implements a simple component that manage the UI Text component content in realtime. For the project, this system was designed for only support English and Spanish languages.
UI components:

A serie of UI components to bring some functionalities like doble click events, customizable text message events and UI input icon system to show text messages with keyboard, mouse or gamepad button or axis icon based on the common input map system implemented on the first point of this list.
Misc additions:

Multipurporsal scripts and components with various ideas learned and implemented during this master degree on each practical excercise.

Today, I'm working in this framework to pulished some parts and improved ones (Input System code and his editor inspectors) and rewriting others from scratch (file system, localization system and some UI components), and implementing new additions like XInput gamepad vibration support (with visual pattern vibration assets, to allow to design vibration patterns similar to the classic DirectInput Force Feedback patterns), GameJolt API integration (user session, trophies, leader boards and cloud storage) and more.

Other additions that I'm working is the XBox One support, via Universal Windows Platform, with XBox Live basic services (user session, user stats, leader boards and file storage). The goal of this is trying to unify this services with other like the GameJolt or Steam services (even consoles services like PS4, XBox One (not UWP) or Nintendo Switch) under an unique layer to simplify the development between platforms, the main goal of this framework.

Game Jams, Gameplay, Misc, Programming, Prototypes

Soul Gun

July 30, 2017 [EX3]

A game made for the Malaga Jam Weekend VI & Ludum Dare 39 Game Jams. A game made in 48h!

A 2D platform game with a gravity and energy mechanic. The player only can move on floor and shoot his weapon. Each shoot invert the gravity on entire level, enemies included, and each shoot consume a part of the player soul. If the player consumes his soul, then he will die instantly. The player can restore his soul when not shooting his weapon during a short time.

This game shared the MalagaJam and Ludum Dare themes: Atraction & Running out of Power.

Artist, Design, Gameplay, Indie, Levels, Practical Exercises, Programming, Published games, Technical Artist, VFX Artist

The Esc4pe, a “primitive shooter” made with Unity3D

February 20, 2017 [EX3]

José Miguel Sánchez Fernández - [EX3]
Game Programmer, Game Designer, Level Designer, "Voice" actor

Third party assets

Standard Assets & Cinematics Effects - Unity Technologies

Sci-fi Level Kit - Hedgehog Team: https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/en/#!/content/12253

Sci Fi Characters Mega Pack - PROTOFACTOR, INC: https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/en/#!/content/19831

Arena Pickups - Pixelgraffiti: https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/en/#!/content/21282

Scifi LowPoly Ammo Pickups - Pixelgraffiti: https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/en/#!/content/12005

Yughues Free Palm Trees - Nobiax / Yughues: https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/en/#!/content/13540

Amplify Color and FXAA Fast Approximation Antialiasing - Amplify Creations: http://amplify.pt/

Light Shafts effect - Robert Cupisz: https://github.com/robertcupisz/LightShafts

Camera Filter Pack (CRT Effect) - Vetasoft: https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/en/#!/content/18433

Sound weapons & items effects are downloaded from Freesound.org site (http://www.freesound.org). All samples are under Creative Commons licence (Attribution 3.0 License)

Music themes "Hitman", "The Complex" & "Killers" are creations of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) and released under Creative Commons licence (Attribution 3.0 License)

This project is made as practical exercise for the "Master Degree in Video Game Development with Unity3D & 3DS Max Official Autodesk (MPV)" of CICE Madrid (http://cice.es/curso/master-en-desarrollo-de-videojuegos-con-unity-y-3dsmax/).

A "primitive shooter" developed in one month with technical restrictions based on the topics seen in class until the project start date. The game is not optimized (its performance is not stable).

Support XBox360 Controller in all PC platforms (implementing the input map for Linux and OSX following the information found on this wiki).

The game is initially designed to be played in 5~10 minutes (It can take 20~30 minutes to complete).

Developed and full tested under:
- Intel Core i5-2500 @ 3.30GHz
- 8GB RAM
- AMD Radeon HD 6800 Series (with Crimson drivers)
- Windows 10 Pro x64

P.D.: This game will not receive new updates, bug fixes (for now) or new version with more levels.

Gameplay, Programming, Prototypes

Project Jupiter (Cancelled Prototype)

October 27, 2015 [EX3]

A 2.5D Cinematic Action-Platformer. This project is born as a result of a bet between friends. Since 2010, I have been doing small tests with Unity3D, but no projects or prototypes. This project has helped me to try to learn the basics of the engine and gain some experience for future projects.

The prototype implement a functional character player with some of basic states, with functional weapon. The development focused mainly on the player's implementation and the visual style for future game levels (mainly lighting tests and retro look & feel). The project uses free assets, include part of the Angry Bots demo assets from Unity3D 4.

This project was cancelled due to several technical problems with 3D assets (old assets from Unity3D 3 and 4 versions, not compatible with new material system in Unity3D 5) and other related problems.

In September 2016, try a new approach to the concept of the game, using new assets, compatible with Unity3D 5. This is a capture of a prototype with the new material of the project, trying to recreate a control similar to that of games like Shadow Complex:

At present (January 2017) the project is based on the original concept discarded, more typical of games of the 90's like Another World or Flashback:

State of the project in January 9, 2017, some tests focused on player basic mechanics (run, walk, jump, fall, landing, climbing...). Implementing own character controller and FSM system (without PlayMaker).

Gameplay, Programming, Prototypes

Ninja Runner (Cancelled Prototype)

February 1, 2012 [EX3]

Game Programmer
José Miguel Sánchez Fernández - [EX3]

Game Designer, Graphic Designer
Ruben Barroso Heredia (*)

(*) Disclaimer: At the end of the project and in the future, I'm no longer related, supported or associated with this person, Ruben Barroso Heredia, and I'm not responsible for their legal or illegal activities related directly or indirectly with the video game industry or related business, including false professional experience accreditation or related training jobs in this area as teacher.

Gameplay, Indie, Programming, Published games, Technical Artist, VFX Artist

Escape from Hell

December 5, 2011 [EX3]

Producer
Eduardo Millan - SiPoX

Game Programmer, Technical Artist & VFX
José Miguel Sánchez Fernández - [EX3]

English Localization
Cristina Pinilla Fernandez

Game Designer, Graphic Designer, Level Designer
Ruben Barroso Heredia (*)

(*) Disclaimer: The rest of the team and I, after the publication of the project and in the future, we are no longer related, supported or associated with this person, Ruben Barroso Heredia, and we are not responsible for their legal or illegal activities related directly or indirectly, with the video game industry or related business, including false professional experience accreditation or related training jobs in this area as teacher.

Game Programmer, Technical Artist & VFX Artist for the development of Escape From Hell. An old school 2D platformer adventure, with fixed scenes, without scroll, with a basic mechanic of jump and run, and the special ability to buried underground in some places, for avoiding enemies or pass through some obstacles.

In addition to programming the game, other tasks where I been involved was VFX enhancement in the final art in scene, simulate some post-process effects with the Flash render limitations, like vignetting or dinamic brightness for backgrounds, and guide the artist in how to prepare and optimized the final assets to use in the game.

Design, Gameplay, Indie, Programming, Published games

Aquanoid

November 3, 2011 [EX3]

Producer
Eduardo Millan - SiPoX

Game Designer, Game Programmer
José Miguel Sánchez Fernández - [EX3]

English Localization
Cristina Pinilla Fernandez

Graphic Designer, Level Designer
Ruben Barroso Heredia (*)

Artist, Gameplay, Indie, Programming, Published games, Tech, Technical Artist, VFX Artist

Grey Infection

September 19, 2011 [EX3]

Before the arrival of the Graphic Designer profile, we have already decided and closed the visual style of the game, a pixel-art style with clean aesthetics, using plain colors (black & white palette for the non-passed levels, and basic color palette for cleared levels). The original art was created by me, based on previous works for TLSA Project and used in White & World project.

The final visual style of the game is an imposed decision by the Graphic Designer because he was unable to work with the original style. The decision was not voted with the original creators of the project, Eduardo Millan and me. And also because we are running-out of the schedule (the Graphic Designer arrival in the last stage of the development, he wasted near of a month trying to adapt with the original style and we needed to be ready to publish the game in less of 2 months after this), we finally desist to use the original style in favor the current used, and finish the rest of development in time.

These is a some captures of the original prototype visual style of the game, the same style used for the Microsoft Dream Build Play 2011 entry:

First sketch of the original intended visual style for Grey Infection.

Final design for the original Grey Infection player sprites.

One of the first prototypes running on XBox 360.

Producer, Game Designer, Level Designer
Eduardo Millan - SiPoX

Game Engine Programmer, Game Programmer, Technical Artist & VFX
José Miguel Sánchez Fernández - [EX3]

Music Composer
Pablo Delgado - Guybrush Threepwood

English Localization
Cristina Pinilla Fernandez

Graphic Designer
Ruben Barroso Heredia (*)

Game Engine Programmer, Game Programmer, Technical Artist & VFX Artist for the development of Grey Infection for Xbox360 (XBLIG).

My first professional game developed in a game studio, and my first console game. A 2D Puzzle-Platformer Adventure, based on White & World, a Game Jam project in which some members of the team worked, and that you can found in this portfolio.

The game mechanic basically is destroy the enemies, in the correct order, to create or destroy parts of the level, to reach the exit point. The exit point can only be enable when the all enemies are eliminated.

The game was developed using an own XNA based game engine, TLSA.Engine, a newer version of my old game engine TLSA Engine (based on Visual Basic 6.0 and dx_lib32, an own game framework).

In addition to programming the game and the engine, other tasks where I been involved was VFX enhancement in the final art in scene, simulate some post-process effects, like the glitch effect, UI visual design of the main menu and their elements, several background live visual elements and effects in most of the levels, and guide the artist in how to prepare and optimized the final assets to use in the game.

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3D Wire 2019

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3D Wire 2019

The true challenge: Kinect 2.0, Windows 10 and beyond

And the final boss...

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Input system:

Multiplaftform file system layer:

Localization system:

UI components:

Misc additions:

Argos.Framework, coming soon

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Featured tweet from GameJolt

Video reviews from itch.io & GameJolt

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Featured on itch.io marketplace with +25.000 downloads with a rate of 4/5 stars!

Featured on GameJolt marketplace with +40.000 downloads with a rate of 4/5! (Click on the thumbnail to view on gamejolt page)

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Full prototype level gameplay

Current State (early 2017)

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The original flavour of Grey Infection

Pre-Production video and Dream Build Play 2011

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