ADAM HIGGINS
Junior Games Programmer - Portfolio
Animation Subsystem for custom Engine
This is a personal project that I worked on during my spare time in different work sprints from late 2020 to early 2022 using a C++ Animation Book as reference. I wanted to create my own animation system from the ground up which meant implementing boiler plate maths library as well as an abstract renderer using OpenGL and simple shaders with file loading. I chose to do this as doing hands-on engine work greatly improves games programming concepts and it forces you to familiarise yourself with engine architecture. I have previously worked with animation systems before in university but with an already functional framework. Currently the subsystem has smooth blending and additive blending facilities implemented as well as CCD and FABRIK solvers for inverse kinematics but this has not been fully implemented yet.
The GitHub Repo for the Visual Studio Project can be found Here
Hearthstone Card Generator (Honours Project)
For my 4th Year Honours Project I created a Procedural Content Generator for the popular online card game Hearthstone. I wanted the generated content to be 'balanced' so that each card could feasibly be played in the game without it being unfair or underpowered. To do this I designed a bespoke Mathematical Balance Model that could determine the power of a card based on it's card text and card cost (Mana). The Card generation itself was driven by AI using the Monte Carlo Tree Search Algorithm which would find suitable Keywords and Card Text to put on cards given specific parameters. The code was optimised so that the generator could operate at the run time of the official Hearthstone game so it was possible for cards to be generated on the fly while while two users play a game, leading to the possibility of brand new cards being played in every individual game.
Over 70 participants took in a survey of some of the generated cards and the general consensus was that they could see the cards feasibility being in the official game as they were in line with official cards balance. The grade given for the Project creation and subsequent Dissertation was B+.
Sophist (Group Project)
'SOPHIST' is a game I worked on for my 3rd year Professional Project Module. This meant working closely with our client, The Chinese Room, to stick to the brief given to us.
The brief was to make a game that conveyed the message 'What is means to be human' non-verbally and without written word. We did this by creating a vertical slice of a finished game where a robot has to explore a factory freeing other robots of its kind, that are being used as slaves.
This was an incredibly useful experience as it was my first time working closely with a cross-discipline team on a client-led brief. It gave me a greater knowledge of the Unreal engine and my first experience of working with animations. I worked as a gameplay programmer on a team of 8 people and we worked on this project almost everyday over 5 months in early 2020. The overall grade that was given for the project was B and my personal contribution in the form of a portfolio was given B+.
My Contribution:
Climbing system for traversing obstacles (shown in clip)
Implemented animation system for character movement and climbing system
Pathfinding system for AI controlled 'Slave Robots;
Dynamic environment (moving walls, boxes etc.)
Treasure: Hunted (Treasure Hunt Game Jam)
This Jam entry is a game where the player plays as coin trying to stay out of the clutches of a leprechaun who is searching the room for some spare change. We wanted to have physics based controls on the coin so the player would have to balance the coin's rotation so it would roll along surfaces. The game was made over a week in the evenings in a team of 4 with 1 designer, 1 artist and 1 programmers with me being the latter.
My contribuition:
Full player controls for physics driven coin
behaviour tree behind Leprechaun AI
Configured animation system
Post Processing Cel shader and Black Outline Shader
Spanish Inquisition (Unexpected Game Jam)
This Game Jam entry was made over 48 hours in a team with four others. The game was based on the Iconic Monty Python Sketch with the unexpected twist of the player being a member of the Spanish Inquisition the entire time. At the end of the 48 hours the game was unfinished due to scope issues but it was useful to have a post-mortem for making future projects.
Working on the Jam gave me more experience working in a cross-discipline team and helped to improve my Unity Skills.
The work that I contributed to this project included
Initial Concept
Camera Work
Player Movement
Gun Mechanics
Animation Logic
ABOUT ME
Graduating with Honours after studying Computer Games Technology (BSc) at the University of Abertay Dundee.
Apart from being an aspiring Games Programmer and avid computer games fan , I also have a passion for live music and festivals as well as being a keen rugby player and spectator.
Through studying a course which is accredited by the Princeton Review as Europe's best and participating in Game Jams, I have honed my skills as a Game Programmer and as an effective contributor to team projects.
My Skills include:
Proficiency with C++ and Object-Oriented Programming.
Experience With Unreal Engine 4 and Unity
Strong 3D Maths and Applied Maths Skills.
Experience on a variety of Games Engine subsystems and Gameplay Mechanics.
Excellent Communications Skills in both a professional and relaxed environment.
Able to thrive when working in a group or an independent scenario.
Able to work effectively when under stress and with rigid deadlines.
Having a love for the projects I work on.