GAME PROJECTS / PROTOTYPES

 

FOXPITAL

Genre: Top-Down Time Management
Engine: Unreal Engine 5.4 (Blueprints)

Overview

Foxpital is a stylized top-down prototype where the player takes the role of a doctor treating incoming patients under time pressure. Each patient arrives with different medical needs, and the player must quickly identify and apply the correct treatment before their condition worsens.

Rather than relying on scripted scenarios, the project focuses on building system-driven gameplay, where patient conditions and treatment outcomes are generated dynamically.

The project was partly inspired by the chaotic coordination and fast-paced decision making found in Overcooked, but reimagined in a single-player medical setting.

Background

Since I did not have a traditional programming background, I chose Unreal Engine as my development environment because of its visual scripting system and its widespread use as an industry-standard engine.

I initially started by following tutorials to understand the basics of the engine and Blueprint workflow. However, I quickly realized that the most effective way for me to learn was to build a project around an idea I genuinely wanted to explore.

With that mindset, I started working on Foxpital as a way to experiment with gameplay systems while learning Unreal Engine in a practical context.

Design Approach

One of the main goals of the project was to explore how gameplay systems can be structured in a flexible and data-driven way.

Instead of hardcoding patient behavior or treatment logic, I experimented with creating systems that could be configured through structured data. This made it possible to control gameplay variables such as patient needs, treatment outcomes, scoring rules, and level objectives without modifying the core logic of the game.

Gameplay Systems

During development, I implemented and experimented with several interconnected gameplay systems, including:

  • A dynamic patient need system where patients spawn with different combinations of medical needs

  • Level-based configurations controlling allowed needs, difficulty, and patient behavior

  • A treatment validation system comparing the expected patient need with the applied treatment

  • A data-driven inventory system where items are represented through structured data rather than actor references

  • A flexible interaction system supporting Press, Hold, and Tap input types

  • A patient health system reacting to correct and incorrect treatments

  • A scoring and level progression system with win/lose conditions and star ratings based on player performance

  • A floating feedback system displaying healing or damage values directly above patients

  • A modular HUD system displaying timer, score, and patient statistics

  • A randomized patient spawning system

Technical Structure

The project was built using a modular Blueprint architecture in Unreal Engine 5.4.

Gameplay data such as patient needs, treatment effects, and level objectives were managed using DataTables and Structs. Communication between gameplay systems relied heavily on Blueprint Interfaces, helping reduce direct dependencies between systems and making the overall structure easier to expand.

What I Learned

Foxpital became an important learning project for understanding how gameplay systems interact within a larger structure.

While developing this prototype, I gained practical experience designing data-driven gameplay mechanics, structuring modular Blueprint systems, and thinking about gameplay problems from a systems design perspective rather than implementing isolated features.

 

SKULLY RELOADED

Genre: Top-Down Shooter
Engine: GameMaker (GML)

Overview

Skully Reloaded is a Top-Down Shooter Prototype inspired heavily by “Nuclear Throne”, which was one of my favorite games at the time. My goal was to create a fast-paced, chaotic, and satisfying gameplay experience similar to the adrenaline-driven combat of that game.

Background

Before the pandemic, a friend introduced me to GameMaker. At the time I had no prior programming experience, so I began learning GML (GameMaker Language) through tutorials by Shaun Spalding and Heartbeast.

After completing several tutorials, I felt ready to start building something on my own. Through a combination of forum posts, documentation, and many YouTube videos, I gradually developed my first playable prototype.

Gameplay Systems

While developing this prototype, I implemented and experimented with a variety of core gameplay systems and mechanics, including:

  • Top-down character movement

  • Mouse-based directional shooting

  • A dynamic camera system that smoothly lerps toward the cursor within a limited radius around the player, creating a subtle look-ahead effect

  • Multiple weapon types with different firing behaviors

  • Enemy AI with patrol, alert, chase, and attack states

  • Collision and hit detection systems

  • A* pathfinding for enemy navigation

  • Random enemy spawning within the play area

  • Health and stamina resource systems

  • A power-up system

  • A score system

  • A top-down dash ability for player mobility

Although the project remained a prototype without multiple levels or progression systems, it was an important learning experience and helped me understand how many fundamental gameplay systems come together to create a responsive and engaging action game.

Game Assets:
Most art assets used in the prototype were placeholder assets sourced from publicly available asset packs.
The main character sprite was created by me specifically for this prototype.

 
 

I also have a small youtube channel where I make gaming videos.
>> Madorca Gaming

 

Here are some of the clips from the games I worked on through my journey. (Some are just from the tutorials)