Works

games development group academic projects

Combine a traditional genre with new media (video) and a whole new experience is created. In collaboration with Electronic Arts, Space Watchers uses their connected TV platform, where players only need to use their smartphone's browsers to play the game being streamed to their TV.

With video, hidden items may appear or disappear, and the video's context may even allow players to anticipate or predict if an object is going to appear.

We also implemented multiplayer into the game, which is interesting since normal hidden object games are unofficially multiplayer. This allowed us to add a new way to consume such games.

Role : Lead Engineer

The main feature I created is the level/video authoring tool, used to specify what hidden objects are available in the video. This tool enabled the designers to quickly create and iterate on their videos, which allowed them to try ideas to know what worked best with minimal turnover.

I was also in charge of managing integration of various features, the game's architecture (the separation of UI and game logic made it easy to make changes to each with little or no changes to other client code), as well as creating the menu system and custom UI elements for the game and the tool.

Platform : Unity3D (C#), Javascript on Xfinity Games

Team : Timothy Staton-Davis, Jake Ahn, Jack Tsai, Zongye Yang (Chiu)

website

Lending Hearts, a charity for kids with cancer, was our team's client. They wanted an app (iOS, Android) to allow affected children and their families to be able to have fun together in an online closed community. This would enable even those with reduced mobility or are constrained to a hospital bed to join in the excitement that other kids were having as well.

Our task was to create a base framework for interaction and also to provide modularity for potential extensions in the future, as well as an initial module (mini-game) to show how it can be used. After some concept playtests, the space theme engaged the kids the most and allowed for imaginations to run wild.

In the app, kids can create fun planet avatars using items gained whenever the community goal was achieved. They can also play mini-games to earn points to contribute to aforementioned community goal. Item gifts can also be sent when visiting friends' planets.

Role : Lead Engineer

Other than integration and game architecture, I also developed the entire planet customization system. This allowed all basic transformations as well as layering. To support this system, I created the inventory system and the server backend framework to easily communicate with the database.

I was also responsible for creating the leaderboard and reward systems to support the community goal feature.

Platform : Unity3D (C#) on iOS and Android, PHP and MySQL server backend

Team : Cheryl-Jean Leo, Hilman Beyri, Hannah Liu, Wei Xie, Ruchi Dangwal

website

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Inspired after seeing roadkill, this game turns you into the weapon to kill creatures for food by using the depth perception sensors on the Google Tango. Move around a space to look for animals or strafe around them without them noticing, then jerk forward for the kill.

The game uses 3D box art to minimize the blood and gory while still keeping in theme of a primitive human hunting for food.

Role : Lead Programmer

I created the weapon systems to enable swapping when the player gained enough experience points to upgrade. The creature AI state machine framework was also developed by me to enable inheritable AI behaviors. I was also responsible for integration models and sound effects into the game, and creating an abstraction layer between the Tango API and game logic.

Platform : Unity3D (C#) on Google Tango v1

Team : Keng Hua Sing, Brentt Kasmiskie, Qing Mao, Wenyu Jiang

Duration : One week

download (PC)

Download (tango)

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Play as the conductor in this orchestra, directing the fire's properties with your wand. The higher the fire, the higher the tempo and ability to reach high-flying objects (like the orcs' enemies - fairies).

Role : Programmer

I created an abstraction layer between the Kinect Unity API and game logic, which allowed us to easily switching inputs for testing. I also scripted the intro cutscene, and linked the musician's animations to music tempo.

Platform : Unity3D (C#) on PC with Kinect v1 (full-body motion sensor)

Team : Maoyang Li, Hannah Liu, Kshitij Kumar

Duration : Two weeks

Download (PC, Kinect required)

First day as a rookie space pilot, the player thinks it is just a normal day until the space base was destroyed by unknown aliens and now has to get to the communication station to warn Earth of impending doom. The player must pilot his ship using a LeapMotion controller, which simulates a holographic speed and steering joystick, through floating debris and enemy fire as Earth's hope lies on the player's shoulders.

The C.A.V.E. environment allows players to be fully immersed in the virtual space by filling up the peripheral vision as well, and is complemented by full surround sound system and hydraulic base to simulate crash impacts.

Role : Lead Programmer

Other than the abstraction layer between input hardware and game logic, I developed the waypoint-following system, which includes ensuring the player does not stray too far, as well as debris and enemy generation within the allowed space. The spacecraft's movement using the holographic joystick (using LeapMotion) was also created by me.

Platform : Unity3D (C#) on PC with LeapMotion, C.A.V.E.

Team : Zongye Yang (Chiu), Vivek Sangubhotla, Ruchi Dangwal, Kirsten Rispin

Duration : Three weeks

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Redden is the group's first 3D game, a top-down shooter in a post-apocalyptic setting with a toxic atmosphere. The aim was to create a playable level with multiple AI behaviors and a boss at the end, which we achieved.

There are three primary weapon systems and two secondary (missile) systems which can be ugpraded with power-ups dropped by enemies, multiple enemy types (static and moving) with variable behavior and bezier paths, and a multi-stage boss fight where the boss uses different actions at varying points of the fight. The player also has a regenerating shield that absorbs one hit at a time.

Role : Producer, Lead Engineer

Meeting weekly after lessons ended for the day, the game was completed after one year (not actual development time). Initial learning curves and issues with terrain streaming delayed the progress at the beginning.

I developed the weapon systems to be completely modular, allowing for weapons to be easily switched around or activated; enemies also use the same weapon system. Enemy AI behavior was created as a Unity component with custom scene tools to allow the designer to create highly customizable behaviors, such as bezier waypoints paths and target aiming parameters.

Platform : Unity3D (C#) on PC

Team : Tan Wei Liang, See Ming Leong, Lee Jun Hui, Feng Zhong Hui

Download

Pina Colada combines rhythm with fighting games. Players have to press button combinations on the beat for it to be accepted and executed as a move.

Role : Lead Engineer

I developed the battle system and input checks for the moves, which by itself was not too bad, until I had to synchronize it with the beats in the music. The time synchronization system, also created by me, presented challenges with user input buffer and the music itself.

I was also responsible for the screen management backend and game design system (XML file so that no recompilation is needed when changing design parameters).

Platform : Flash (ActionScript 3)

Team : Joshua Wong, Jonathan Hay, He Xuan, Leon Ho, Tan Wei Liang, Praveen Namasivayam, Li Yawen, Goh Chun Lin

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After starting to make in Flash, I realized I was rewriting a lot of code that can actually be re-used. I found out about game engines, and took many opportunities to try writing one, but were mostly utility frameworks (for Flash, OpenGL etc.). The dissertation project finally allowed me to write a complete engine from scratch, using only the rendering API.

For starters, my goal for the engine was to create a flexible engine, not just while using it to create games, but configuring its entire pipeline. While I only implemented a Direct3D 11 renderer and FMOD sound integration, the code was built such that switching them for another implementation (such as Direct3D 9, 10, 12 or Miles Sound System) was simple.

In addition, I wanted to create a GUI editor for designers and artists to interface with the engine, which I accomplished using the wxWidgets library (for cross-platform capability) and embedding the game's 3D view as a subwindow.

Finally, shaders make 3D games look gorgeous if written well, but this requires multiple shaders programmed by graphics engineers. While my basic modular shader implementation still requires engineers, their job is to configure the high-level properties of a material's shading, rather than having multiple permutations of shaders to cater to different surfaces.

The final deliverables were the engine library, the GUI editor and two demo games created using my game engine and the editor.

Platform : C++, DirectX 11 on Windows PC

In this racing game, you not only race against opponents, but against the track as well. The track is procedurally generated in real-time based on how skillful the player is - the track gets narrower and has tighter turns and banks as the player makes clean runs. There is also a nitro boost feature, which can be beneficial or harmful depending on how you use it, as well as obstacles bombing onto the track.

The opponents' AI has been tweaked to reduce rubber-banding and feel more like how a racer would actually drive. Our initial implementation of wheeled vehicles did not work due to procedurally-generated meshes creating bumps on the tracks, so we changed to hovercraft speedsters which still follow the tracks' surface but are not subject to the same bumps.

Role : Lead Engineer

The feature I worked on was vehicle physics, which as mentioned above was wheeled early in development. Switching to hover physics, I tried implementing simulation-realistic hovercrafts, but realized it was hard and actually did not look good. So I changed to arcade-style hover physics, which does not use forces and gravity but ray tracing towards the track surface instead.

I was also responsible for art and sound asset integration, game architecture and environment generation.

Platform : Unity3D (C#) on PC

Team : Tan Wei Liang, Victor Chua Fu Kuan, Tan Wing Yan, Xie Zhenjia

Download

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Theme : What do I do now?

Defuse the bombs to survive as long as possible. Bomb wires seem to always be color-coded, except you don't know anything about bomb defusal. There seems to be instructions, but who would plant bombs and then provide steps to stop it?

Mind Blown! takes the phrase literally to the next level, camouflaging the game mechanic with the stroop effect. If you have no idea what that is, well, then the theme has been achieved. If you do however, one defusal does not mean you are safe - keep going or your mind wil be blown to bits. Muahaha!

Role : Lead Programmer

I developed the user interaction system of dragging the pliers to cut wires and the level progression backend (bomb timer ticks faster). The color determination algorithm (what colors to put together, and what instruction phrase to use) was co-developed with Eric. I was also responsible for integration of art and sound assets.

Platform : Unity3D (C#) on PC

Team : Eric Tsai, Brian Lin, Tiffa Cheng, Chuan Zhou

website

Theme : *Sound of heartbeat*

In Exit Fear, you need to escape the building, preferably alive (ok, definitely alive). So just follow the nearest exit sign ... and avoid whatever is lurking in the shadows. Your heartbeat hastens due to the unknown, until you realize the sound of your heart pumping is so loud that it is causing visual waves to bounce off surfaces, allowing you to see in the shadows.

Remain afraid, very afraid, as your heartbeat is audibly keeping you alive. Unfortunately, it also means it is hard to move properly, with momentum physics applied to your movement, taking time to both start and stop moving. Don't slide right into .... that thing, never mind, too late.

Role : Lead Programmer

Other than integration, I created the 3D menu screen, as well as developed the navmesh and collision logic for the "enemies". In addition, I implemented the "ring" effect when the heartbeat sound bounces off the "enemies".

Platform : Unity3D (C#) on PC

Team : See Ming Leong, Tan Wei Liang, Victor Chua Fu Kuan

website

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In this haunted world you play as a phantom trying to use your powers to save someone in an abandoned mansion. Evil spirits inside the mansion are waiting to scare the unwelcome visitor to death. The animation tools allow you to possess objects and scare the living safely through the mansion and away from the spirits lurking behind dangerous doors.

Throughout the sixteen levels of the game, you will learn different animation techniques such as key framing and real time animation in order to possess objects. In the main levels, it is entirely up to the player whether they animate with key frames or real time animation techniques based on their preferences. Each level becomes more complicated, putting players animation and timing skills to the test.

Role : Lead Programmer

As we were using a client framework to enable real-time animation creation, I was in charge of integrating the API and the UI with skinned sprites into the game. I was also responsible for creating all other UI and menu systems, as well as scripting the logic for the entire tutorial.

The level editor, created by Prashant, generated XML files which were then utilized by me to create the levels in the game itself. This included placing objects and doorway portals and enabling the logic for them.

Platform : Flash (ActionScript)

Team : Zachary Davis, Kelvin Tan, Hannah Katz, Lee Sing Ern, Lex Johnson, Trinh Dinh Quan, Prashant Raina

Duration : Two months

website

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SamFisher.realName = "See Shuen Leong";

function calls completed without exceptions thrown

Carnegie Mellon University

National University of Singapore

miscellaneous

Carnegie Mellon University

Full Projects

Space Watchers

Discover a new spin on the hidden object genre

Lending Hearts

Bridging gaps with lots of fun!

Carnegie Mellon University

Building Virtual Worlds

Stab

Be the weapon

Gravity

Survive without any

Orkestra

Who said orcs are not cultured?

S.P.A.W.K.S. (Gravity Again)

This time you're not alone - not in a good way

National University of Singapore

Games Development Group

Redden

Bullet hell in cloud hell

Pina Colada

Monkeys dancing to the beat! Or fighting?

National University of Singapore

Academic Projects

Game Engine

One step for enabling interactive creations

Pidgen Racer

Race against an open, evolving track and more

Global Game Jam

48-hour Game-Making Frenzy

Mind Blown.

What do you do now that the bomb is a rainbow?

Exit Fear

Your audible heartbeat might be your only way

I Snake U Block

I knew a human was behind stopping those length snakes...

Internships

Not exactly school, not exactly work

Phantomation

Re-animating the inanimate