Hoy there! My name is Jackson. I’m a video game enthusiast, but I am also a developer. In High School, I started programming software in the BASIC programming language using a DSiWare program called “Petit Computer.” Since then, I’ve gone on to creating Game AI to Development Tools for a games in a variety of languages and engines. Thanks for stopping by and checking out the projects on my website!

Nyaa-kuza!!

(Seventeen People, Unity C#)

A narrative-driven, 2D brawler that I worked on for my Capstone project. The player controls a cat named “Ryu” who’s an ex-yakuza member trying to save his wife, “Hime,” from the clutches of the evil crime boss “Daichi.” The game is presented in a level-based format with dialogue sections that appear before and after each level and features waves of pesky goons and challenging bosses to fight.

What I worked on

• Developed a complex, interactive AI system featuring Behavior Trees, Blackboards, State Machines, and weighted decisions
• Made a flexible, wave-based spawning system for enemies by making a custom inspector in Unity
• Worked in an environment containing multiple codebases from Unity’s new proprietary input system to Doozy’s third-party UI system

Dash n’ Bash

(Seven People, Unity C#)

An arcade styled game that features speedy, fast-paced action and is heavily inspired by the Mega Man series. While navigating the dangers of the arena, a player will encounter waves of enemies as they spawn into life. A successful player will eliminate each wave by dashing or pushing the enemy into the deadly rotating saw blades at the edge of the arena. The game ends once the player health points are depleted (similar to an arcade game like Galaga).

What I worked on

• Worked on a local multiplayer mode with controller-to-player memorization and screen scaling
• Developed various behaviors for hazards with kinematics, raycasts, and vector-based math
• Created an interactive tutorial through dialogue systems and player input detection

Advance Emblem Plus

(Solo, Java)

This is a local competitive multiplayer strategy game that I created before going to bigger, better things. The game takes a lot of inspiration based on the hit game series, “Fire Emblem,” and pits players against each other in strategic, turn-based battles. Several aspects such as attack damage, soldier stats, and medical healing are all randomized. The game ends once the player defeats the other player’s general or takes out all of their units.

What I worked on

• Calculated Unit Movement and Attack range based on a floodfill algorithm
• Developed a dialogue system to display words and sentences through a text parser
• Calculated attack power through random number generation

Hyperborean Charter

(Six People, Unity C#)

A survival adventure game that takes place in a northern region such as the Klondike. A player’s first action is to assume the role of a merchant named Lloyd. Players must then forge friendships with local villagers, negotiate trade deals, and gain clues to assist in locating a union base. Players are measured by hunger and shelter meters. The challenge for the player is to deliver the needed supplies to the base before the meters are depleted.

What I worked on

• Developed logic for an artificial intelligence (AI) to guide bandits through Dijkstra’s path finding algorithm and collision detection
• Developed a dialogue system featuring a keyword system to fill in dialogue with necessary information through text parsers and list traversals

UFM Red

(Solo, GameMaker)

A 2D platformer that is heavily inspired from old Super Nintendo games like “Mega Man” and Donkey Kong Country.” Starting out, this was one of the first games I had made. I used a tutorial from Shaun Spalding which helped me with the basics of collision detection and physics. Everything else I made myself using programming knowledge and art skills that I possessed at the time.

What I worked on

• Created an Enemy AI using simple collision detection logic and scheduled behaviors
• Simulated platforming physics and bullet motion using kinematics

Murder Moon

(Ten People, Unity C#)

This is one of the many group projects that I participated while attending college. I made it with a club focused on preparing students for the Video Games Industry. This game takes great inspiration from the hit arcade classic, “Missile Command.” Players must defend their planetary galactic base by shooting incoming enemy missiles and orbiting ships. The game ends when the player’s base is completely destroyed, just like in “Missile Command.”

What I worked on

• Created missiles through vector calculations and Unity’s collision system
• Made UI for the menus and the player’s HUD by using timers and static classes