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Table of Contents

1. Introduction
   1. About The Game
   2. Project Breakdown
2. My Role
3. Development Overview
4. Team Achievements
5. Project Showcase
   1. Gameplay Trailer
   2. Gallery
   3. Artist Contributions
6. Post-Mortem Insights
   1. Key Challenges & Solutions
7. Conclusion

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Introduction

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My Role

As the Lead Designer and Vision Holder for cyber.EXEcution, I was responsible for:

• Game Design & Prototyping: Conceptualized and prototyped a fast-paced FPS, individually delivering three functional prototypes and establishing the core gameplay loop within one month. Authored a 45-page design document detailing mechanics, narrative, and features using Confluence (which can be viewed here).
• Combat Design: Designed and implemented all weapon functionality for the player’s pistol, including primary and secondary fire mechanics, and integrated VFX, SFX, and animations for a cohesive and immersive combat experience. Developed AI behaviors, combat mechanics, and engagement strategies for melee and projectile enemies, ensuring dynamic gameplay challenges.
• Programming & Systems Development: Scripted and implemented core gameplay systems, including responsive player movement and the primary combat mechanics. Created the enemy spawn system, ensuring effective pacing and escalating difficulty, as well as a tutorial system to introduce mechanics in a player-friendly way.
• Final Boss Creation: Fully designed, scripted, and implemented the climactic final boss encounter, the Core of Corruption, including its unique AI behavior and a custom enemy spawner designed specifically for the encounter.
• Team Leadership: Directed a multidisciplinary team, managing production workflows with Jira, conducting iterative playtests, and ensuring the timely delivery of milestones.
• Level Design: Designed and implemented the first level, focusing on pacing, player engagement, and seamless progression.
• UX Design & UI Implementation: Created intuitive menu navigation, user interface elements, and an overall user experience that aligned with the game’s digital, glitch-inspired aesthetic.
• Art Integration: Directed the integration of visual assets to align with the game’s cyberpunk aesthetic and thematic identity.
• Problem Solving & Iteration: Identified and resolved gameplay, visual, and performance challenges through iterative testing and feedback loops.

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Development Overview

Development Timeline

Level 1 Layout

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Team Achievements

Creating cyber.EXEcution was a collaborative effort that showcased the dedication and ingenuity of a talented team of designers and artists. Together, we achieved:

• Streamlined Collaboration: Fostered cross-discipline teamwork through tri-weekly meetings, Jira task management, and regular playtesting.
• Innovative Gameplay Design: Developed a cohesive player experience by integrating movement systems, abilities, and engaging level design.
• Immersive Art Direction: Worked closely with artists to implement and refine cohesive assets that aligned with the game’s cyberpunk-inspired aesthetic.
• Polished Gameplay: Balanced mechanics, fixed bugs, and incorporated player feedback during extensive playtesting to ensure a smooth and engaging experience.

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Project Showcase

Gameplay Trailer

Gallery

Artist Contributions

These incredibly talented artists turned vision into reality. The final product would not be the same without their hard work and dedication to the project in its final month.

Madeline Kavoukas

Shane Marsh

Maximus Watkins

Alan Zahn

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Post-Mortem Insights

Team Scarlet Retina Post Mortem Video

Key Challenges & Solutions

Like all projects, challenges came up that we collectively had to solve. It was a great experience to be able to overcome, innovate, and learn from the challenges that we faced in this project.

Opportunities	Challenge	Impact	Solution	Result
Defining the Core Gameplay Loop	Translating a bold concept inspired by ULTRAKILL and Cyberpunk 2077 into a cohesive gameplay loop that felt unique and engaging.	Initial prototypes lacked the flow and pacing needed to deliver the desired sense of speed and intensity.	Rapid prototyping within the first month to test mechanics like fluid movement, ricochet weaponry, and enemy AI.	Established a strong foundation for the game’s fast-paced combat, earning positive feedback during playtests.
Balancing Mechanics and Difficulty	Ensuring gameplay was challenging yet accessible, particularly with mechanics like ricochet attacks and fluid movement.	Playtesters found certain encounters overwhelming or struggled to understand key mechanics early on.	Conducted iterative playtests and recorded detailed feedback on pacing, difficulty, and player understanding of mechanics. Adjusted enemy AI behaviors, introduced better tutorialization, and balanced combat sequences.	Achieved a satisfying difficulty curve where mechanics were introduced, practiced, and mastered naturally by players.
Team Collaboration	Managing a multidisciplinary team of designers and artists across a tight 4-month timeline, particularly when onboarding new team members mid-project.	Maintaining consistency and alignment on goals required frequent communication and course correction.	Implemented structured sprint workflows using Jira, conducted tri-weekly stand-ups, and established clear communication channels.	Maintained steady progress throughout the project, meeting all milestones on time and fostering a productive team environment.
Art Integration and Polish	Integrating art assets into a fast-paced gameplay environment while ensuring they didn’t disrupt player feedback or performance.	Some assets initially clashed with the game’s cyberpunk aesthetic or lacked sufficient player-facing clarity.	Collaborated closely with artists to refine assets, ensuring thematic alignment with the cyberpunk aesthetic. Directed feedback loops for revisions and optimized assets for performance.	Seamless integration of visually cohesive assets, with polished environments, character models, and UI that enhanced the player experience.
Final Boss Develpment	Designing a satisfying final boss encounter that was both mechanically interesting and thematically cohesive.	Time constraints meant limited iterations on the Core of Corruption encounter.	Focused on simple but impactful mechanics for the Core of Corruption, such as enemy spawning and environmental hazards. Collaborated with artists to implement visual effects that emphasized its importance.	Delivered a climactic encounter that tied together core mechanics and provided a sense of closure to the experience.

Conclusion

Over four months, Team Scarlet Retina transformed a bold concept into a fully realized experience that blends fast-paced action, glitchy chaos, and cyberpunk aesthetics. Through rapid prototyping, iterative design, and seamless teamwork, we delivered a polished project that showcases the best of our abilities as designers and artists.

As the Lead Designer and Vision Holder, this project was an invaluable opportunity to refine my skills in game design, leadership, and problem-solving. From conceptualizing the core gameplay loop to scripting systems, directing art integration, and managing production workflows, I contributed across every stage of development to ensure a cohesive and engaging final product.

cyber.EXEcution stands as a testament to what a passionate, multidisciplinary team can achieve on a tight timeline. It was a challenging yet rewarding experience that not only highlights my expertise in game design and development but also my ability to foster collaboration and push creative boundaries.

Thank you for taking the time to explore cyber.EXEcution. I invite you to play the game and see the result of our hard work firsthand. If you have any questions or would like to discuss this project further, don’t hesitate to reach out—I’d love to connect.

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