Game Development: From Blender Beginnings to Unreal Mastery
Gaming has been a cornerstone of my life since the tender age of seven. As a high school student, when I began to navigate the intricacies of programming languages like C++ and Visual Basic, my ambition was singular: to craft my own game engine. However, it wasn't until my deep dive into Blender for 3D art that I encountered the possibility of game creation within its ecosystem.
Blender's game development features sparked my curiosity, but I soon realized that its simplicity wouldn't satisfy my ambitions. This led me to explore other engines, and I encountered Unity. With my background in C++, I picked up C# with relative ease, yet the connection with Unity never quite clicked.
It was Unreal Engine that ultimately captured my devotion. Embarking on the Unreal journey was challenging; resources were scarce, and learning was a process of trial, error, and self-teaching—especially with Blueprints, which became the cornerstone of my development skill set.
In Unreal Engine, I immersed myself in every dimension of game development:
- Mastered C++ and Blueprint scripting, crafting complex game mechanics with precision and creativity.
- Harnessed the Level Editor for creating immersive environments and storytelling through landscapes.
- Animated characters and brought narratives to life using the Animation Blueprint.
- Explored the artistic side of game development with the Material Editor to create stunning visuals.
- Delved into the multiplayer aspect, developing seamless online experiences and UI elements with UMG.
- Gained experience in game packaging, server hosting, API integration, and account system development, offering a full suite of services for game publishing.
My freelance journey has been as diverse as it has been rewarding, contributing to projects ranging from Android games and AR experiences to desktop VR and multiplayer games for Windows. Each project was not just a job but a chapter in my ongoing story—a narrative of passion, growth, and the relentless pursuit of game development excellence.