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  • Key Contributions:

    • Dynamic Emotional State and Stamina System:

      • Designed a unique emotional state and stamina mechanic that influences gameplay, adapting character responses to player choices to promote immersive gameplay.

    • Complex AI and NPC Interactions:

      • Developed an AI-driven system that includes enemy tracking and a nuanced friendship mechanic with the robot companion, fostering a complex player-NPC relationship that impacts gameplay and narrative.

    • Integrated Stealth and Puzzle Mechanics:

      • Blended stealth, puzzle-solving, and platforming elements within the game world to challenge players, enhance story immersion, and support the overarching theme of survival.


    Engine:
    Unreal Engine 5
     
    Status: 
    In Development
     


    Project Summary:
    AL+ONE is a 3D third-person survival horror game where players guide a young child through a surreal frozen world, balancing survival and responsibility over a vulnerable robot companion. Designed to foster psychological engagement, the game’s mechanics—such as a dynamic fear and happiness system—adapt to player choices, impacting gameplay and narrative. Through this interactive design, AL+ONE aims to immerse players in a meaningful experience, evoking reflection on their choices and exploring video games as tools for emotional learning.

    Primary Gameplay Loop:
    Players navigate a dangerous, frozen landscape, choosing whether to protect a vulnerable robot companion while balancing exploration, puzzle-solving, and fear management. To survive, they must hide, move quietly, and manage their emotional state as relentless, otherworldly entities hunt them.

    ⚙️ Technical

    Key Contributions (Detailed):

    • Emotional State & Stamina System:

      • Scripted an emotional state system using Blueprint. Player-character fear rises near threats, altering stamina, breathing intensity, and detectability. Happiness—gained through humming or proximity to the companion—reduces fear, enabling emotional regulation. Breathing acts as both mechanic and diegetic UI, supporting stealth and psychological immersion.

    • Dynamic AI Systems:

      • Scripted adaptive AI using Blueprint and behavior trees, including real-time enemy tracking and AI logic responsive to the player-character’s emotional state. Developed a companion relationship system that evolves based on player behavior, influencing support mechanics, exploration opportunities, and moment-to-moment gameplay.

    • Stealth & Puzzle Integration:

      • Scripted interconnected stealth and puzzle systems using Blueprint. Designed handcrafted levels that guide player behavior through environmental cues and pacing, reinforcing tension, immersion, and narrative impact via reactive gameplay systems.


    Scripting Method:
    Blueprint

    Game Engine:
    Unreal Engine 5

    📁 Project Details

    Context:
    Professional Project (Master’s Thesis)

    Team Size:
    Solo Developer

    Genre:
    Survival Horror

    Dev Role:
    Technical Designer — developed gameplay systems including a dynamic emotional state mechanic, AI companion and enemy behaviors, and integrated stealth and puzzle logic using Blueprint and behavior trees in Unreal Engine 5.

    Project Status:
    In Development

    Project Summary:
    AL+ONE is a 3D third-person survival horror game originally developed as a solo project for my Master’s thesis at Lindenwood University. Built in Unreal Engine 5, it focuses on psychological interactivity, emotional decision-making, and adaptive gameplay systems. Players control a child navigating a surreal frozen world while caring for a vulnerable robot companion. Their choices shape the emotional tone and gameplay path, creating a deeply personal experience grounded in responsibility, fear, and connection. It is in continued development as a standalone title, expanding on the original vision with enhanced systems and content.

    🎮 Gameplay

    Game Perspective:
    3D

    Camera Type:
    Third-Person

    Primary Gameplay Loop:
    Players explore an eerie frozen world while protecting a robot companion, managing fear and stamina through an emotional state system. To survive, they must stealthily avoid enemies, solve environmental puzzles, and make meaningful decisions that affect the gameplay and narrative direction.

  • ​Player Abilities:​

    NPC and AI Behavior:​​​

    Game Systems:​​

  • Development Videos:​

    Game Design Documents:

    Visual Assets:

  • Master’s Thesis Publication:

    ​
    Final Thesis Build Playthrough:

    • Video playthrough of AL+ONE’s final Master’s thesis build, demonstrating core gameplay systems including emotional state scripting, AI behavior trees, and stealth-puzzle integration using Blueprint in Unreal Engine 5. Serves as a proof-of-concept for the game’s vision and psychological design goals.

🛠️ Key Contributions: Emotional State & Stamina System, Dynamic AI Systems, Stealth & Puzzle Integration
🧩 Dev Role: Technical Designer
🕹️ Game Engine: Unreal Engine 5

AL+ONE

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