Retro Resurgence (In Production)
Project Type
Third Person Action Adventure
Role
Director and Designer
Location
Burbank, CA
Engine
Unreal Engine 4.27
Other Software Used
Maya, Zbrush, Marvelous Designer ,Substance Suite (Designer and Painter), Houdini , Photoshop and FMOD (Audio Engine)
A Bit About the game...
Retro Resurgence is an 80s-inspired narrative-driven action game set in the gritty streets of Los Angeles. Players follow William, a battle-hardened Vietnam War veteran, as he navigates a web of danger, betrayal, and redemption. With atmospheric environments, including neon-lit bars, rain-soaked alleys, and jungle flashbacks, the game delivers intense combat and cinematic storytelling reminiscent of classic action films.
Project Post Mortem
Role Description
As the project director, designer, and developer of Retro Resurgence, I oversee every aspect of the game’s creation—from concept to execution. My responsibilities include managing the team, directing the game’s vision, designing gameplay mechanics, developing core systems, and ensuring the experience stays true to the original concept. The idea for this project came from my lifelong love for 80s action movies like Terminator, RoboCop, and Die Hard. I wanted to capture the raw energy, stylized action, and gripping narratives of those films, translating them into an immersive, interactive experience that feels like a love letter to that era.
As the project director, designer, and developer of Retro Resurgence, I manage every stage of the game’s development, from high-level planning to hands-on implementation. As the lead designer, it’s crucial for me to create and continuously iterate on the Game Design Document (GDD) to ensure the entire team stays aligned with the project’s vision and mechanics. This document acts as a roadmap, giving everyone a clear understanding of the gameplay structure, features, and design goals. In addition to the GDD, I’ve developed an Art Direction Document to guide the visual style, ensuring consistency across environments, characters, and lighting. These documents are essential for maintaining clarity within the team and keeping the project focused, especially given the complex narrative and cinematic experience we aim to deliver.
Documentation
Retro Resurgence GDD (V1.05)
Retro Resurgence Art Design Document
Retro Resurgence Team Pitch
Presentation
What have I learned? (So Far...)
Working on Retro Resurgence has been an incredible learning experience, helping me grow both as a creator and a developer. This project has given me the opportunity to oversee and manage a complex, multi-faceted game, and I’ve gained invaluable insights along the way. From high-level project management to hands-on coding, every stage has been a learning curve that has shaped me into a more well-rounded game designer and developer.
One of the most rewarding aspects of this project has been how collaborative it has become. I’ve had the privilege of working with an incredibly talented group of people—composers, songwriters, voice actors, producers, artists, and animators. Collaborating with these experts has taught me how to communicate effectively, ensure my vision is clear, and make adjustments based on their feedback. Managing these diverse contributions has not only enriched the game but has also expanded my understanding of how each element—whether it’s music, visuals, or performance—plays a critical role in crafting the overall experience.
Collaboration Across Disciplines
Development and Coding Growth
As the developer on this project, I’ve pushed myself to improve my coding skills and optimize workflows. I’ve focused on writing modular code that is reusable across multiple systems, allowing for efficient development and easier future updates. One of the highlights has been building an Enum-based behavior tree for AI systems, which has provided a structured and scalable way to handle AI logic. I’ve also honed my quick prototyping skills, enabling me to test new ideas rapidly without breaking the flow of development.
In addition to improving my coding practices, I’ve invested time into creating custom tools and workflows to streamline the development process. One of the key tools I developed allows for seamless import of levels from Maya into Unreal Engine with just a click, significantly speeding up our production pipeline. This tool has been essential for maintaining fast workflows and ensuring that content can be integrated smoothly. These improvements have allowed me to move through iterations quickly and focus more on the creative aspects of the project without getting bogged down by technical bottlenecks.
One example is the workflow I developed for seamlessly importing instanced meshes and environments from Maya into Unreal Engine, allowing us to quickly set them up for exploration and testing within the engine.
Custom Tools and Efficient Workflows
Desired Gameplay Experience
Retro Resurgence is designed to deliver an immersive and cinematic experience while ensuring it retains the engaging feel of a game. Drawing inspiration from the captivating gameplay of studios like Naughty Dog, Santa Monica Studio, and Insomniac Games, the gameplay is crafted to create tense, unpredictable encounters that keep players on the edge of their seats. This thrilling blend of narrative and action ensures players never want to put down their controller or keyboard, fully immersed in the unfolding story and dynamic environments that make every moment feel exciting and alive.
In Retro Resurgence, the AI and NPCs are meticulously designed to enhance gameplay and create a dynamic world. Each NPC features unique behaviors and interactions, allowing them to respond to the player's actions in meaningful ways. The AI is programmed to exhibit strategic and adaptive behaviors, making encounters feel engaging and challenging. NPCs can provide essential information, react to environmental changes, or participate in combat, contributing to a more immersive gameplay experience. This focus on well-crafted AI and NPCs ensures that the world feels alive, with players constantly engaged and invested in their interactions.
The AI and NPCs
Miro Board - AI Behaviour Tree
Post Playtest
After early playtests within the team, I’ve gathered valuable feedback to refine Retro Resurgence. Although the game isn’t ready for public playtests due to incomplete content, testing with teammates has been crucial for identifying improvements. A major issue we encountered was performance, with frame rates fluctuating from 120 to 60 FPS, making optimization a top priority. I’m now focused on identifying bottlenecks, optimizing assets, and refining workflows to ensure smooth, stable gameplay before expanding testing to a wider audience
As a team, we hold standup meetings every 2 to 3 days to keep everyone aligned on the progress of Retro Resurgence. During these meetings, all developers share updates on their current tasks, discuss challenges they’re facing, and brainstorm solutions collaboratively. This regular check-in fosters open communication and ensures that everyone is on the same page regarding project goals and deadlines. To further enhance our coordination and avoid miscommunication, we constantly update the Game Design Document (GDD) and other project documents. We also follow a task list on Trello, where we assign tasks to each other, keeping our workflow organized and efficient. To facilitate ongoing discussions, we utilize Discord as our primary mode of communication, allowing us to share updates in real time and maintain a strong sense of teamwork, no matter where we are working from.
Communication as a team
Gallery
Here are some of the gameplay video footage of Retro Resurgence as it is being developed. It includes all the prototypes, mechanics, and level design we have done so far for the game.
