GAME DEV &
GAME DESIGN
My experience in solo game development, QA, and agile teamwork has taught me the importance of attention to detail and balancing design vision with a realistic scope. I'm especially passionate about crafting the "front-end" of games — the elements players directly engage with.
Recent areas of focus
Combat & Abilities
A big interest of mine when developing games are dynamic systems that run in real time. For me, this includes character abilities and movement systems, for example. However, I am particularly fascinated by combat systems, which is why I have often focused on these in my own projects.
Guiding Players
Guiding players through levels is a fundamental aspect of games. Working on both linear and open-ended levels has introduced me to the distinct challenges and approaches involved in designing each type. However, this has also forced me to explore different design approaches.
Unreal Engine 5
I have implemented most of my game projects with the help of the Unreal Engine and was therefore able to gain some experience initially with version 4 and then mainly with version 5. I've become very comfortable with Unreal Engine's visual scripting system and have now shifted my focus to working with C++.
Work Samples
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Role in development
- Most of the programming. For example the character movement, abilities, puzzle mechanics, enemies and combat mechanics which can be seen in the showcase video. But I also programmed things like a save system and various UI elements.
- Implementing the character animations for all characters
- I contributed to the overall game design as part of a collaborative team effort, with a particular focus on developing the combat system.
Important learnings
- Real-time combat systems require a hell of a lot of playtesting to become polished and balanced
- The importance of providing not only fun gameplay mechanics, but also frequent situations in which those mechanics are used
- Details matter
- How to manage the difficulties of guiding players through an open level
Game Description
Venture Through Time is an action-adventure game inspired by popular titles such as The Legend of Zelda. In this game, players explore a foreign world filled with dangers, unexpected challenges, and hidden mysteries. Your mission is to save a dying Titan from the ominous All-Eater by repairing an ancient stone circle to restore the Titan's protective shield. Along the way, they will encounter tricky puzzles and dangerous enemies.
To overcome these challenges, players will use their character's abilities to slow down time or manipulate the gravity of objects and creatures. Whether it's hurling enemies through the air or using rocks as improvised elevators, the character's powers are their most important allies and powerful tools. Mastering these abilities is crucial to saving the Titan and changing the fate of the world.
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Role in development
- Programming the character & enemies
- I contributed to the overall game design as part of a collaborative team effort, with a particular focus on developing the combat system, the boss fight and the teleport mechanic.
Important learnings
- Game development is fun (it was my first game project)
- Fundamentals and logic of programming a game
- How different player experiences can be, which is influenced by many factors such as media literacy, genre preferences, character traits, etc.
Game Description
In Descent, you play as Kaira, who wakes up in a dark, mysterious ruin with no memory of how she got there. As you explore this eerie environment, you'll battle ancient, formidable creatures and use your agility and newfound powers to find a way out of the place where you awoke. Descent combines intense action-platformer gameplay with combat reminiscent of souls-like games, challenging you to master your abilities and uncover the mystery of your awakening.
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Role in development
- Point 1
- Point 2
Important learnings
- Point 1
- Point 2
- Point 3
- Point 4
Game Description
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About me
Jan T. Martens
- Too tall for seat spacing in public transportation
- Loves to geek about games, movies, books, music and other media
- Calm from the outside, occasionally rather anxious from the inside
My passion for games has been with me since childhood and during my studies developed into a desire to develop games professionally. When playing games myself I'm all here for complex strategy games and deep and immersive RPGs.