Overview
Time Angel is a high-velocity first-person arena shooter developed in Unreal Engine 4 by a four-person university engineering team. The game centers on momentum conservation, vertical map traversal, and fast-paced gunplay against adaptive AI combatants.
Playable Build: Download & Playtest Here
Tools & Technologies: Unreal Engine 4, C++, Blueprints Visual Scripting, Unreal Behavior Trees & Blackboard AI
My Technical Contributions & Granular Systems
1. Technical & Game Design Architecture (GDD & TDD)
- Authored the project's Game Design Document (GDD) and Technical Design Document (TDD), defining the class architecture, movement state machines, combat metrics, and milestone schedules for the four-developer team.
2. High-Velocity Traversal Engineering (Blueprints & C++)
- Physics-Based Wall-Running: Designed, prototyped, and implemented the wall-detection raycasts, gravity scale overrides, and camera tilt transitions that allow players to traverse vertical geometry and chain wall-jumps without losing speed.
- Kinetic Grappling Hook: Engineered a momentum-preserving grappling hook mechanic that calculates pull vectors and pendulum swing forces, enabling players to sling across vertical arena gaps.
3. Modular Combat & Weapon Infrastructure
- Weapon System Foundation: Built the core weapon handling framework, implementing input buffering, projectile spawning physics, ammo state tracking, and immediate visual/audio firing feedback.
4. QA Playtesting & Performance Stabilization
- Directed internal and external playtesting sessions, translating tester telemetry into movement tuning adjustments and resolving collision, AI pathing, and frame-time bugs prior to final submission.
Core Gameplay Systems Overview
- High-mobility traversal (Wall-running & Grappling Hook)
- Adaptive AI agents driven by Blackboard & Behavior Trees
- Modular, responsive combat and weapon mechanics
- Multi-tiered single-player combat trial layout
Momentum-Based Grappling Hook
Allows players to preserve kinetic velocity and swing across vertical level geometry, rewarding high-skill routing and aerial positioning.
Behavior Tree AI Architecture
Enemy combatants track, flank, and corner players using Unreal Engine Behavior Trees and Blackboard memory components that update dynamically against high-speed player movement.
Responsive Weapon & Combat Loop
Built for low-latency FPS gunplay with crisp hit registration and rapid weapon state transitions suited for high-speed arena movement.
Dynamic Wall Running
Smoothly transitions character physics states onto vertical surfaces, encouraging players to stay airborne and chain traversal routes during combat encounters.
Direct Impact
- Cohesive Team Execution: Establishing the TDD and GDD upfront aligned all four developers on shared interfaces for movement, AI, and level metrics from week one.
- Fluid High-Speed Gameplay: Combining the wall-run and grappling hook state machines created a fast, skill-based movement loop that defined the project's identity.
Project Media
Main menu interface and initial environment aesthetic.
In-game screenshot displaying level verticality, structural paths, and user HUD elements.