SpecterVirus

Specter Virus is a first-person horror shooter set in a quarantined zone riddled with mystery and danger. The player assumes the role of CIA Operative Winslow, sent to investigate reports of strange, deadly creatures and an unidentified threat. With limited resources and no backup, Winslow must explore the zone, gather research, and uncover the truth. This game was built over a 3 month time period and is also my capstone project.

Project Scope and Team Dynamics

I created the original game concept and authored the full Game Design Document (GDD). During the first month, I developed the entire prototype independently, as my assigned teammate was inactive. A producer joined the project in the second month, followed by two additional developers in the third month who assisted with final implementation. The project concluded at the end of month three

My Contributions

Design and Systems

• Authored the full Game Design Document
• Designed and balanced all core gameplay mechanics and narrative integration
• Developed a fully functional inventory system
• Prioritized player experience with persistent settings and intuitive UI/UX

Gameplay and Programming

• Programmed all weapon systems, consumables, player projectiles, and shooting mechanics
• Created visual indicators for bullet impacts, player bleeding, player burning and enemy interactions
• Built all interactable objects (e.g., doors, ammo pickups, weapon pickups, consumable pickups, research document pickups)
• Developed interactive world objects including a progression-linked streetlight system:
  • The light remained off until all research documents were collected
  • Once completed, it illuminated green to indicate mission success and unlocked the next level
• Built and implemented a persistent audio settings system using the player prefs in UE5 allowing players' sound preferences to be saved between sessions

Level and Environment Design

• Designed, built and optimized the full game levels with exploration paths and atmospheric tension
• Integrated narrative elements and key item placements to encourage player discovery

VFX and Visual Feedback

• Designed and implemented all real-time visual effects using Unreal Engine's Niagara system
• Created:
  • Bullet impact sparks, muzzle flashes, and projectile trails
  • Environmental lighting cues, such as the green-lit streetlight and flashlight
  • Screen overlays and subtle visual feedback to support horror atmosphere
• Synced all effects with gameplay events for immediate player feedback and clarity

Art and Animation

• Animated all player actions including movement, weapon use, consumable use, interactions
• Designed and implemented the user interface (HUD, inventory, menus, audio controls)
• Designed the logo, main menu, pause menu and the developer splash in Gimp