I Hate Jackie

3D Rogue-Like TPS Game

Spring 2023

#ue5

A 3D third person shooter game developed in Unreal Engine 5 (UE5) in ten days. The player plays as Michelle, and have to survive through waves of zombie-Jackie attacks, until they eventually fall victim and perish to their eternal enemy.

You used to hate Jackie when she would come pester you day and night. Now that a mysterious disease turned her into an infinitely-multiplying zombie that craves for your brains more than she did when she was human... things couldn't be better! Hunt down all the zombie-Jackies and put an end to this fun... I mean madness!

This project served as a comprehensive learning experience to understand and utilize various technical functionalities within Unreal Engine 5. Development efforts concentrated on three core areas: game mechanics design, level design, and technical implementation.

The development of the project was documented here.

Level design sketch to final

Strategic Layout and Player Flow

The design process began with sketches and concept diagrams to establish optimal player circulation patterns. A central plaza served as the primary orientation point, providing players with a familiar landmark for navigation, while directional elements reinforced spatial awareness. Roads were deliberately designed with winding paths, allowing buildings to obstruct long-distance sightlines and reduce reaction times for more dynamic encounters.

Strategic bottlenecks were created through bridge crossings over a river system, establishing natural chokepoints that could function as tactical engagement zones. The layout prioritized connectivity by minimizing dead ends and unused areas, ensuring every space served a meaningful purpose in gameplay. To enhance replayability and unpredictability, Jackie's spawn system utilizes nine strategically placed locations across the map, with random selection determining each encounter's starting position.

Level design sketch to final

Strategic Layout and Player Flow

The design process began with sketches and concept diagrams to establish optimal player circulation patterns. A central plaza served as the primary orientation point, providing players with a familiar landmark for navigation, while directional elements reinforced spatial awareness. Roads were deliberately designed with winding paths, allowing buildings to obstruct long-distance sightlines and reduce reaction times for more dynamic encounters.

Strategic bottlenecks were created through bridge crossings over a river system, establishing natural chokepoints that could function as tactical engagement zones. The layout prioritized connectivity by minimizing dead ends and unused areas, ensuring every space served a meaningful purpose in gameplay. To enhance replayability and unpredictability, Jackie's spawn system utilizes nine strategically placed locations across the map, with random selection determining each encounter's starting position.

Building the level

Environment detailing

Environment Development

Following the level design phase, environmental development focused on creating a world that complemented the established layout. The FANTASTIC - Village Pack from the Unreal Marketplace provided the foundational assets for this medieval village setting.

The environment construction followed a systematic six-step approach: First, landscape creation and sculpting established the terrain foundation, with roads and elevation changes reinforcing the planned layout. Second, the river system was integrated to support the strategic bridge chokepoints. Third, boundary walls were positioned to define the playable area and provide natural level limits.

The fourth step involved populating the village with buildings, ensuring architectural variety while maintaining sight-line considerations. Fifth, foliage, decorative elements, and props were strategically placed to suggest an inhabited, lived-in community. Finally, atmospheric refinements including lighting adjustments and environmental details were applied to enhance immersion and establish the appropriate mood for gameplay encounters.

Building the level

Environment detailing

Environment Development

Following the level design phase, environmental development focused on creating a world that complemented the established layout. The FANTASTIC - Village Pack from the Unreal Marketplace provided the foundational assets for this medieval village setting.

The environment construction followed a systematic six-step approach: First, landscape creation and sculpting established the terrain foundation, with roads and elevation changes reinforcing the planned layout. Second, the river system was integrated to support the strategic bridge chokepoints. Third, boundary walls were positioned to define the playable area and provide natural level limits.

The fourth step involved populating the village with buildings, ensuring architectural variety while maintaining sight-line considerations. Fifth, foliage, decorative elements, and props were strategically placed to suggest an inhabited, lived-in community. Finally, atmospheric refinements including lighting adjustments and environmental details were applied to enhance immersion and establish the appropriate mood for gameplay encounters.

JEREMY YEH

DIGITAL DESIGNER

ABOUT

ARCHIVE

JEREMY YEH

DIGITAL DESIGNER

ABOUT

ARCHIVE