Next-Generation Cities Institute
Next-Generation Cities Insitute: https://www.concordia.ca/research/cities-institute.html
- Programmer
- Game Designer
- 3D Artist (C40 prototype)
Program: Unity
Language: C#
C40 Prototype
C40 Prototype was a project with the goal gamifying the studies of the PhDs students at Concordia University Next-Generation Cities Institute. I was hired for my first internship term during the summer of 2021. I was hired into a team of 4 as a developer and designer for the platform. We had 4 months to make a working prototype to proof that the research could be given in a fun and educational matter. We develop the prototype in Unity using C# using Agile methodology as our way to organize the team and the project, doing weekly sprint and doing a specific task to do every sprint.
I develop the Construction Materials, PV Panels and Roof Vegetation features, the Roof item placing functionality and I modeled most of the 3D assets for the platform. I helped develop the UI for other features such as the Windows and main menu. For the Construction Materials, I design and develop the UI and its functionality, the goal of the feature was to be able to choose the material for each layer of the walls or roof as well as its thickness. I created the textures and materials for some of the construction materials, mostly the insulation layer materials. For the PV panels and Roof Vegetation, as they were both be placed on the roof, I needed to create a system that would accommodate both objects. I developed top placing system, and after that I design and develop each respective UI and its functionality.
My experience was incredible, working with all the PhD students was really a rewarding experience. I learned many new programming concepts and methodologies and I feel I grew as a game developer as well as a person during my internship.
Dompark Project
Dompark Project was an evolution from the C40 Prototype. It was my second Internship term during winter of 2022, and I decided to return as a developer for the new project. I was hired this time into a team of 2, myself and another developer. This time around I had more responsibilities as well as more features we wanted to add. We proved with the prototype that it was a fun and educational experience, so we wanted to make the platform narrower to a more professional user. We developed the project again in Unity using C# and applying the Agile methodology.
This time I design and develop most of the UI, as well as many of the main features. I also worked on the backend communication with the API for the calculation of the platform, designing the JSON structures and implementing the infrastructure for the whole project for ease of transferring the data. I worked on the Notification System UI, the Report system, the Energy Optimization, the Energy System, the Roof Vegetation, the implementation of the Livability Score Breakdown UI, I implemented the A* and Breath-First-Search algorithms for the Livability Mode, part of the Camera Navigation controls, the main UI and its functionality and the backend system to communicate with the API.
A difference from the with the previous project is that the prototype was finished and shipped as it was, with the Dompark project the idea was to continue further the development with other people even after my internship was over. I trained the new developers and showed them the structure of the code and the features that needed to be fix or completed.
I did more than last time as we were less people, I felt a bigger load this time as I was responsible of more and to help my colleague who was new to the project. I enjoyed every moment; I was working with the same students and the same people I worked with last year and I was an amazing experience just like last time.