Project context
BYORacer: Sons of Valkyrie combines racing and strategy in a science-fiction setting. The founder contributed gameplay systems and technical-art integrations under Gravity Software, with Android and iOS recorded as target platforms.
The development challenge
Fast racing movement placed particular demands on camera tracking, angle corrections, and gameplay feedback. The contribution also involved connecting racing mechanics, animations, visual effects, and external asset integrations.
Contribution and scope
- Camera System: Designed and implemented a dynamic camera system using Cinemachine combined with custom techniques to enhance gameplay immersion and responsiveness.
- Visual Effects Integration: Edited and integrated VFX to meet technical requirements, enhancing the game's atmosphere and visual feedback across different gameplay moments.
- Blockchain API Integration: Integrated blockchain APIs to enable NFT asset recognition and usage within the gameplay ecosystem.
- Core Gameplay Systems: Developed key mechanics including the time trial system, respawn system, rewards structure, and custom physics adapted for various racing environments.
- Character Animation Integration: Implemented and synchronized pilot character animations into the racing environment, ensuring smooth transitions between gameplay states.
- Testing & Debugging: Conducted extensive testing and bug fixing across gameplay systems, ensuring stability and a polished player experience.
- Tool Development: Built scalable internal tools to streamline the development pipeline and accelerate iteration across the project.
Delivered functionality
- Custom camera behavior alongside Cinemachine, including tracking, angle correction, and dynamic field-of-view adjustments.
- Time-trial, respawn, reward, and custom-physics systems, plus synchronized pilot animation and integrated VFX.
- Internal Unity tools, documentation, gameplay testing, and debugging across the contribution’s scope.
Engineering in detail
Challenge: Camera Responsiveness
Standard Cinemachine setups struggled to keep up with the fast-paced racing environments, causing disorienting camera behavior during sharp turns and collisions.
✔ Solution: Developed custom camera behaviors layered on top of Cinemachine, optimizing for smoother tracking, better angle corrections, and dynamic field-of-view adjustments based on racing conditions.
Challenge: NFT Asset Integration
Integrating blockchain assets into real-time gameplay without performance drops or visual inconsistencies posed technical hurdles.
✔ Solution: Implemented asynchronous asset fetching and validation systems, ensuring seamless integration of NFTs into player inventories without disrupting game performance.
Original engagement
Individual professional contribution at Gravity Software. The project belongs to its original owners and development teams; this was not a contract commissioned through Sital Studio.
