Tools Used:

Unity

C#

Visual Studio Code

JetBrains Rider

Overview:

Thunderbolt Rally was a fast-paced arcade-style project focused on responsive mechanics, tight gameplay loops, and moment-to-moment player feedback.

As Lead Programmer and Designer, I was responsible for building the core driving mechanics, gameplay systems, and overall game flow. The primary goal was to create a mechanically satisfying experience where movement, control responsiveness, and pacing were the foundation of fun.

The project was later publicly released and presented at the Wake Technical Community College Student Showcase. 

What This Project Strengthened

• Working inside a live production environment

• Designing systemic events

• Communicating design intent through documentation

• Collaborating across multi-discipline teams

My Role & Ownerships

Core Vehicle Mechanics

Gameplay Systems

Level Design

Audio Integration

Designing for Responsiveness

In racing-style gameplay, feel is everything.

The core design focus was:

• Immediate input responsiveness
• Clear player feedback
• Tight track layout flow

Vehicle handling was tuned to strike a balance between accessibility and skill expression. Every adjustment to acceleration, turning sensitivity, and friction directly impacted player enjoyment.

Breakdown: Core Systems

Ownerships:

Vehicle Controller

Lap & Progression Logic

Event Triggers

Gameplay Flow

Track layouts were designed to encourage risk-reward decision-making while maintaining clear readability of the racing line.

Gameplay systems were structured modularly to allow fast iteration on tuning and balancing.

What This Project Strengthened

• Designing for mechanical “feel” and responsiveness
• Rapid tuning and balancing of movement systems
• Building modular gameplay frameworks in Unity
• Leading both programming and design responsibilities