High Concept
Welcome to Parcel Dynamics, the cutting-edge leader in delivery services! We’re thrilled to have you join our Inline Program. Strap on your patented INLINE skates and race against the clock to deliver packages to the citizens throughout the city.
Developement Time
8 months
Genre
Time attack action platformer
Platform
PC
Team size
12
Engine
Custom C++ Engine
Role
Gameplay & Physics Programmer / Systems Designer
Contributions
Collaborated with a team of programmers to create a C++ Engine from scratch
Created a Hierarchical State Machine for the player and worked on a “Breakout” speed system that enhanced depth of gameplay as well as the box throwing mechanic.
Collaborated with Designers and Programmers on the creation of the Menu elements.
The package tossing mechanic integrates seamlessly with the speed mechanics, allowing for smooth transitions through levels and adding creative possibilities to both gameplay and level design. The speed of the package is influenced by the player’s velocity when thrown, giving players the freedom to express their style and strategy in how they deliver packages.
My goal with Inline: Out of Time was to create a fast-paced, time-attack action platformer featuring creative mechanics that are easy to understand but challenging to master. Programming the C++ engine enabled the team to bring this vision to life, delivering a fun, fast, and action-packed experience for players.
Inline: Out of Time’s movement system blends classic platformer mechanics with high-speed movement inspired by games like Celeste and Sonic. To manage this, I developed a hierarchical state machine for the player, as abilities depend on whether the character is grounded, in air, or executing wall movements. I also created the “Breakout” system, which allows players to exceed their maximum speed under certain conditions. Once they "break out" in a specific direction, they can maintain that speed but won't be able to accelerate further in that direction. Over time, natural friction or turning will cause a gradual slowdown. these mechanics are imperative to the fast feel and fun gameplay loop Inline has.
Here is a code example demonstrating how our package-throwing physics worked when spawning packages in our custom engine. Developing the engine in C++ gave us full control over the game’s feel and opened up creative possibilities for implementing mechanics and engine-level features. One of the more enjoyable challenges was designing the physics system, particularly figuring out how to make player movement seamlessly interact with slanted tiles in a 2D space. This allowed us to refine both the gameplay experience and the technical underpinnings of the engine.
