Gary Stewart
Game Design Portfolio
About Me
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As a Game Design student in the Digital Media Design program at the University of Connecticut, I bring a strong foundation in game development principles, creative problem-solving, and user-centric design. My portfolio showcases my skills in level design, systems design, and proficiency with industry-standard game creation tools such as Unity, Blender, and Hammer World Editor.
Key Skills:
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Game Development: Strong foundation in game development principles and user-centric design.
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Design Proficiency: Experienced in level design, systems design, and creative iteration.
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Technical Tools: Proficient with industry-standard tools such as Unity, Blender, and Hammer World Editor.
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Programming Languages: Skilled in C#, with practical experience in scripting and game mechanics implementation
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Game Development: Strong foundation in game development principles and user-centric design.
My Projects
Project Title: VR Addiction Treatment Study Simulations
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Description: Developed an immersive VR simulation created specifically for an addiction treatment study. Simulation was designed to see how users would react to destroying addictive stimuli in a controlled virtual environment. Users use a hammer to destroy slot machines and a lighter to burn scratch off tickets.
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What I did: Being the solo developer, I played a pivotal role in troubleshooting applications and introducing refinements, drawing upon my knowledge of C# scripting to resolve technical issues and refine performance. Models and virtual reality base were packages, the rest of the project was me. Drove ongoing enhancements, incorporating new functionalities and refinements guided by communication by an employer to ensure the project's continued alignment with academic research goals.
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Team size: Developed solo with communication back and forth given by manager. Fostered collaboration across interdisciplinary teams, facilitating the seamless fusion of gameplay mechanics with psychological interventions, thereby meeting project objectives comprehensively.
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Project length: 6 months
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Engine and tools: Unity, C# scripting​
Project Title: Roxy Clean: Soap Skater
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Description: Collaborated in a team setting for the 48-hour Global Game Jam 2025 to develop "Roxy Clean: Soap Skater," to get clean in style! Use your radical skateboard action to rid the bathroom of lame muck and grime and look cool doing it!
​What I did: I programed scripts for the enemy ai, the bubble effects and other visual effects. I also created the particle systems used with assets provided by our artist and worked on the shaders.
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​Team size: Collaborated with a small, interdisciplinary team, ensuring seamless integration of various elements to achieve a cohesive final product.
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Project length: 48 hours
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Engine and tools: Unity, C# scripting, Controls: WASD to move, Space to ollie, LMB and RMB to trick in air
Project Title: Noise Complaint
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Description: Collaborated in a team setting for the 48-hour Global Game Jam 2024 to develop "Noise Complaint," a wacky first-person shooter where the only ammo is your voice, where your gun does damage based off of how loud you are in real life.
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What I did: I programed the gun mechanics, including the audio detection, use of microphone, and the shooting. I also worked on the audio, providing and implementing the sound effects for the game, as well as the level decorations.
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Team size: Collaborated with a small, interdisciplinary team, ensuring seamless integration of various elements to achieve a cohesive final product.
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Project length: 48 hours
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Engine and tools: Unity, C# scripting
Project Title: Counter Strike Map
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Description: Developed a non-gameplay environment in Hammer World Editor to get familiar with level design workflow and explore creative worldbuilding without the constraints of gameplay mechanics. Conceptualized and constructed a detailed, immersive space depicting an old, run-down, and vandalized building overlooking a gritty cityscape, showcasing strong environmental storytelling skills.
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What I did: Created the environment with intricate details such as stained walls covered in graffiti, floors littered with garbage and grime, and a locked closet filled with cleaning supplies Demonstrated proficiency in utilizing reference material, creating a concept piece to guide the development process and ensure a cohesive, visually compelling final product. Leveraged existing game assets from titles like Half-Life 2 and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, integrating them into the environment to enhance realism and create a sense of lived-in authenticity. Implemented interactive elements, such as physics-enabled objects like empty beer cans on a shelf, to encourage player exploration and immersion within the meticulously crafted space. Received positive feedback from peers and instructors for the attention to detail, effective use of environmental storytelling, and the ability to create a compelling, atmospheric environment that captivates the player's imagination.
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Team size: Worked independently, showcasing individual capability in worldbuilding and environment design.
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Project length: 3 months
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Engine and tools: Hammer World Editor
Project Title: Linear Theme Park Dark Ride
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Description: Developed a linear theme park dark ride map in Hammer World Editor for a UConn class project, incorporating environmental storytelling and scripted events to enhance the player experience.
What I did: Utilized Hammer World Editor scripting to create scripted events and interactive elements, including dynamic lighting effects, animated props, and synchronized audio cues, to immerse players in the dark ride experience. Includes thematic elements, such as narrative-driven set pieces and atmospheric details, aligning with the project's focus on environmental storytelling. Demonstrated proficiency in scripting and level design, balancing gameplay pacing and thematic immersion through scripted events and environmental interactions. Received positive feedback from peers and instructors for the atmospheric ambiance and scripted sequences, showcasing the effective use of scripting to create a compelling and immersive dark ride experience.
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Team size: Worked independently to achieve a cohesive and thematic final product.
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Project length: Approximately 4 months
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Engine and tools: Hammer World Editor
Project Title: TTT Game Mode Map for Garry's Mod
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Description: Designed an unfinished multiplayer Garry's Mod map for the TTT game mode using Hammer World Editor, featuring branching paths, scripted traitor traps, a physics bowling system, and inside jokes tailored for playing with friends. Leveraged scripting within Hammer World Editor to implement intricate traitor traps and interactive elements, enhancing gameplay depth and replayability.
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What I did: Leveraged scripting within Hammer World Editor to implement intricate traitor traps and interactive elements, enhancing gameplay depth and replayability. Collaborated with team members to refine level design concepts and iterate on gameplay mechanics, incorporating player feedback to optimize map layout and pacing. Demonstrated creativity and attention to detail in scripting customized gameplay experiences, such as the physics-based bowling system and scripted events, to create a unique and enjoyable gaming environment. Received positive feedback from playtesters for the engaging and dynamic gameplay opportunities offered by the scripted interactions and level design innovations.
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Team size: Worked independently, showcasing individual capability in worldbuilding and environment design.
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Project length: Ongoing
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Engine and tools: Hammer World Editor, Hammer Scripting
Project Title: ROOTSOUP!
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Link: https://v3.globalgamejam.org/2023/games/rootsoup-1
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Description: Collaborated in a team setting for 48 hours to develop "ROOTSOUP!," an interactive experience where players prepare soup with their virtual grandmother using randomized recipes and interactive ingredients.
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What I did: Managed video assets and file organization, ensuring efficient workflow and seamless integration of video clips into the game engine. Contributed to the post-production process by editing and polishing video sequences, enhancing the narrative and emotional impact of the grandmother-grandchild interactions through skilled video editing techniques. Demonstrated strong teamwork and communication skills, coordinating with team members to integrate visual and audio assets, ensuring the game's mechanics and narrative elements were effectively implemented within the tight timeframe of the game jam. Received positive feedback from peers and judges for the unique and creative use of video editing to enhance the storytelling and create a memorable, heartwarming experience that celebrates the bond between grandparents and grandchildren, while showcasing the team's ability to deliver a polished and engaging game within the constraints of the game jam environment.
Team size: Collaborated with a small, interdisciplinary team to seamlessly integrate video, audio, and interactive elements.
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Project length: 48 hours
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Engine and tools: Unity, C#