It has been almost 2 years since I published my last blog post here, times flies right? Well, I can say for sure that a lot has happened since that post! Let’s get started.
I have stated that I was working on an original IP with Sine Fortress developers, we were working on Unity despite we all wanted to work on S&box, the Source 2 Garry’s Mod Successor. My leader, Menoly, tried his best to find developers and keep us motived to have anything done, but unfortunately, he decided to go back to his TF2 Sourcemod, Sine Fortress.
During that time, I was working on my own TF2 Sourcemod as well, Team Fortress 2 Promod, and a Black Mesa map pack, Dark Force. Dark Force was being worked with Concussion Studios collaboration and help from other members of other projects, like Deathmatch Classic Refragged. I eventually got recruited for DMCR as 3D Modeler and Playtester and Dark Force had to be put on hold until Summer 2023. As for TF2 Promod, I was also investing my time as a programmer and took it as a great opportunity to practice my C/C++ coding skills.
All this sound great on paper, but I was starting to feel overworked, and I wasn’t being very productive at all. It started to negatively affect my work on Dark Force, TF2 Promod and Sine Fortress. I wasn’t attending DMCR playtests as well. So, I had no choice but to put Dark Force on hold, kill TF2 Promod project and leave Sine Fortress team and Concussion Studios. I spent my whole 2023 summer taking care of myself by doing different projects that I was really enjoying working on. I bought Environment Art Mastery online course made by Thiago Klafke and I joined an Indie studio called AlterEVO with few classmates from Game Design course.
I met few developers and spent 3 or 4 months improving and putting in practice what I am capable of, programming and level design. It was a good experience until the end! I was working with Unreal Engine 5, and I must admit I got amazed with the engine itself, it is very powerful and full of documentation and resources. Sadly, due to the lack of time for studies, I had to leave AlterEVO and focus my time and energy for my last year of Game Design course. Talking of Game Design course, the last 2 years of college was marked with highs and lows of my academic life. I started to acknowledge who I can work with and cannot, who is motivated to improve and take the next steps. I got to know the Game Dev Meet from Porto, city where I live, and meet great people there! I participated my first Game Jam located in my city as well and I won 2 entries, Gameplay and Audio. I also met Hélder Pinto, creator of Europa and ex-level designer of Overwatch, and his younger brother, Dário Pinto, 3D Environment Artist. Dário was also studying the same course as me and he has been an amazing person, academically, professionally and as a friend. Learned a lot from him and I am grateful for taking the opportunity of meeting him and his older brother!
As for the Environment Art Mastery course, I am still following Thiago’s videos and I have been good process since then. After finishing my Game Design course for good, I will continue to follow his tutorials and finish my environment work. My next behind the scenes post will be about my blockout progress and what I have learned so far.
We have reached the end of this post; a lot has happened as you can see. Highs and lows, different types of changes happened, and I am still kicking for more opportunities and to see how my future will be in my career. Take care yourself!
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