Collin Strauch

Game Designer and Game Programmer

Collin

Hello! I am Collin Strauch, a game developer specializing in design and programming. By combining my logical thinking with my creativity, I am able to create amazing things.

Skills: C#, C++, Unity, Unreal, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, GitHub


Some of my favorite work

koa

Knock-Out Arcade

A 2D fighting game started as a personal project and was later pitched to a production studio to formally onboard others onto the project for 15 weeks.

Role: Gameplay Programmer, Software Engineer
Software: Game Maker Studio 2, Visual Studio, Adobe After Effects, Trello

  • Collaborated with the designers to design the movesets of the characters and balance them appropriately
  • Implemented a flexible motion input system that accompishes two goals:
  • It allows designers to set any motion input they want
  • It's inherently lenient so inputs aren't difficult to perform
  • Developed several new gameplay mechanics to make the gameplay more dynamic
  • Updated a character editor software made in C# outside of the game by fixing bugs and adding new features for designers to use
cursedMenTitle

The Cursed Men and The Stolen Princess

A 2.5D Language-Learning RPG started as a personal project and was later pitched to a production studio to formally onboard others onto the project for 15 weeks.

Role: Systems Programmer, Repository Manager
Software: Unreal, Trello

  • Programmed a unique dialogue system that allows users to click words/phrases and translate them between English and Spanish
  • Designers can enter dialogue lines and data in a spreadsheet and import them
  • Developed a corresponding multiple-choice system to test the player’s Spanish knowledge per word/phrase
  • Set up the data for a quest system that future designers and programmers would implement
discovery1

Discovery

A Zelda quest on a similar scale to the original Legend of Zelda. Was supposed to be a level design exercise but was blown wayyyyy out of scope and was still fully developed in 7 weeks.

Role: Independent
Software: ZQuest

  • Designed the overworld by separating it into nine different regions, each with their own aesthetic and content
  • Built nine dungeons, each with their own gimmick, theme, and enemies to make them distinct and unique
  • Structured progression to allow freedom in dungeon completion order early on but transitions to linear progression after about the halfway point to control the difficulty curve more
  • Wrote a simple story told through NPC dialogue and environmental design
  • Placed optional items in secret or hard-to-reach areas to reward exploration