Patrick A
- Research Program Mentor
Industry expert at University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill (UNC Chapel Hill)
Expertise
Game Development, Game Design, Coding (Java, C, C#), Unity Engine, Unreal Engine
Bio
Hello there! I'm Patrick, and I graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a BS in computer science, with a focus in game and web app development. Since childhood, when I played Pokémon for the first time, I've enjoyed the passion and creativity that went into making games. These feelings pushed me to begin developing my own games in high school, where I began working on projects for fun and academics. I'm a strong believer that games are not only a great tool for building communities, but also for creating more interactive learning environments. Outside of game development, I also have a lot of interest in virtual and augmented reality programming and seeing how these environments impact human behaviors. Some of the projects I am most proud of are: - How Water Thinks: A molecular biology simulator, created in Unity to teach students about cellular diffusion through a membrane and how it affects the voltage of the cells. This project was created in a team setting and we worked closely with the biology department of our university so that it could be used to teach first year biology students in a more interactive setting. - Unity VR Maze: A horror themed maze which integrates virtual reality programming practices (such as realistic sound techniques) in order to create a more immersive environment for the player. The goal of this project is to see how virtual reality impacts human emotions such as stress, fear and anger.Project ideas
Creating a Video Game in Unity or Unreal
I will guide you through the process of designing and developing your own game using either Unity or Unreal Engine. Some of the topics we will cover include how to use the game engine, develop gameplay, handle and create assets and scenes, design levels and characters, and test different aspects of your game. Based on your personal interests, we could discuss other aspects as well, such as 3D modelling.
Creating a Virtual Reality Simulation/Game in Unity
If you have an interest in virtual reality, depending on your prior Unity knowledge, we will cover the intricacies of how VR development works, and the different elements needed to create an interactive and immersive world. Some of the VR topics we may cover include haptics, sound spacialization, and redirected walking and how all of these features can be implemented and tested in Unity. Part of this project will also cover areas of game development (things like gameplay, asset management, level design) to a lesser extent.
