DESMOND CRAFT
UX PROGRAMMER
CLEANUP CLASH
UX Programmer
Tools
Unreal Engine 5.3
Unreal Slate
Jetbrains Rider
Github
​
Period
Shawnee Game Jam - March 2024
About
A top-down action co-op multiplayer game developed by 6 programmers and 4 artists. I was responsible for the construction of menus. The point of this project was to learn about C++ and making widgets in Slate.
My Role
UX Programmer
-
Designed and programmed functionality for unreal widgets created in Unreal’s Slate framework.
-
Programmed with Unreal Engine’s C++ extensions, control flow, and general structure.
-
Worked with UI designers/artists to incorporate assets into the game.
Programming in Slate
For this project, I programmed with Unreal Engine’s Slate framework. I designed most of the widget functionality and appearance within Slate. I included the logic for button inputs within the Slate code and made it so users could pause and resume their game with the click of the pause button. I accounted for basic widget organization when making the widgets, including alignment boxes, padding, and positioning.
Programming in C++
Alongside my progress with Unreal’s Slate framework, I extensively worked on the C++ side of Unreal Engine. I was able to create my own functions and variables editable by blueprints in C++ simultaneously. I worked with my teammates with a greater idea of how Unreal’s C++ framework operates to implement player controller detection logic and controller input handling. I also learned how to include level transitions in C++ based on specific events.
What I Learned
This game jam was an eye opener for how vast Unreal Engine really is. I spent a majority of my time working with Unreal C++ and learning the appropriate methods and structure to use so I could handle data across multiple cpp and header files. I self taught myself how to operate Slate so I could display standard widget components for the user's experience, such as texture displaying, button input, and displaying text.