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Artkana

Graffiti-Based 3D Momentum Platformer

👥
Slipstream Studios
🎮
Lead Engineer
⚙️
Unreal Engine 5
Current (WIP)

Project Overview

Artkana is a 3D side-scrolling momentum platformer built around a graffiti aesthetic and a dynamic upgrade system. Developed by Slipstream Studios, the game is centered on flow, speed, and expressive movement through each level.

I was brought on as Lead Engineer off the back of my C++ work on Reconnection. My focus has been on tearing down the legacy Blueprint architecture and rebuilding it in organized, performant C++, giving the design team a stable, extensible foundation to build on.

Gameplay Showcase

Early gameplay footage showcasing momentum mechanics and level flow.

Technical Highlights

Blueprint to C++ Refactor

Dismantling legacy spaghetti Blueprint logic and rebuilding it as clean, maintainable C++ class hierarchies

Upgrade System Overhaul

Redesigned the core upgrade pipeline to be modular and extendable, giving designers real flexibility

Performance Optimization

Eliminated unnecessary actor ticks and event loop overhead, freeing up CPU budget for complex gameplay logic

Designer-Friendly Tools

Surfacing C++ systems through Blueprint-exposed interfaces so non-engineers can iterate without touching code

Team

🏢
Slipstream Studios Development Team
🎮
Gavin Schmidt Lead Engineer