Dark Age — Capstone Final Sprint Review

Overview

Dark Age is my capstone survival‑RPG prototype built over the course of my final sprint. The goal was to integrate multiple gameplay systems into a cohesive loop: gathering, crafting, NPC interaction, temperature survival, building, and AI behavior. This project represents my ability to design, script, and connect complex systems under production‑style deadlines.

Core Gameplay Loop

The player begins with minimal equipment and must gather resources, craft tools, manage temperature, interact with NPCs, and survive the environment. Every system is interconnected — tools unlock gathering, gathering unlocks crafting, crafting unlocks building, and NPCs provide trading and quest progression.

Key Systems Implemented

1. Resource Gathering (Logging & Mining)

  • Axe and pickaxe rigging with custom animations
  • Context‑sensitive interaction prompts
  • Trees and rocks provide ~5 resources before despawning
  • Correct resource types added to inventory (wood, stone)
  • Notification system for interactable objects

2. Inventory & Merchant Trading

  • Chests for storing and retrieving items
  • Merchant NPC that buys/sells resources
  • Currency loop tied directly to gathering
  • Equipment gating (e.g., hammer required for building)

3. Temperature & Survival System

  • Player has a dynamic temperature state (cold → normal → warm)
  • Fires can be built and fueled to warm the player
  • Entering warm buildings updates the temperature state
  • Temperature affects player stats and survival

4. Dialogue System

  • NPC dialogue triggers when interacting
  • Provides player guidance and world context

5. Door Interaction System

  • Doors detect player approach
  • Open away from the player for natural flow

6. Building System (In Progress)

  • Hammer required to access build menu
  • UI partially implemented
  • Inventory → building system communication still in progress
  • Foundation for modular building is in place

7. NPC AI (Patrol & Combat)

  • NPC patrols a defined route
  • Detects the player and engages in combat
  • Weapon rigging partially implemented

8. Clothing & Equipment Rigging

  • Accessories visually attach to the player when equipped
  • Inventory state updates correctly

9. Save System

  • Saves player profile and quest progress
  • Inventory and stats planned for next iteration

Challenges & Scope Management

This sprint pushed the limits of what could be built in the timeframe. The building system, castle area, quest updates, optimization, and animal AI were partially completed or cut due to scope — but the underlying architecture for expansion is already in place.

This reflects real production constraints and my ability to prioritize core systems while still delivering a functional prototype.

What I Learned

  • How to integrate multiple gameplay systems into a single loop
  • How to manage scope and cut features intelligently
  • How to build modular systems that can expand later
  • How to debug complex interactions between UI, inventory, and world objects
  • How to structure a survival‑RPG prototype from the ground up

Tools & Technologies

  • Unreal Engine
  • Blueprint scripting
  • Animation rigging
  • UI/UX for inventory and building
  • AI behavior trees
  • Save/Load architecture

Reflection

This capstone project represents the most ambitious system‑design work I’ve done to date. It brought together everything I learned — from AI to UI to rigging to gameplay logic — into a single, playable experience. While not every feature reached full polish, the foundation is strong, modular, and ready for future expansion.