Game Design Portfolio

 

 

Operation: Phoenix gameplay still of quadcopter and forest fire

Operation: Phoenix

PC, PC-VR - 2026

Role: Gameplay Designer and Programmer; Audio and UI Designer and Programmer

Studio: Studio Icarus

Team Size: 6

Languages: C++, Blueprints (Unreal Engine 5.6)

Operation: Phoenix is an immersive simulation game that showcases emerging developments in drone aviation and firefighting technology.

 

Operation: Phoenix was produced in collaboration with The Canadian Aviation and Space Museum, CAE, Airbus, and Algonquin College's Simulation Lab.

 

Our game received overwhelmingly positive feedback at Level Up Game Showcase (2026) in Toronto, Ontario.

 

Produced for desktop PC and VR-headset with flight simulator (HOTAS) controls.

 

View Operation: Phoenix's website here.

PROUDLY PRODUCED IN COLLABORATION WITH

Summary of contributions

 

  • Tutorial system design and programming

  • Sound design and programming

  • Control scheme design, UI integration, and programming

  • UML and design documentation

  • Gameplay and systems design, prototyping and iteration

  • Communications: PR, outreach, mentorship, and team-building

 

View my detailed design and process notes here.

 

INSPIRATION AND outreach

 

Wildfires continue to be a major threat to humans, animals, and our environment. In developing Operation: Phoenix, we mobilized our passion for gaming to bring greater awareness to the importance of this issue and the technologies that are being developed to address it.

 

Collaborating with Canadian and international aviation industry leaders allowed us to showcase the possibilities of these emerging techonologies.

 

Throughout Operation: Phoenix's development cycle, our team volunteered weekly at the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum to offer public outreach and education. 

 

We were also able to have museum visitors playtest our game, providing invaluable feedback.

Gameplay still of drone putting out wildfire from Operation: Phoenix
Gameplay still of landscape in Operation: Phoenix

Development Process

 

Brainstorming: Collaborated with industry and community partners, group members on relevant themes and design focus.

 

Prototyping: Prototyped a physics-based fire propogation system using Unreal Engine/C++. Explored performance implications and evaluated alternative technical approaches.

 

Playtesting: Facilitated weekly sessions with a rotating core group of playtesters, as well as playtesting by museum guests as available. The latter gave us access to testers who identified as "non-gamers" (limited/no experience with video games.) Evaluated data gathered.

 

Iteration: Refined the game's control schemes, added and refined a tutorial system, addressed problems with audio responsivity related to the texture-based fire propogation system.

 

Polishing: Edited and refined written materials, instructions. Presented at Level Up Game Showcase (2026).

 

 

View my detailed design and process notes here.