​Ryan Stevenson
Upcoming Platform Fighter
Hew Draw Remix is a new platform fighter developed in a similar spirit to other popular platform fighters like Super Smash Bros, Rivals of Aether, and Multiversus. The project is currently in beta, with the dev team focused on both iterating designs for characters, as well as providing balance support for the several playtesters and competitors as if we're working on a live-service game from the start. I joined the team as a stage 3D modeler, but within just 6 months the team entrusted me with the role of full-time developer and stage lead. I now get to dictate a plethora of overhauls for characters, and it's been extremely rewarding seeing players try out long-forgotten characters again. My tasks often involve code reviewing pull requests, drafting design documents, reviewing playtester feedback, and iterating on stage layouts.
Tools Developed
LVD Spec
This python GUI tool creates a visualization of stages and their collisions. It's mostly used to edit specific parameters for placing blocks on the stage. These parameters are normally hidden behind a few values, but this program parses that data into something that can be visualized, and edited in real-time. It also comes with a "wizard" that can automatically adjust these parameters to best fit the stage based on the stage's blast zones, and the shape of the stage.
Sharp Smash Suite
This is a bundle of several python and rust scripts that do a multitude of tasks required for importing models. It starts with a plugin for Blender that can separate meshes by material without losing any data, group meshes by material, rename materials, alter UV maps, and export a list of materials and textures used. Then, in Microsoft Excel, it can run a program that converts cell values into a material file to be used in-game. The user can give each cell a value based on the textures and maps that specific material needs. Afterward, a python script can be used to automatically assign every mesh its intended material, as well as sort all meshes and materials by name. Lastly, it runs through all the files in-game, and creates a json file containing any extra files that need to be added to the game. In a matter of minutes, this suite of tools is able to do the tedious tasks of converting and importing models that usually takes the better part of a day to get right. This allows designers to further focus on polish, rather than waste time seeing if their level blocking will work well in game
Design Testimonials
