HardDriverz

Published on Steam

Role: Lead Programmer
Development Period: February 2025 – June 2025
Team: 54 members (14 programmers)

https://www.smu.edu/guildhall/academics/student-games/harddriverz

Trailer & Introduction

HardDriverz is a multiplayer racing game developed using Unreal Engine 5 Blueprints. The project was created by a team of 56 members, including 14 programmers.
The game was made iteratively using Agile development with Scrum The project leads and producers strategically defined key milestones, ensuring a clear roadmap for the game's progression. The development team worked iteratively to implement features, aligning each sprint with the evolving milestone goals to ensure a smooth and efficient production process.

As the Lead Programmer,

I’m honored to serve as the Lead Programmer for this project, managing a team of 14 engineers. My role encompassed overseeing task distribution, maintaining code architecture, and ensuring timely, high-quality deliverables. I facilitated daily Scrum meetings to align with stakeholders on project goals and progress, while also conducting regular build reviews, packaging, and QA testing to uphold technical stability.

Beyond engineering management, I actively collaborated with level designers and artists to integrate gameplay features seamlessly with visual and environmental design. Working closely with the game designer, I helped shape core mechanics that reflected the project's vision, ensuring a cohesive and immersive player experience across all disciplines.

ORGANISATION STRUCTURE

From the beginning, I structured our 14-person programming team into specialized sub-teams based on each member’s strengths and interests. These teams included:

Physics
AI
UI
Backend/Performance/Architecture/Controls/Tools
(a.k.a. B.P.A.C.T)
Pickups
Game logics

I maintained flexibility by allowing developers to move between teams as project needs evolved.

I also worked closely with leads to encourage cross-disciplinary collaboration between programmers, level designers, and artists. This structure led to efficient development and strong team cohesion, contributing significantly to the project’s overall success.