James Liu

Game programmer · C++ / Unreal / Tools

Complexity in service of simplicity.

I build gameplay systems, Unreal tools, and hardware-driven interactions with clear structure and feedback—so every layer earns its place.

View selected work Contact
James Liu
James LiuGameplay / Systems

Featured work · 01—04

Systems worth a closer look.

From a physical telephone controller to C++ gameplay and editor tools: selected projects, my responsibilities, and the systems behind them.

RenderMasterBot conversation with a completed profiling audit and Unreal Insights GPU review inside Unreal Editor
ObserveProposeApproveVerify
01Open case study ↗

Local-first Unreal graphics assistant

AI systems, editor tools & GPU profiling

RenderMasterBot

AI assistance built around approval, evidence, and reversible Unreal workflows.

  • Context-aware conversation
  • Approval-gated editing
  • Trace-backed profiling
PythonUnreal Engine 5.7C++
Past Path gameplay with an open illustrated journal against an island landscape
02Open case study ↗

First-person exploration puzzle game

C++ gameplay, progression & engineering coordination

Past Path

Turn a sketch, a camera, and a journal into a progression system.

  • Camera-alignment puzzles
  • C++ diary component
  • Game flow & engineering coordination
Unreal Engine 5.4C++Blueprints
Signal Lost poster featuring a red rotary phone inside a dark telephone booth
03Open case study ↗

Alternate-controller horror game

Hardware integration, systems & build engineering

Signal Lost

Connecting a real rotary phone to an Unreal horror experience.

  • Hardware-to-engine integration
  • Multimodal interaction
  • System design & game builds
Unreal EngineC++ / BlueprintsArduino
C++ initialization code from the behavior tree framework
04Open case study ↗

C++ game AI contribution

Deterministic game AI & debugging

Behavior Tree Framework

Randomized behavior that can still be reproduced frame by frame.

  • Per-agent deterministic seeds
  • Persistent execution state
  • Scoped C++ contribution
C++Behavior TreesMersenne Twister

More selected work · 05—10

Games, tools, and focused studies.

A broader view of replay tooling, weapon feel, mobile interaction, and accessibility-led VR design.

Input Recorder and Ghost Replay plugin icon05

Unreal Engine plugin prototype

Input Recorder & Ghost Replay

Replay systems & developer toolingA C++ runtime plugin that records Enhanced Input and actor transforms frame by frame, then replays an interpolated ghost with controllable timing.View project ↗
Top-down mobile gameplay from CoffeeTime06

Team-built mobile arcade game

CoffeeTime

Mobile input & arcade gameplayA retro delivery game that combines touch interactions and device tilt with the pace of a classic arcade chase.View project ↗
Close-up of PolyGone's stylized low-poly protagonist07

3D stealth / growth game

PolyGone

Gameplay, AI & combat systemsA discarded low-poly character steals polygons from NPCs to evolve into the star of the game—without getting caught.View project ↗
Pixel-art gameplay scene from Death of a Deal08

Physics-based platformer

Death of a Deal

Physics gameplay & level systemsSwitch between ghost and stone forms to manipulate haunted-house physics and scare away a determined real-estate agent.View project ↗
First-person weapon aiming at bottles in the FPS demo09

First-person systems study

FPS Demo

Weapon feel & player movementA hands-on study of the small technical decisions that make shooting and movement feel distinct in first-person games.View project ↗
Dark, limited-vision VR scene from Through Other Eyes10

Independent accessibility-focused VR game

Through Other Eyes

VR interaction & social-impact designA VR experience that asks players to navigate through sound and touch while confronting failures in urban accessibility.View project ↗

Profile · James Liu

M.E.A.E. candidate · University of Utah

I make complex systems legible to players.

My work spans C++ gameplay, Unreal editor tools, hardware integration, AI behavior, and rapid prototyping. I translate technical constraints into behavior that is readable, dependable, and satisfying to use.

I care about clear ownership, practical implementation, and polish that serves the player's understanding. The goal is not complexity for its own sake, but systems that earn their place in the game.

Core practice

Gameplay systemsGame AIPhysics & interactionTechnical prototyping