Empire of Ember
Empire of Ember is a first-person, action-strategy RPG blending real-time combat, city building and army command.
Development features:
- Build Mode: RTS-style build mode that allows players to construct and manage their empire from a top-down perspective, with seamless transition into first-person gameplay. The system supports grid and free-form placement of structures, snapping logic, terrain-aware alignment and real-time feedback for resource costs and build constraints.
- UI: Flexible and generic UI system, allowing for seamless integration with various game mechanics.
- World Map: Dynamic 2D hexagonal world map system using a coordinate-based approach for real-time exploration and territory management.
- Inventory System: Inventory management system with drag-and-drop functionality and item categorization.
- Dialogue System: Dialogue system that supports branching narratives, player choice and character relationships.
Challenges & Learnings:
Developing Empire of Ember involved tackling key challenges like integrating RTS-style build mode with first-person gameplay. I learned the value of modular system design, centralized data handling and building flexible UI and tooling. Working in a remote indie team also reinforced the importance of clear documentation, maintainable code, and cross-discipline collaboration.