Titan Reach:

Titan Reach aimed to capture the essence of classic MMORPGs like RuneScape, leveraging Unity and C# in its development. My dual role as Project Manager and Engineer focused on standardizing practices and enhancing communication across a globally distributed team, while also contributing to quality assurance and bug fixes in the game's extensive client and server-side codebases.

Titan Reach was an ambitious project designed to reimagine the thrill of classic MMORPGs for a new generation. As a project initially undertaken by a globally diverse team, my role began purely in project management but expanded to include direct engineering contributions as the project evolved.

Building the Foundation:

One of my first tasks was addressing a critical gap in the project's infrastructure—documentation. The lack of comprehensive documentation had been a significant barrier, causing delays and inefficiencies as team members struggled to synchronize across different time zones and workflows. I spearheaded the development of a detailed documentation library that covered all aspects of the project, from engineering to art production. This resource was vital for onboarding new contributors and standardizing operations across our dispersed team.

Standards and Best Practices:

I established a set of standards and best practices for coding and project organization to streamline workflow and ensure consistency in our development process. These guidelines helped align the diverse approaches of team members, reducing the overhead associated with managing a project spread across multiple continents.

Engineering Contributions:

As the project transitioned and required more hands-on involvement in the codebase, I took on a QA role within the engineering team. This involved diving deep into both client and server-side applications to test, document, and rectify bugs. My work helped stabilize the game's development cycle and improved the overall quality of the game experience.

Challenges Overcome:

The project faced numerous challenges, from the initial lack of documentation to unconventional architectural decisions, like storing crucial game data in extensive Google Sheets instead of traditional databases. These issues highlighted the need for more robust solutions, which I addressed through the documentation and standards I implemented.

Innovative Directions:

Towards the end of the project, we began exploring the integration of blockchain technologies to introduce a novel element of ownership for players, allowing them to possess unique items genuinely. This direction promised to redefine player interaction by offering real-world value and ownership within the game environment.

Project Closure:

Despite the eventual cessation of the project due to funding constraints, my time with Titan Reach was a profound learning and development experience. The groundwork laid in terms of documentation and standardization not only streamlined our processes but also prepared us for future technological integrations and challenges.

Legacy and Lessons Learned:

Though Titan Reach did not reach full fruition, the project's ambitious scope and the partial integration of emerging technologies like blockchain provided invaluable insights and set a precedent for future projects in the gaming industry. As I move forward in my career, the lessons learned from managing and engineering within such a diverse and innovative environment continue to influence my approach to software development and team leadership.