Open to opportunities

Patrick emmons

@patrickemmons

Message

I build balanced, multiplayer-ready combat systems and gameplay features in Unity and C#.

United States

Message

What I'm looking for

I'm looking to build and balance gameplay systems for multiplayer-ready games, taking features from design and prototyping through implementation, playtesting, and polish.

I build combat systems and gameplay features for commercial, academic, and personal games, from prototyping through playtesting, balancing, and polish.

At Bit Forward Games, I lead combat design and gameplay programming for Spell Code SlingerZ, a commercial local/online party brawler. I built its deterministic 60 FPS Unity/C# player controller, finite-state machine, spell-storage system, hitbox/hurtbox interactions, spell-proc framework, and combat feedback systems, and designed and balanced 52 Spellcodes through public playtests and gameplay telemetry.

For Athens Core Omega, I built a network-forward player state machine and modular special-move framework, with UnityGGPO rollback support, dynamic collision, hitstop, attack cancels, and combo knockback scaling. I also co-developed the Steam release Rainbowcore Hypernova at Nucko Games, contributing gameplay design, character design, moveset implementation, and 2D animation.

I bring a 4.0 B.S./M.S. background in Game Design and Development alongside C/C++ and IDL research software work for NASA- and NSF-funded image-sensor projects. I care about competitive systems that are approachable, fair, and expressive for players across skill levels.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Lead Combat Designer & Gameplay Programmer

Current

Bit Forward Games

Sep 2025 - Present (11 months)

Owns gameplay design, implementation, and balance for a commercial party brawler, including core architecture, 52 spellcodes, and multiplayer systems.

Unity C#Gameplay Programming Combat Design Game Balance Hitbox Hurtbox Systems Playtesting Telemetry

Current

Lead Combat Designer, Character Designer & 2D Artist

Current

Personal Project

Jan 2025 - Present (1 year 7 months)

Built a network-forward player finite-state machine and modular special-move framework in Unity, designing and balancing playable characters through iterative playtest feedback.

Unity C#Gameplay Programming Combat Design Character Design 2D Art Finite State Machines Rollback Netcode Playtesting

Undergraduate Researcher

RIT Center for Detectors

Apr 2023 - Dec 2025 (2 years 8 months)

Developed and deployed C/C++ and IDL software drivers for host PCs controlling image-sensor acquisition electronics on NASA- and NSF-funded projects. Authored system requirements and acceptance test procedures, and analyzed large sensor datasets.

C C++Software Development Requirements Analysis Data Analysis

Project Lead & 2D Artist

Academic Project

Sep 2024 - Dec 2024 (3 months)

Designed and implemented four distinct character classes and built runtime character-data and palette-shader systems to support live balance changes and rapid iteration.

Unity C#Gameplay Programming Character Design 2D Art Shader Programming Game Balance

Game Developer

Nucko Games

Jan 2021 - May 2024 (3 years 4 months)

Co-developed Rainbowcore Hypernova, a free-to-play game released on Steam, contributing gameplay design, character design, moveset implementation, and 2D animation. Supported gameplay design and development across multiple other titles.

Game Design Character Design 2D Animation Gameplay Programming Unity C#