Samantha Esparza-Baker

Gameplay Programmer

Aspiring gameplay programmer with experience creating player mechanics, AI behaviors, and animation integration in Unity and Unreal Engine. Strong foundation in software architecture, data structures, and design patterns, with hands-on experience in iterative development, balancing, debugging, and agile collaboration.

Projects

Time Wound

Unity 3D
Multiplayer Couch Co-op 2024
Solo Developer

Procedural Generation

Unity 3D

Procedural dungeon generation system in Unity spawning modular prefab rooms and hallways based on adjustable spawn probability and layout rules.

Spatial Partition

Unity 3D

Implemented a spatial partitioning system to optimize object queries by organizing entities based on their positions. Reference Erik Nordeus, the system enables enemies to efficiently locate and engage the nearest player in real time.

Ultra Simple State Machine

Unity 3D

A finite state machine (FSM) demo in Unity using interfaces to manage player movement states; standing, ducking, jumping, and diving, following the approach outlined by Nystrom's State Machines
- This system is modular and easily scalable

Flocking

Unity 3D

Implemented a flocking algorithm using separation, alignment, and cohesion to simulate natural group movement. Designed as an interactive agent-based system suitable for swarms, crowds, or enemy formations.

CONTACT

About

B.A. in Simulation Science, Games, and Animation
Minor in Computer Science
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
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Current Project: Capstone project in Unreal as project manager and gameplay programmer.Currently Learning: PHP/MySQL for game backend services and DevOps principles.Current Hobbies: Modding my Wii, reading The Stranger by Albert Camus, and playing Marvel Rivals

Skills

Code literacy
Leadership
Collaborative teamwork
Clear communication
Adaptability
Problem-solving
Agile mindset

Software Proficiencies

Game Engines
Unity
Unreal Engine 5Modeling & Animation
Houdini
Maya
ZbrushProgramming
C++
Blueprints
Unity C#
Python
PHP
SQLArt & Design
Photoshop
After Effects
Premiere Pro
Substance PainterTools & Communication
GIt/Github
Slack
Microsoft Suite
ShoGun Motion Capture

Time Wound

Unity 3D | Multiplayer Couch Co-op | 2024
Solo Developer

DETAILS
Time Wound is a digital adaptation of an original board game I designed and balanced over a full academic term. The video game version builds on that foundation, translating tabletop mechanics into real-time, systems-driven gameplay with a focus on local multiplayer, AI behavior, and scalable architecture.
GAMEPLAY
- Local multiplayer using Unity split-screen
- Unity 6 Input System supporting keyboard and gamepad controls
- Enemy AI behavior tree and ballistics attacks
- Object pooling system for enemy spawning to reduce runtime allocations and improve performance
FUTURE IMPLEMENTATIONS
- Integrating my prefab procedural dungeon generator project to produce randomized level layouts
- Expanding AI behavior tree

Procedural Generation

Unity 3D | 2025

Developed a procedural dungeon generation system in Unity to create dynamic, replayable environments using modular prefab rooms and hallways. The system was built inspired by and expanded from this example.Each room contains defined entry points that evaluate probabilistic generation rules to determine whether to spawn a hallway, regular room, special room, or a terminating wall. This approach balances controlled structure with randomness to prevent invalid layouts while maintaining variety between runs.The generator is designed to be easily configurable and extensible, allowing room types, probabilities, and layout rules to be adjusted without rewriting core logic. The system is intended for integration with gameplay mechanics, AI navigation, and replay-focused level design.A downloadable executable is provided to demonstrate the system in action.