David Kowalski
Game Developer | Unity & Unreal Engine Specialist
Summary
Passionate game developer with 5+ years of professional experience creating engaging gameplay systems and polished player experiences across multiple platforms. Specialized in Unity and Unreal Engine with strong expertise in C#, C++, and game design principles. Proven ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams including designers, artists, and QA to deliver high-quality games on time and within scope.
Education
University of Washington
Bachelor of Science • 3.6 GPA
Computer Science
Seattle, WA • 2014 – 2018
Concentration in Game Development. Relevant Coursework: Game Engine Architecture, Computer Graphics, Artificial Intelligence, Physics Simulation, 3D Mathematics, Software Engineering, Data Structures & Algorithms
Experience
Cascade Studios
Seattle, WA
Senior Game Developer
March 2022 – Present
•
Lead gameplay programmer on an unannounced AAA action-adventure title built in Unreal Engine 5 for PC and next-gen consoles
•
Architected and implemented core combat system including hit detection, combo mechanics, and enemy AI behavior trees serving 15+ enemy types
•
Developed custom editor tools in C++ that reduced level designer iteration time by 40% and improved workflow efficiency across the team
•
Optimized rendering pipeline and gameplay systems to maintain 60 FPS performance target on all supported platforms, achieving 95% frame rate stability
•
Ad nostrud enim adipisicing ea proident aliqua veniam nisi amet ea irure et mollit.
Experience
Pixel Forge Interactive
Bellevue, WA
Game Developer
June 2020 – February 2022
•
Core developer on 'Starbound Odyssey,' a sci-fi roguelike that achieved 500K+ sales on Steam with 'Very Positive' user reviews
•
Implemented procedural generation systems for level layouts, enemy encounters, and loot drops using Unity and C#
•
Designed and programmed player progression systems including skill trees, equipment upgrades, and meta-progression mechanics
•
Created robust save/load system supporting cloud saves and cross-platform play between PC and Nintendo Switch
•
Integrated third-party SDKs for analytics (GameAnalytics), achievements (Steamworks), and multiplayer networking (Photon)
•
Fixed critical bugs and balanced gameplay based on community feedback and telemetry data, releasing 12 post-launch content updates
•
Worked closely with artists to implement VFX, animations, and shaders that enhanced visual polish while maintaining performance targets
Mobile Games Studio
Remote
Junior Game Developer
September 2018 – May 2020
•
Contributed to development of three mobile puzzle games built in Unity, collectively downloaded 2M+ times on iOS and Android
•
Implemented UI systems, touch controls, and gesture recognition optimized for mobile devices and various screen sizes
•
Developed monetization features including rewarded video ads, in-app purchases, and daily reward systems that increased retention by 25%
•
Optimized memory usage and load times for mobile platforms, reducing app size by 35% through asset compression and code optimization
•
Collaborated with game designers to balance puzzle difficulty curves and progression pacing using A/B testing data
Awards
Best Gameplay - Ludum Dare 48
April 2021
Ludum Dare
Awarded for puzzle game 'Deeper and Deeper' which ranked in the top 5% overall among 3,000+ submissions
Employee Excellence Award
December 2021
Pixel Forge Interactive
Recognized for exceptional contributions to 'Starbound Odyssey' development and dedication to code quality
Projects
Echoes of the Void (Indie Game)
2023 – Present
Solo developer for a narrative-driven 2D platformer built in Unity. Features custom dialogue system, branching story paths, and atmospheric pixel art. Currently in development with demo released on itch.io garnering 5K+ downloads and positive community feedback. Planned Steam release Q2 2025.
Open Source: Unity Dialogue Framework
2021 – 2023
Created and maintain an open-source dialogue system for Unity with visual node-based editor, localization support, and voice acting integration. Project has 800+ GitHub stars and is actively used by indie developers worldwide. Includes comprehensive documentation and example projects.
Game Jam Participation
2019 – Present
Regular participant in Ludum Dare and Global Game Jam events. Created 12+ game prototypes exploring experimental mechanics and art styles. Won 'Best Gameplay' award at Ludum Dare 48 with puzzle game 'Deeper and Deeper' that ranked in top 5% overall.
Publications
Optimizing Unity Games for Mobile: A Practical Guide
September 2021
Game Developer Magazine
Technical article covering mobile optimization techniques including draw call batching, LOD systems, and memory management
Building Modular Dialogue Systems
May 2022
Seattle Indie Game Developers Meetup
Presented talk on designing flexible dialogue systems for narrative games, attended by 60+ local developers
Volunteer
Seattle Indies
2020 – Present
Seattle, WA
Active member of local indie game development community. Organize monthly game showcases and provide mentorship to aspiring game developers through code reviews and technical guidance.
Code.org Game Development Workshops
2021 – Present
Seattle, WA
Volunteer instructor teaching basic game programming concepts to middle school students. Led 8+ workshops introducing Unity fundamentals and game design principles.
Interests
Game Design
Mechanics, Level Design, Player Psychology
AI & Procedural Generation
PCG, Machine Learning, Emergent Gameplay
Indie Game Development
Solo Dev, Game Jams, Community
Technical Art
Shaders, VFX, Optimization
References
Available upon request
Profiles
GitHub
LinkedIn
Skills
Unity Engine
Expert
C#, Editor Tools, Performance Profiling
Unreal Engine
Advanced
C++, Blueprints, UE5 Features
Programming Languages
Expert
C#, C++, Python, HLSL/GLSL
Game AI
Advanced
Behavior Trees, FSM, Pathfinding, Navigation
Physics & Mathematics
Advanced
3D Math, Collision Detection, Rigid Body Dynamics
Performance Optimization
Advanced
Profiling, Memory Management, Frame Rate
Certifications
Unity Certified Expert: Programmer
March 2022
Unity Technologies
Unreal Engine 5 C++ Developer
June 2023
Epic Games (Udemy)
Languages
English
Native
Polish
Conversational