Detective Gallo (Console Port)

Detective Gallo is a point-and-click noir adventure game. Working as part of the development team at Memorable Games (at the time called Mixed Bag), I was involved in the major technical undertaking of porting the game from its original Adventure Game Studio (AGS) engine to Unity, with the goal of releasing it on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4.

This project was far more than a simple conversion; it required a complete technical rebuild of the game in a new engine. The primary challenges our team faced were:

• Engine Migration: Re-implementing the entirety of the game's logic, puzzle mechanics, and character interactions from the AGS framework into C# within Unity.

• Adapting for Consoles: The biggest hurdle was redesigning the game's controls. We had to create an intuitive and enjoyable gamepad-based control scheme to replace the PC-native, point-and-click mouse interface.

• UI Overhaul: The user interface, including the inventory and dialogue systems, had to be rebuilt from the ground up to be legible and easily navigable on a television screen using a controller.

• Platform Certification: Ensuring the final game met the strict technical and performance standards required for submission and publishing on both the Nintendo and Sony console ecosystems.

My Role & Contributions

As a programmer on the team, my work was deeply involved in the technical aspects of the port. My key contributions included:

• Gameplay Logic Implementation: Collaborating on the rewrite of core game mechanics and puzzle systems in C# for the Unity engine.

• Console Control Scheme: Focusing on the implementation and refinement of the gamepad controls to ensure a smooth and responsive player experience on the Switch and PS4.

• Bug Fixing & Optimization: Working with the team to debug issues and optimize performance to meet the requirements for console certification.