Underpacked

Underpacked - Master Degree Project

Underpacked! is a chaotic, cooperative 3D space adventure with a stylized cartoon aesthetic and a sharp sense of humor. Developed by Spanish indie studio Drunken Duck Co., the game places players in the role of overworked intergalactic delivery workers. Whether solo or in co-op (with a friend or a robotic AI companion), players must manage a dilapidated spaceship, fight off space threats, and deliver color-coded packages to customers across the galaxy—all under tight deadlines and relentless pressure. Inspired by the frantic gameplay of titles like Overcooked, Underpacked! combines fast-paced action, resource management, and teamwork in a satirical world of corporate absurdity. Players will generate packages, paint them, load them into delivery turrets, and fend off space pirates—all while trying to keep the ship from falling apart.

On this project, I contributed to a wide range of areas, including gameplay mechanics, visual effects, technical art, and optimization. My work helped shape the core experience and polish the final product.

  • Gameplay Mechanics:
    • Designed and implemented turret functionality, supporting multiple ammo types (standard, Package, and the possibility of more using DataAssets), each with unique effects on enemies and ship systems, adding tactical depth to combat.
    • Developed interactive ship elements such as hull breaches, mailbox movement, and respawn capsule logic, ensuring dynamic and engaging ship management that requires constant player attention and teamwork.
  • Visuals & Animation:
    • Created and integrated the player animation system, including smooth transitions, contextual feedback for actions, and unique animations for different states (repairing, shooting, carrying packages).
    • Developed bot visual cues, enemy animations, and interactable object animations to enhance clarity and immersion, making the chaotic gameplay readable and visually appealing.
    • Worked closely with artists to ensure a cohesive cartoon style throughout all character and environment animations.
  • Technical Art:
    • Built in-game tube and cable generators for dynamic ship interiors, allowing for procedural placement and visual variety that adapts to ship damage and repairs.
    • Implemented holographic displays and UI elements for in-game feedback, navigation, and mission status, improving player awareness and decision-making.
  • Visual Effects (VFX):
    • Created impactful explosion, shooting, and hull breach effects to provide satisfying feedback during intense moments.
    • Developed a variety of particle effects, including smoke, fire, paw prints, electricity, thruster effects, repair visuals, and background elements like asteroids and nebulae, enriching the game's atmosphere.
  • Post-processing & Audio:
    • Implemented post-processing effects such as outlines, hit flashes, and color grading to enhance the game's visual style and communicate gameplay states (damage, alerts, power-ups).
    • Integrated FMOD for audio implementation, adding all sound effects and dynamic music layers to ensure a cohesive and immersive soundscape that reacts to gameplay events.
  • Optimization & QA:
    • Optimized the game using Unreal's profiler, frame debugger, and memory profiler to ensure smooth performance, even during the most chaotic gameplay sequences.
    • Conducted QA testing, bug fixing, and extensive playtesting, iterating on feedback to deliver a polished and enjoyable experience for both solo and co-op players.

What I Learned:

  • Team Collaboration and pipeline:
    • Improved my communication skills by working closely with designers, artists, and programmers to align on gameplay vision and resolve challenges quickly.
    • Learned to adapt my workflow to fit within a multidisciplinary team, balancing technical and creative input for the best results.
    • Worked on fixing art pipeline problems, such as asset naming conventions, import settings, and ensuring consistency across all visual assets.
    • Helped troubleshoot and resolve issues with broken references, missing textures, and integration of new art assets into the Unreal Engine project.
  • Project Management:
    • Gained experience using agile methodologies, including task breakdown, sprint planning, and regular playtesting to iterate on features efficiently.
    • Developed a better understanding of prioritizing tasks and managing deadlines in a fast-paced academic and indie environment.
  • Technical Growth:
    • Deepened my knowledge of Unreal Engine tools, especially profiling, debugging, and optimization techniques for real-time games.
    • Expanded my skills in shader programming, VFX creation, and procedural content generation for dynamic environments.
  • User Experience:
    • Understood the importance of clear visual feedback and UI/UX design to guide players through complex, fast-paced scenarios.
  • Audio Integration:
    • Gained hands-on experience integrating FMOD and dynamic audio systems, enhancing immersion and player feedback.
  • Quality Assurance:
    • Learned effective bug tracking, playtesting, and iteration strategies to polish gameplay and ensure a stable release.
  • Version Control & Automation:
    • Used Perforce for version control, collaborating with the team to manage large binary assets and resolve merge conflicts efficiently.
    • Set up and maintained Jenkins pipelines for automated builds and continuous integration, streamlining the process of testing and deploying new versions of the game.
    • Learned how to automate repetitive tasks and ensure build stability, reducing manual errors and saving development time.

Here are some images from the project:

Underpacked Screenshot 1 Underpacked Screenshot 2 Underpacked Screenshot 3

The Development Team: