Underpacked

Underpacked! – Master Degree Project


Underpacked! is a third-person cooperative game, free-to-play, developed by the Spanish studio Drunken Duck Co. in collaboration with Voxel School. With a vibrant cartoon aesthetic and satirical humor, the game blends time management, chaotic action, intergalactic deliveries, and a playful critique of modern work culture.

My Contribution to the Project

I worked across a wide range of areas, from gameplay mechanics to technical optimization. Some of my key contributions include:

  • Gameplay Mechanics: turret system, hull breaches, mailbox movement, respawn system.
  • Visuals & Animation: player/bot animation systems, contextual actions, emote wheel.
  • Technical Art: dynamic tube & cable generators, hologram notification, velocity dependent background changes.
  • Visual Effects (VFX): explosions, fire, electricity, smoke, package effects, enemy VFX and more.
  • Post-processing & Audio: outline effects, ship damage effect, FMOD integration and all audio-related tasks.
  • Optimization & QA: profiling, testing, playtesting.

Detailed Breakdown

Object Highlight

Highlighted interactable objects with illuminated borders and guiding arrows.
Below: Example of the Unreal Engine material graph used for advanced visual effects in the project.

Tube System

I implemented a dynamic tube system for transporting packages across the ship. This system allows developers to create and modify tube layouts in real-time, enabling flexible and efficient level design. The tubes use two custom materials: one for the tube itself and another to indicate direction, both featuring vertex animation for a lively, animated appearance.

Machine Animations

I implemented a variety of machine animations to enhance the visual feedback of interactions within the game. These animations include interaction animations for when players engage with machines, as well as some VFX to indicate machine status. The animations were created using tweens by code.

Various VFX

A selection of visual effects created for Underpacked! to enhance gameplay feedback and atmosphere. These include explosions, electricity, fire, smoke, interactive package effects, and more—each designed to be both performant and visually appealing in a chaotic co-op environment.

Development Team