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Owen Monaghan - Games Technology
Hello! I'm Owen and I am a fresh graduate with a first class undergraduate degree in BSc (Hons) Computer Games Technology at Anglia Ruskin University.
Please check out some of my projects below!
Ocean Shader + Buoyancy Project
Unreal 5 | Tech Art | Programmer (BP & HLSL) | Solo
A project where I built a custom ocean shader and buoyancy system in Unreal 5 with material editor, HLSL and blueprints.
Originally created for a university major project, I recently remastered this project as I wasn’t happy with, he original result. The project focusses around my research and learnings into creating shaders that can be incorporated with gameplay mechanics in games.
The shader is developed to be fully customisable allowing full control over have the water surface looks and acts. Making use of an algorithmic approach written in HLSL to improve ease of use and functionality. Incorporating techniques such as Gerstner waves, fractional Brownian motion, domain warping and Jacobian based wave foam + colour differentiation.
Buoyancy is physics based and is calculated through a custom component allowing buoyant objects that sync up to the shaders waves to be set up with ease with no repeated code. Buoyancy can be adjusted per object.
The development of this project challenged me first in learning how shaders can be developed but then also as to how they can be used functionally with gameplay. I faced issues adapting to this at first but, through the process of trail and error and heavy research into shaders and algorithmic approaches to water in games. I was encouraged to transform a project I was initial unhappy with to one I am a truly proud off.
Additional info about the project and further technical breakdowns of mechanics can be found on the itch page linked to this project page.
A project where I built a custom ocean shader and buoyancy system in Unreal 5 with material editor, HLSL and blueprints.
Originally created for a university major project, I recently remastered this project as I wasn’t happy with, he original result. The project focusses around my research and learnings into creating shaders that can be incorporated with gameplay mechanics in games.
The shader is developed to be fully customisable allowing full control over have the water surface looks and acts. Making use of an algorithmic approach written in HLSL to improve ease of use and functionality. Incorporating techniques such as Gerstner waves, fractional Brownian motion, domain warping and Jacobian based wave foam + colour differentiation.
Buoyancy is physics based and is calculated through a custom component allowing buoyant objects that sync up to the shaders waves to be set up with ease with no repeated code. Buoyancy can be adjusted per object.
The development of this project challenged me first in learning how shaders can be developed but then also as to how they can be used functionally with gameplay. I faced issues adapting to this at first but, through the process of trail and error and heavy research into shaders and algorithmic approaches to water in games. I was encouraged to transform a project I was initial unhappy with to one I am a truly proud off.
Additional info about the project and further technical breakdowns of mechanics can be found on the itch page linked to this project page.
Starship Defenders - Mixed Reality Project
Unity (C#) | XR | Gameplay programming | Rendering + Immersive Effects | Solo
*Gamebridge 2025 - Technical Excellence WINNER (sponsored by Rebellion)*
This was the final major project of my university studies. In this project I researched and developed a Mixed Reality game using the Meta Quest 3 and Meta SDK’s within Unity.
Primarily a research study; I undertook the project to discover the use of new immersive technology could be used for gaming, how immersion could be created through game mechanics and how rendering tools and features could be used to blend spatial realities.
In the project I made use of techniques such as destructible meshes, selective passthroughs and stencil shaders to effectively blend between the real and game world and focused on creating an immersive play space for the player with reactive particles and audio effects as well as clear VR friendly UI.
Throughout development I was faced with design and implementation challenges from the current limitations of XR hardware and mixed reality applications. All of which encouraged me to come up with new solutions to achieve my desired results but also arrive at approaches that while didn’t work for this project but can be used in future works and studies.
Additional info about the project and further technical breakdowns of mechanics can be found on the itch page linked to this project page.
*Gamebridge 2025 - Technical Excellence WINNER (sponsored by Rebellion)*
This was the final major project of my university studies. In this project I researched and developed a Mixed Reality game using the Meta Quest 3 and Meta SDK’s within Unity.
Primarily a research study; I undertook the project to discover the use of new immersive technology could be used for gaming, how immersion could be created through game mechanics and how rendering tools and features could be used to blend spatial realities.
In the project I made use of techniques such as destructible meshes, selective passthroughs and stencil shaders to effectively blend between the real and game world and focused on creating an immersive play space for the player with reactive particles and audio effects as well as clear VR friendly UI.
Throughout development I was faced with design and implementation challenges from the current limitations of XR hardware and mixed reality applications. All of which encouraged me to come up with new solutions to achieve my desired results but also arrive at approaches that while didn’t work for this project but can be used in future works and studies.
Additional info about the project and further technical breakdowns of mechanics can be found on the itch page linked to this project page.
Crystal Chaos
Unreal 5 | Project Lead | Gameplay programming | Tech art | Group Work
Available to download on Itch.io; Crystal chaos is a Twin Stick shooter developed in Unreal Engine 5 by 24 students during their final year of University.
My role for this Project was the Project Lead. My main responsibilities was to manage and lead the teams departments (Art, Design and Programming) to ensure the overall success of the project with the goal of releasing a polished game to a public facing platform.
I oversaw the project production from concept to release, hosting regular meeting and discussions with the whole team and individuals to keep the project moving in the correct direction. I managed and kept track of member tasks and helped to provide solutions to developmental problems where needed. I maintained a constant stream of communication with the department leads and Project Directors to collect and understand feedback to better the project and team work flow.
Along side The Project Lead duties I also acted as a Tech/Programmer for the project creating game systems and mechanics for the project. Some of the mechanics and systems I created for this project include: Level Streaming Integration, Player Aiming, Player Animations, Camera Occlusions, Shader and Particle FX, Spline Tools, Art integration and Set up in Engine, Project Building and Version Control, Bug fixes and QA.
Available to download on Itch.io; Crystal chaos is a Twin Stick shooter developed in Unreal Engine 5 by 24 students during their final year of University.
My role for this Project was the Project Lead. My main responsibilities was to manage and lead the teams departments (Art, Design and Programming) to ensure the overall success of the project with the goal of releasing a polished game to a public facing platform.
I oversaw the project production from concept to release, hosting regular meeting and discussions with the whole team and individuals to keep the project moving in the correct direction. I managed and kept track of member tasks and helped to provide solutions to developmental problems where needed. I maintained a constant stream of communication with the department leads and Project Directors to collect and understand feedback to better the project and team work flow.
Along side The Project Lead duties I also acted as a Tech/Programmer for the project creating game systems and mechanics for the project. Some of the mechanics and systems I created for this project include: Level Streaming Integration, Player Aiming, Player Animations, Camera Occlusions, Shader and Particle FX, Spline Tools, Art integration and Set up in Engine, Project Building and Version Control, Bug fixes and QA.
Merlin's Apprentice VR
Unity (C#) | XR | Gameplay programming | Solo
*People's Choice Winner - Gamebridge 2024*
This was a VR project developed in my 2nd year of university for the meta quest family of devices in Unity.
You play as Merlin's foolish Apprentice who has accidently transformed his teacher, the mighty Merlin, into a wheel of cheese. You are tasked with transforming him back before the timer runs out.
The project was my first dive into VR development and taught me the different approaches to design and thinking of game mechanics for XR. The mechanics featured in the project make full use of platform, requiring the use of the movement controllers and physical actions only achievable through VR games. The project introduced me to effective lighting techniques and performance optimizations for mobile and XR platforms.
The big challenge of this project was learning how to make full use of the platform but also how to develop effectively for it. I discovered how to important it was to regularly test in VR and match object scale to real world equivalent as well as how to develop an experience that is comfortable to play while engaging.
*People's Choice Winner - Gamebridge 2024*
This was a VR project developed in my 2nd year of university for the meta quest family of devices in Unity.
You play as Merlin's foolish Apprentice who has accidently transformed his teacher, the mighty Merlin, into a wheel of cheese. You are tasked with transforming him back before the timer runs out.
The project was my first dive into VR development and taught me the different approaches to design and thinking of game mechanics for XR. The mechanics featured in the project make full use of platform, requiring the use of the movement controllers and physical actions only achievable through VR games. The project introduced me to effective lighting techniques and performance optimizations for mobile and XR platforms.
The big challenge of this project was learning how to make full use of the platform but also how to develop effectively for it. I discovered how to important it was to regularly test in VR and match object scale to real world equivalent as well as how to develop an experience that is comfortable to play while engaging.
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