Systems
Combat loops, progression gates, and readable feedback.
THE KEEPER’S STUDY · ABOUT
About Chris
How I think
Signal, not noise
I care about removing friction. When an experience takes three confusing steps, I usually start wondering how it could take one clear step instead.
BuildingThe Burning Rose — a high-fidelity 2.5D Metroidvania vertical slice in Unity 6.
LearningGame systems, Unity workflows, animation, and interaction design.
PlayingWhatever’s on after midnight—usually something atmospheric or systems-heavy. Swap this line anytime.
ExploringAI-assisted development workflows and polished interface interactions.
ImprovingSmall process habits that remove friction from how software gets designed and shipped.
Vertical slice · Unity 6
The Burning Rose
After hours, I’m designing a 2.5D Metroidvania called The Burning Rose. It has become a place to experiment with combat systems, progression, world design, and the kind of deliberate player experience I also value in software.
World
Interconnected spaces and the pacing between discovery and challenge.
Craft
Animation, interaction timing, and the feel of each verb.
Scope
Vertical slice — not a full commercial release.
Focus
One cohesive area with combat, traversal, and progression.
Why
A long-running lab for systems thinking and player clarity.
Game systems after midnight
Designing combat, progression, and world structure in The Burning Rose keeps systems thinking sharp outside client work.
Small-business websites
Helping with a small business site is a reminder that clarity beats decoration when someone’s livelihood is on the page.
Mystery & science fiction
Stories with hidden structure and careful reveals—useful reference for pacing interfaces and products.
How software feels
Timing, feedback, and the last 10% of polish—the parts users notice without naming.