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I’m a Technical Designer and Gameplay Programmer based in Houston, with 6+ years crafting gameplay systems, player abilities, and immersive environments in Unreal Engine 5. I love turning creative ideas into robust, scalable systems using Blueprints and C++. I thrive at the intersection of design and engineering, collaborating with artists and writers to shape content that plays well and feels polished. I value iterative playtesting, clear documentation, and cross-disciplinary teamwork to deliver engaging experiences.…I’m a Technical Designer and Gameplay Programmer based in Houston, with 6+ years crafting gameplay systems, player abilities, and immersive environments in Unreal Engine 5. I love turning creative ideas into robust, scalable systems using Blueprints and C++. I thrive at the intersection of design and engineering, collaborating with artists and writers to shape content that plays well and feels polished. I value iterative playtesting, clear documentation, and cross-disciplinary teamwork to deliver engaging experiences.

Keith Rucker

Game Designer, Game Developer, Programmer, +2

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I’m a Technical Designer and Gameplay Programmer based in Houston, with 6+ years crafting gameplay systems, player abilities, and immersive environments in Unreal Engine 5. I love turning creative ideas into robust, scalable systems using Blueprints and C++. I thrive at the intersection of design and engineering, collaborating with artists and writers to shape content that plays well and feels polished. I value iterative playtesting, clear documentation, and cross-disciplinary teamwork to deliver engaging experiences.…I’m a Technical Designer and Gameplay Programmer based in Houston, with 6+ years crafting gameplay systems, player abilities, and immersive environments in Unreal Engine 5. I love turning creative ideas into robust, scalable systems using Blueprints and C++. I thrive at the intersection of design and engineering, collaborating with artists and writers to shape content that plays well and feels polished. I value iterative playtesting, clear documentation, and cross-disciplinary teamwork to deliver engaging experiences.

Available to hire

I’m a Technical Designer and Gameplay Programmer based in Houston, with 6+ years crafting gameplay systems, player abilities, and immersive environments in Unreal Engine 5. I love turning creative ideas into robust, scalable systems using Blueprints and C++.

I thrive at the intersection of design and engineering, collaborating with artists and writers to shape content that plays well and feels polished. I value iterative playtesting, clear documentation, and cross-disciplinary teamwork to deliver engaging experiences.

Skills

Experience Level

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Language

English

Fluent

Work Experience

Programming Instructor at Game-U

February 1, 2024 - Present

Teach game content, system design, and Unreal Engine visual coding language with C++ and Blueprints. Mentor and collaborate with over 50 students, guiding through prototype development, debugging, and iteration processes. Create daily lesson plans focused on combat mechanics, player input, and gameplay systems integration. Manage regressions. Enhance 15 student projects for performance and engagement through structured feedback and hands-on training.

Technical Designer / Gameplay Programmer at LAB CREATED LLC

May 1, 2019 - February 1, 2024

Designed test plans, researched, and implemented core gameplay pipelines. Formulated modular Blueprint frameworks for scalable mechanics, animation and test map creation. Developed 10 AI behavior trees, event systems, and physics-based interactions to enhance gameplay depth and control precision. Collaborated with 5 artists, designers, and writers to align mechanics with content for visual and narrative goals.

Lead Technical Designer at EXTEND-O MEDIA LLC

April 1, 2015 - August 1, 2021

Taught a 5-person development team, engineering and animation. Executed technical and creative direction for 3 interactive projects, ensured smooth functionality and design consistency. Built documentation and 2 version control systems to improve communication and reduce iteration time.