SPLITGATE 2 - Tracking Eyes

This interactive security camera was a collaborative work, designed to create a more dynamic and responsive environment. The goal was to build a performant, easy-to-place asset that could track players in real-time. The project evolved through several iterations, beginning with a logic-based prototype and culminating in a highly optimized, shader-driven final version.

I developed the central Blueprint actor that serves as the control hub for the camera. This tool was designed to simplify the workflow for our level artists and included:
- An in-editor gizmo to visually display the camera's tracking radius and angle, allowing for precise and intuitive placement.
- Parameter Control: Exposed all key shader parameters (like tracking speed, color, etc.) for easy tweaking within the material instance.

Animated Aperture Shader: I created the dynamic shader for the camera's iris/aperture ring. This shader animates the aperture's contraction and expansion, providing clear visual feedback: it constricts when focused on a player and widens when returning to a passive monitoring state.

Prototyping and Integration: My initial work involved creating the first prototype using game logic (Blueprints) for player tracking. As we optimized, the core tracking was moved into the main shader for performance gains, and I was responsible for integrating this new shader-based approach into the final Blueprint actor and ensuring all systems worked together seamlessly.

This was a team effort, and I had the pleasure of working alongside the talented Kaj de Jong and Efrem Pivetti.
Credits:

Kaj de Jong: Core tracking and animation shader.
https://www.artstation.com/kajdejong

Efrem Pivetti: 3D model geometry.
https://www.artstation.com/efrempivetti