Martin MeRu

Gameplay & Systems Developer

Five-plus years across software development and data science, now applied to games — behaviour-tree AI, procedural generation, physics systems, and the CI/CD pipelines that ship them.

m.merugames@gmail.com · itch.io · GitHub · LinkedIn

Experience

Game Developer — Independent / Merugames

Design and build games in Unreal Engine 5 and Unity, from jam prototypes to released titles with automated build and deployment pipelines.

  • Shipped eight projects with playable browser builds, including a Monarca Game Jam 2024 third-place entry.
  • Built behaviour-tree AI, procedural level generation, physics interaction systems and data-driven gameplay in Unreal Engine 5.
  • Set up Jenkins CI/CD pipelines that compile UE5 projects, post build results to Discord, and deploy to itch.io automatically.
  • Implemented neural network and genetic algorithm agents in Unity to explore machine learning in gameplay.

Software Developer / Data Science

Five-plus years of software development and data science work prior to focusing on games.

  • Object-oriented programming, optimisation, and machine learning algorithms.
  • Database management, scripting, and web scraping for product data.

Selected projects

  • Leyenda de la Matlazihua — Unreal Engine 5

    2024

    Took 3rd place at Monarca Game Jam 2024 with a complete first-person survival horror game, judged on creativity and technical execution.

  • Cliche, the origins — Unreal Engine 5

    Shipped a five-level 3D action-adventure with per-level mini-bosses and a final boss, a shop and upgrade economy, and a story delivered through the HUD.

  • Retrovolve — Unreal Engine 5

    Built a 2D pixel-art platformer around a three-form transformation mechanic, with hand-animated sprites, behaviour-tree enemies, and a story told through collectible cassette tapes.

  • Dungeon Puzzle Poker — Unreal Engine 5

    Shipped a roguelike that resolves every combat encounter as a poker hand, with procedurally generated floors and an endless difficulty curve, built inside a game jam window.

  • Store Storm — Unreal Engine 5

    Shipped an Overcooked-style first-person store simulator with a data-driven order system and AI customers, built and deployed through an automated Jenkins pipeline to itch.io.

  • Plunders & Platters — Unreal Engine 5

    Delivered a third-person sea-faring action game in four days, including a Kraken boss with three distinct attack modes, buoyant ship physics, and a full inventory and save system.

  • Dont Touch The Exhibits — Unreal Engine 5

    Shipped a physics-driven puzzle-shooter with predictive throw trajectories, nav-mesh animal AI, and infinite escalating levels, deployed through an automated Jenkins pipeline.

  • Adventure land — Unreal Engine 5

    Built a five-level first-person collect-and-evade game with a persistent AI pursuer, full menu and graphics-configuration systems, and a deliberately tuned difficulty curve.

Skills

Engines
Unreal Engine 5, Unity
Languages
C#, C++, Python, Blueprints
Gameplay & AI
Behaviour trees, Environment query systems, Procedural generation, Physics systems, Neural networks, Genetic algorithms
Pipeline
Jenkins, CI/CD, Git, Butler / itch.io
Content
Blender, Aseprite, GIMP, Audacity