Project Overview

Top Summary: Developed the “DigestInn” mobile game, an educational and engaging title centered on the human digestive system. I was responsible for the full-cycle development of game mechanics, database integration, and the deployment of Android builds.

1. The Challenge

Educational games often struggle to balance accurate data representation with smooth, interactive gameplay, especially when syncing player progress to a persistent database.

• Problem: The project required a seamless connection between the Unity client and a remote MySQL database to store player progress and game state without interrupting the mobile user experience.
• Goal: To deliver a stable, performant Android build of “DigestInn” that correctly handles data persistence and provides a fluid gameplay experience on mobile hardware.

2. My Solution & Technical Approach

I utilized the Unity3D engine to build the client-side experience while engineering a robust bridge to the backend database.

• Architecture: Implemented a decoupled architecture where the Unity game manager communicated with a MySQL backend. This ensured that player data (scores, unlocked levels, and digestive stats) remained persistent across sessions.
• Key Decisions: Opted for a modular C# scripting approach to handle game events. This allowed for easier debugging of the “digestive mechanics” (the core game loop) and simplified the integration of the database API.
• Code Highlights: Developed a custom Backend Integration Layer in C# to handle asynchronous data requests. This prevented “frame stutter” during network calls, ensuring that the UI remained responsive even during slow data syncs.

3. Implementation & Overcoming Obstacles

• Hardest Challenge: Managing the Android build pipeline and ensuring consistent performance across various mobile screen resolutions and hardware specifications.
• Resolution: I optimized the Unity rendering pipeline and implemented a robust Android build process. By profiling the game on target devices, I identified and resolved bottlenecks in the MySQL integration and asset loading, resulting in a stable and lightweight APK.

4. Results & Conclusion

• Measurable Impact: Successfully owned the end-to-end deployment of Android builds and established a reliable data-syncing system. The game successfully integrated educational content with a functional backend, providing a scalable foundation for future content updates.