Hi, I'm Sal, inspiring software/gamedev, with soft spot for creative writing and music, looking for job opportunities.


My skills and experience

Programs and tools

C# C#
Unity Unity
GitHub GitHub
NETCore .NET Core
VS Code Visual Studio Code
FMOD FMOD
Ableton Live Ableton Live
Azure Azure

C# / .NET

Tech Stack: C#, .NET 10, ASP.NET MVC, REST APIs, LINQ, React, SQL, Azure, Docker, RabbitMQ.
Architecture: Strong focus on OOP, Async/Await, Dependency Injection, Clean Code, SOLID, and DRY principles.
Featured Project: Built a Twitch streaming solution with a 24/7 Azure cloud logger (Blob Storage) and a desktop dashboard app.
Tools & Workflow: Primary environment in Visual Studio, VS Code, and GitHub.
AI Integration: Utilize AI tools for workflow efficiency while manually auditing, refactoring, and optimizing all code.

C# / Unity

Primary 2D Project: Currently building a full-scale 2D platformer, handling all technical programming and game design aspects.
Custom Character Physics: Programmed a custom physics engine and character controller to ensure precise and responsive movement compared to default Unity physics.
Gameplay Systems: Implemented core mechanics including combat, skill progression, character stats, robust Save/Load system, gamepad controller support.
Audio Middleware: Integrated FMOD for dynamic sound execution, with full flexibility to adapt to Wwise if required.
3D Co-op Project: Developing a second title — a 3D co-op dungeon crawler. Already implemented core systems including character classes, animations, options, and multiplayer networking via Steamworks P2P.

Audio (Music Composition & SFX)

Game Audio Portfolio: Experience crafting sound design for dark fantasy FPS titles, wave-shooters, and game trailers.
Audio Engineering: Professional live sound background with expert mixing, mastering, and virtual instrument library usage.
No AI Guarantee: 100% human-composed music and sound effects created without generative AI tools.
Bespoke SFX: Design custom audio for UI, combat impacts, player interactions, and ambient environments.
Director-Aligned: Skilled at adapting compositions directly to a Lead Audio Director’s creative vision.

Creative Writing

TTRPG Background: 30 years as a Game Master and player, specializing in interactive, non-linear storytelling.
Psychology Degree: Master’s in Psychology applied directly to building realistic character motivations, flaws, and behavioral profiles.
Reactive World Design: Reject rigid "railroading" in favor of reactive NPCs and open-ended narrative choices.
Worldbuilding: Draw from history, folklore, and global cultures to construct rich lore, factions, and settings.
Dialogue & Lore: Write natural dialogue and background lore that reflects specific character backstories and subtext.

FQA

Having played video games for over 30 years, I possess extensive knowledge of the medium. I have experienced hundreds of titles, along with all their flaws and bugs. I enjoy pushing the boundaries of what games can do and experimenting with unconventional behaviors to see if they are feasible and what effects they produce. I play a wide variety of games, ranging from FPS and ARPG titles to strategy games and simulators. My background in programming and game development is a key asset - whenever I encounter a bug, I try to analyze what is happening "under the hood" and determine the potential cause of the issue.

Contact

Email: salanos.val@gmail.com

C# / .NET - Detailed Experience

Some time ago, I decided to leverage my C# knowledge to pivot toward more practical application development, which led me to learn .NET and web development. Despite my relatively short history with this ecosystem, I have already mastered the fundamentals of .NET 10, ASP.NET MVC, REST APIs, and LINQ . I am well-versed in core concepts such as OOP, Async/Await, Dependency Injection (DI), Clean Code , and design principles like SOLID and DRY.

In my projects so far, I have worked with React, SQL, WebHooks, Azure, Docker, and RabbitMQ, using Visual Studio, VS Code, and GitHub as my primary development tools. My largest project to date is a custom, made-to-order application for Twitch streamers. The architecture consists of an Azure-based script that tracks account activity 24/7 via the Twitch API and logs data using Azure Blob Storage . This is paired with a desktop application that provides a comprehensive dashboard and offers a variety of utility features for streamers and their moderators.

Furthermore, I am comfortable incorporating AI tools to streamline my development workflow. However, in my experience, AI remains just a tool rather than a silver bullet for complete solutions; its generated output often lacks quality and optimization, meaning it still requires a developer's discerning eye to audit, refactor, and properly integrate.

Link to my github with some simple projects and desktop app for Twitch Streamers (technically it's still Work-In-Progress, as I'm still waiting for feedback from my client as well as from the Twitch Dev Support, to improve some functions in the app):

My github with C# / .NET projects

More about my app for Twitch streamers

C# / Unity - Detailed Experience

My journey with C# began in game development using the Unity engine. Having already completed over a dozen smaller game projects, I am currently developing a full-scale 2D platformer, where I am responsible for every aspect of development except the art.
On the technical side, the majority of the codebase is complete, including a custom physics and controller model. (Unity's default physics system isn't ideal for platformers, where precise and highly responsive character handling is critical). Furthermore, I have already programmed most of the core gameplay mechanics — such as combat, skills, and character progression — alongside essential systems like save/load functionality and a robust options menu . The options system features fully rebindable controls with native support for major console controllers (PlayStation, Xbox, Switch); the game automatically detects the active device and dynamically updates UI prompts to display the correct controller symbols. For the narrative element, I implemented a dialogue system built with localization support for multiple languages. Lastly, I use FMOD for audio implementation, though I could easily adapt to Wwise if a project required it.

Currently I'm working on my second project, which is 3D co-op dungeon crawler. It's still in very early phase, but I already made core systems (controls, options, multiplayer using Steamworks P2P, animations, different classes for characters) and I hope I'm gonna be able to post some short showcase vid here soon.

More about my game projects


Link to my github with some samples of code (mainly menus, save/load systems, options, etc):
My github with samples of my gamedev projects

Short demo-showcase of my game project:

Audio (Music & SFX) - Detailed Experience

(NO AI). After taking a hiatus from the audio industry, I am looking to leverage my extensive background in this field to contribute to game soundtracks and sound design. My past experience includes collaborating on the audio design for a dark fantasy FPS, crafting SFX for a video game trailer, and composing multiple tracks for a dark fantasy wave-shooter.

Thanks to my years of professional experience as a live sound/audio engineer, I am well-equipped to handle the technical side of audio production. Combined with my background in music production and access to industry-standard virtual instrument libraries, I am highly capable of delivering high-quality compositions that align precisely with a Lead Audio Director's creative vision.

Track 01 - Music made for dark fantasy wave-shooter. Concept brief: music for intro/main menu, dark theme, not many complicated layers, easy to loop, creating a sense of uncertainty and anxiety. .
Track 02 - Music made for video content creator. Concept brief: "space" theme, not complicated arrangement as it's music for background, easy to extend if needed, create an atmosphere of mystery and unknown.
Track 03 - Music made for game trailer. Concept brief: 4 parts of the song - slow build-up to show basic setting of the game // more dense arrangement for montage showcasing core mechanics // something "special" for part with showcasing advanced mechanics, unique events in the game // back to part 2 (or with some changes). We tried with couple music styles, but in the end, client decided to go with some "neo-funk-ish" style.

All music included in my game showcase-video above, was also made by myself. I'm not using any form of AI when creating music.

Creative Writing - Detailed Experience

For over 30 years, I have been an active participant in Tabletop RPGs (TTRPGs) as both a Game Master and a player. This lifelong passion has honed my ability to craft compelling narratives, deep characters, and unique gameplay mechanics designed to introduce fresh elements or transform specific thematic concepts into interactive player experiences.
When it comes to narrative design, I am fundamentally opposed to forcing players down a single, rigid path or a predetermined sequence of events. Instead, I focus on creating NPCs with deep psychological profiles and distinct motivations. This approach ensures that regardless of player choices, non-player characters can naturally adapt to new situations and dynamically pursue their goals.
Even as a player, I construct backstories by weaving in complex elements that directly shape a character’s worldview. To me, a character's history—from birth to the start of the game—is a crucible that molds their unique flaws and virtues. I analyze how their upbringing and environment would realistically impact their psyche and behavioral patterns. This process of building deep, coherent characters that defy the standard "generic fantasy hero" tropes is heavily elevated by my formal education and Master’s degree in Psychology. Furthermore, my fascination with diverse cultures, civilizations and folklore serves as a rich fountain of inspiration for my worldbuilding.

D&D Character Concept →