A Gameplay Systems Prototype

Project Relic is a non-commercial gameplay programming project inspired by classic Flash RPGs, particularly Sinjid: Shadow of the Warrior (2004).

Built as both a short playable experience and a technical portfolio piece, Project Relic focuses on interconnected RPG systems including combat, progression, inventory, dialogue, equipment, and persistence.

What to Expect

Project Relic is a short, playable systems demo.

You should expect:

• A small, self-contained RPG experience
• Fully functional core gameplay systems
• Prototype-quality visuals using third-party assets.
• Limited content scope
• No music or sound effects

You should not expect:

• A content-complete commercial RPG
• Final art polish
• Extensive story content
• Fully populated progression paths

Implemented Systems

Character Systems

• Character movement and camera controls
• Player statistics and attributes
• Experience and leveling systems
• Character progression framework

Combat Systems

• Turn-based combat framework
• Built on Unreal Engine's Gameplay Ability System (GAS)
• Gameplay abilities and attribute effects
• Attribute-driven combat calculations
• Battles supporting multiple opponents

RPG Systems

• Inventory system
• Equipment system
• Currency system
• Skill tree framework
• Save and load functionality

World Systems

• NPC dialogue framework
• Shop and trading systems
• Extensible interaction systems

Demo Content

Current playable content includes:

• 2 playable classes
• 8 handcrafted combat
• 9 implemented player abilities (roughly half of the planned skill tree)
• Equipment system supporting weapons, armor, shields, and headgear
• A short playable campaign intended to demonstrate system interactions

Some visible progression paths and gameplay content are intentionally left unimplemented. The underlying systems support further expansion, but additional content falls outside the scope of this project.

Technical Goals

This project was created to practice and demonstrate:

• Gameplay systems architecture
• Data-driven gameplay design
• Unreal Gameplay Ability System (GAS)
• Modular gameplay framework development
• Save/load persistence
• End-to-end implementation of interconnected RPG mechanics

Performance Notes

Project Relic intentionally avoids expensive rendering techniques in favor of efficient real-time performance.

Current rendering choices include:

• Hybrid baked and dynamic lighting
• Compressed texture assets
• No real-time global illumination
• Lightweight environments designed around gameplay rather than graphical fidelity

Audio Notice

This build intentionally contains no music or sound effects.

Audio implementation was excluded in order to keep the project's scope focused on gameplay systems programming and technical implementation.

Inspiration

Project Relic is a non-commercial educational and portfolio project inspired by Sinjid: Shadow of the Warrior and other classic Flash RPGs.

All original characters, names, trademarks, and intellectual property associated with those games belong to their respective owners.

This project is presented solely as a technical study and playable programming showcase.

Developer's Note

This project is a bit special to me.

I grew up playing old Flash RPGs, and Sinjid: Shadow of the Warrior left a lasting impression on me. Project Relic started as a way to revisit some of those ideas while challenging myself to build complete RPG systems from scratch in a modern 3D environment.

Although the project intentionally stops short of becoming a content-complete game, it represents my most ambitious RPG programming project to date and a significant milestone in my journey as a game developer.

With this project nearing completion, I'm excited to take everything I've learned here and apply it to future original projects.

If you decide to give Project Relic a try, I hope you have fun exploring this little piece of my programming journey.

- Long Nguyen

Fun Fact

This is my third published game in a row featuring turn-based combat.

At this point, it's no longer a coincidence.

It's a lifestyle lol.