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Azu De aka Shiming

Programmer, Technical Artist

Email:

azuapply@gmail.com

Bachelor of Science in Computer Science

Bachelor of Science in IMGD

Master in Entertainment Technology

TECHNICAL PROJECTS

T1. Billy Jo Jive: AR Detective Escape Room

Platform: Unity, Tilt Five AR, ESP32/Arduino Hardware

Overview

Billy Jo Jive is an AR escape-room narrative experience created to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Billy Jo Jive IP. Commissioned by the IP owner’s family, the project adapts the original characters and tone into a puzzle-based detective story. Using the Tilt Five AR platform, the experience allows players to embody a young detective and physically interact with props, clues, and hybrid digital–physical puzzles.

Technical Description

  • Custom UV-Reveal Shader System (Unity)

    • Developed a raycast-based UV flashlight that reveals invisible clues on surfaces

    • Implemented multi-controller support, normal-based reveal logic, and radius blending

    • Built fully customizable HLSL/Shader Graph pipelines

  • Hardware Integration & Puzzle Electronics

    • Designed and assembled custom circuits for physical puzzles

    • Programmed ESP32/Arduino boards and created a unified communication protocol with Unity

    • Built “physical action → AR feedback” puzzle interactions

  • Tilt Five AR Workflow Integration

    • Integrated shaders, interactions, and tracking systems into a stable AR experience
      Performed debugging, latency mitigation, and rendering optimization
       

Role & Contribution

  • Lead Technical Artist (shader development, rendering, technical design)

  • Lead hardware integrator and embedded programmer

  • Responsible for AR integration and debugging

  • Designed physical-to-digital puzzle logic

Media and More

T2. Song of Nanzhao: Stylized Visual Effects & Gameplay Systems

Platform: Unreal Engine 5
Link: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3900130/Song_of_Nanzhao/

Overview

Song of Nanzhao is a narrative puzzle game inspired by Tang Dynasty culture, following a voiceless musician who must craft and master ancient instruments. Built in Unreal Engine, the project emphasizes atmosphere, ritualistic visuals, and stylized aesthetics.

Technical Description

  • Stylized VFX Development (Unreal Niagara)

    • Created musical note particle systems, ambient environmental FX, and interaction feedback

  • Custom Shaders & Rendering

    • Implemented depth-based outlines, stylized toon lighting, and ink-inspired visual accents

  • Houdini Pyro → Unreal Pipeline

    • Designed and simulated fire/smoke FX using Pyro

    • Optimized and transferred VFX assets into UE5

  • Gameplay & UI/UX Programming

    • Assisted in developing gameplay interactions using Blueprints

    • Built UI and interaction flows

    • Helped reduce programming load in the later development stage

Role & Contribution

  • Early phase: Sound design and atmosphere concepts

  • Core phase: VFX creation (Niagara, shaders), Houdini simulations

  • Late phase: Gameplay and UI programming support

Media and More

CREATIVE PROJECTS

C1. EKEA – Adaptive Controller Musical Assembly Game

Platform: Unity, Adaptive Controller
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzAVlLoBVr4

Overview

EKEA is a whimsical music-based game where players act as workers in a furniture store, using physical tools built from Adaptive Controller components—such as hammers and saw handles—to assemble a chair for a customer. The project explores tangible rhythm gameplay and playful physicality.

Creative Contributions

  • Game Design

    • Designed game mechanics, player flow, and iterative improvements

    • Integrated feedback from peer playtests and instructors

  • Music & Sound Design

    • Composed original music

    • Created all sound effects

    • Ensured rhythmic feedback aligned with the player’s physical actions

Media and More

C2. Echoes Through the Scene – Gyroscope-Based Mobile Vertical Slice

Platform: Mobile (Gyroscope/Accelerometer)
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eskb8cHnL0s

Overview

Echoes Through the Scene is an experimental mobile game exploring motion-based interaction using built-in phone sensors. Players tilt, rotate, and move the device to navigate through a short atmospheric slice.

Creative Contributions

  • Game Design

    • Designed the sensor-driven control concepts and level pacing

    • Developed a distilled vertical slice focusing on gesture-based input

  • Programming

    • Implemented gyroscope and accelerometer control systems

    • Built UI/UX interaction loops

    • Developed game logic and interaction feedback

Media

Media and More

INTERPRETIVE WORK

W1. Oracle Bone Digitization – Methodology and Cultural Interpretation

Type: Research Writing Sample
Link: [PDF]

Overview

This writing sample comes from my research on digitizing fragile cultural heritage artifacts, specifically Oracle Bones. The work connects computational media methodologies—such as scanning workflows and digital reconstruction—with historical, archaeological, and interpretive analysis.

Interpretive Focus

  • Presents a comparative study of photogrammetry and structured-light scanning (Artec Spider II)

  • Discusses mesh repair, texture reconstruction, and preservation pipelines

  • Connects digital workflows to the cultural and linguistic significance of Oracle Bones
     

  • Addresses accessibility, education, and digital conservation challenges

  • Demonstrates a humanities-driven interpretation supported by computational methods

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