Penn College student to publish video game on Steam

Dalton R. Neece says he’s never ventured far from home. But that’s about to change. In January, the Hughesville native will embark on a high seas “voyage.” And gamers worldwide can join him – if they dare.

The trip promises to be a thrilling yet treacherous one. A small ship will be the mode of transport over a choppy ocean. Pirates will be lurking beyond tiny, sandy deserted islands. Cunning strategy and explosive weaponry will be required to survive the sea skirmishes to come. The victorious will fly their customized flag with pride.

In short, the virtual experience is a mix of the blockbuster “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie series and the classic video game Assassin’s Creed, two of Neece’s favorite entertainment options.

This adventure is called Hullbreaker, which Neece created for his senior project in the game & simulation programming major at Pennsylvania College of Technology. Hullbreaker debuts via Steam, a premier video game digital distribution service, on Jan. 7. The two-to-four-player game will be available to purchase for $5 during its early-access window.

Hullbreaker’s publishing is the culmination of an eight-month odyssey for Neece, who is scheduled to graduate on Dec. 21 with his bachelor’s degree. The lifelong gamer has long toyed with the idea of developing his own video game.

“This is something I am happy I’ve been able to do. I’m definitely proud of the fact that I got it to function. Getting it to make sense and be fair for all the players was hard to do, but getting it to actually work was the really hard part,” he said.

Neece used multiple programs to create stunning, functional 3D graphics that include ocean oscillation, ominous weather elements and bright explosions. He employed other software to develop thematic music and sound effects to augment the playing experience.

“The main thing about getting the game out there yourself is that you’ve got to wear all the hats of game development. You’ve got to be an artist. You’ve got to be a programmer. You have to be the music and sound effects director and editor. There are so many things you’ve got to do,” he said.

While creating the game called for diverse skills and software, there was one consistent source of knowledge and inspiration for Neece: Penn College.

“I don’t think I would have had the know-how or even the motivation to produce a game on Steam without the major at Penn College,” he said.

Spyke M. Krepshaw, assistant professor of computer information technology and Neece’s adviser for the senior project, returned the compliment.

“Dalton is one of our top students in the gaming program. Each week during project presentations, Dalton’s classmates asked for him to go last because they didn’t want to follow his work. It’s that impressive,” Krepshaw said. “He exceeded the project’s requirements within the first few weeks of the semester and decided to push his work even further.”

That additional work proved to be the most challenging, specifically making Hullbreaker a multiplayer game. Two to four players, separated by the actual ocean, can compete against one another for sea supremacy.

“Very few of our students choose to have a multiplayer experience because of the added complexities,” Krepshaw said.

“It’s very different from creating a single-player game because of having to play it over a network,” Neece explained. “You have to optimize the game so it doesn’t cause much lag for the players.”

As players wait to engage with one another, they can experience a virtual dice game that Neece devised for Hullbreaker’s “lobby.” The mini game is another example of the senior going above and beyond, according to Krepshaw.

“That showcases his attention to detail and creativity,” the professor said.

One of Neece’s favorite aspects of Hullbreaker is the creativity it encourages in players. They can design their own flag to be placed atop their ship to distinguish their vessel from competitors. “You design the flag in the main menu before you start the game and then you can show it off,” he said.

Credit a LeapFrog tablet for hooking Neece on video games during childhood. Eventually, he graduated from LeapFrog’s educational options to action-oriented video games that he could play with friends. When college approached, Neece thought gaming would remain a hobby, and nursing – a longtime interest – would be his career. That was until he spent time working as a certified nursing assistant. The reality of the job didn’t match his perception. Neece responded by seeking an IT-related degree.

Enticed by the ample job opportunities and high wages awaiting graduates, he first enrolled in the information assurance & cyber security major at Penn College. The subject matter didn’t excite him, and his grades suffered until he took an elective class on game development. The course convinced him to turn his affinity for gaming into a career pursuit. Neece switched to the game & simulation programming major and became a Dean’s List student.

“It’s been a lot of fun. I’ve enjoyed all the classes I’ve had,” he said. “Besides the material, I’ve really enjoyed the professors. They are pleasant to be around, and they make learning fun. I like listening to lectures, and I love the hands-on stuff and projects.”

He also appreciates and respects the expertise of classmates. Their input influenced the development of Hullbreaker.

“It’s nice to get opinions from people who are also experienced in game development. They’ve given helpful advice on what I should do, and it’s honestly helped my game a lot,” Neece said. “There’s a lot of mechanics in the game now that wouldn’t have been there if I didn’t have other people.”

Neece decided to release Hullbreaker as an early-access game on Steam to seek additional feedback. For about six months, players will be invited to offer critiques and suggestions for him to grow the game.

“With the early-access designation, I think that customers/players will really get a taste for Dalton’s vision of the game,” Krepshaw said. “I think that gamers looking for this type of genre will happily download and play it!”

If that’s the case, Neece will have the financial resources to advance the game. Some ideas are already percolating. “I want the weather system I’ve implemented to have more effect on game play. I want to incorporate more weapons and different upgrades for those weapons,” Neece said.

Regardless, his effort in developing Hullbreaker will provide him with plenty of ammunition to obtain his career objective.

“I am definitely going to do something in game development,” he said.

Sounds like quite the adventure. One that could take him far from home.

In addition to game & simulation programming, Penn College has several IT-related degree options. For information on those and other programs offered by Penn College’s School of Engineering Technologies, call 570-327-4520.

Penn College is a national leader in applied technology education. Email the Admissions Office or call toll-free 800-367-9222 for more information.