Cong Shen

Emeryville, CA · shenc0411@gmail.com

Gamer and game developer. I graduated from University of Southern California in May 2020 with a master's degree in Computer Science - Game Development. I graduated from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in May 2018 with a bachelor's degree in Mathematics and Computer Science.

I am currently a Software Engineer at Sledgehammer Games working on Call of Duty Vanguard.

Games Portfolio

COD Vanguard
NBA 2K22

Call of Duty Vanguard

Software Engineer

Avtivision· Sledgehammer Games

NBA 2K22

Software Engineer

2K Games · Visual Concepts Entertainment

NBA 2K21
The Candle
Morana

NBA 2K21

Software Engineer

2K Games · Visual Concepts Entertainment

The Candle

Lead Engineer

USC Games

Morana

Engineer

USC Games

Experience

Software Engineer

Sledgehammer Games · Foster City · California
  • Participated in developing Call of Duty Vanguard
March 2021 - Present

Software Engineer

Visual Concepts Entertainment · Novato · California
  • Participated in developing NBA 2K21 and NBA 2K22
Aug 2020 - March 2021

Game Developer Intern

USC Institute for Creative Technologies · Los Angeles · California
  • Participated in designing and developing an educational RPG for teaching AI concepts and algorithms with Unity3D
  • Built a third-person/top-down character controller and camera transition system for switching perspectives
  • Implemented a character inventory system which supports picking up, using and dropping down items
  • Created a search tree visualization system for visualizing classical search algorithms as UI elements
May 2019 - Aug 2019

Software Engineer Intern

Virtualitics, Inc · Pasadena · California
  • Participated in developing a Virtual Reality data visualization software using Oculus Rift and Unity3D.
  • Implemented the ForceAtlas algorithm for spatilizing graph nodes in a 3D space.
  • Optimized graph spatilization performance by using compute shaders.
Oct 2018 - Dec 2018

Research Assistant

University of Illinois · Urbana · Illinois
  • Participated in a research project focusing on Brain-Computer Interface and Virtual Reality.
  • Developed a procedural terrain generation system.
  • Implemented LOD system to optimize FPS performance and memory usage.
  • Implemented serial port communication between Unity and an exteranl bluetooth heart monitor.
  • Implemented TCP communication between Unity and an treadmill to synchronize player's movement.
Jan 2017 - May 2018

Course Assistant

University of Illinois · Urbana · Illinois
  • Held discussion sections for UIUC CS125 - Introduction to Computer Science.
  • Held office hours for answering students' questions.
Jan 2017 - May 2017

Education

University of Southern California

Master of Science
Computer Science - Game Development
Aug 2018 - May 2020

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Bachelor of Science
Mathematics and Computer Science
Aug 2015 - May 2018

Projects

The Candle Image

The Candle

​Adventrue-Horror Game
The Candle is a first-person game that combines horros elements with Tobii eye-tracking technology. Click here for more information.

USC Advanced Game Project
Built with Unity3D and Tobii Eyetacker

Morana Image

Morana

​VR Puzzle Solving Game
Morana is an otherworldly VR puzzle game about reconnecting with the deceased loved one through assisting earthbound spirits on their journey to realize their unfinished business.

USC IMGD Master Thesis Project
Built with Unity3D and Oculus Rift
Will be released on Steam

Morana Website here
VR Multiplayer Flight Simulator Demo Image

VR Multiplayer Flight Simulator

A VR flight simulator based on Microsoft Flight Simulator X
Built with Unity3D and Photon Networking

Demo video available here
Github link here
Ray Tracer Demo Image

Ray Tracer

CPU/GPU Ray Tracer
Shaded using Phong shading. Supports:
  • Ray-sphere and ray-quad collision detection
  • Point lights and direcitonal lights
  • Anti-aliasing by supersampling
  • Reflection and refraction
Accelerated by CPU multi-threading or GPU compute shaders.

Demo video available here
Github link here
Path Tracer Demo Image

Path Tracer

CPU/GPU Path Tracer
Implemented BRDF for more realistic light behaviors.
Accelerated by:
  • CPU multi-threading
  • Unity Job System & Busrt Compiler
  • GPU compute shaders

Github link here
CP Demo Image

Computational Photography Projects

Projects for the computational photography course in UIUC taught by Professor Derek Hoiem
I have completed 6 projects during the course:

Image Hybrid and Image Enhancement. Link here
Image Quilting. Link here
Gradient Domain Fusion. Link here
Image Based Relighting. Link here
Video Stiching and Processing. Link here
Impressionist Effects. Link here
VCVR Demo Image

Visual Cliffs, Virtual Reality, and Movement Disorders

A research project in UIUC IGL lead by Professor Richard Sowers and Professor Richard Sowers
Focused on brain-computer inface and virtual reality environment development.

Project link here

Skills

Programming Languages & Tools


Courses Completed

Game Prototypes

These are games that I designed and developed during USC CSCI 426 Game Prototyping taught by Professor Andrew Nealen.


Oil Miners Demo Image

Oil Miners

Turn-based two player strategy game
WebGL version available here
Base Defense Demo Image

Base Defense

Base-building/Tower defense game
WebGL version available here
Balloon Platformer Demo Image

Balloon Platformer

Platformer game in which you are trying to control a balloon
WebGL version available here
Cannon Defense Demo Image

Cannon Defense

Demo for illustrating the importance of game feel
WebGL version available here
Curling-ish Demo Image

Curling-ish

"Tabletop" curling game
WebGL version available here