Red Dead Redemption 2
Rockstar Games
I worked as a UI Programmer at Rockstar San Diego on RDR2, helping build and support a wide range of systems across the game. Contributed to internal tools, menu systems, and in-world UI, with a focus on performance, clarity, and technical implementation. Collaborated closely with global teams to ensure consistency and quality across a complex and interconnected game world.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is Rockstar’s western epic, set in a vast, living world at the end of the American frontier. It combines open-world exploration, cinematic storytelling, and deep systemic design to deliver a rich narrative experience that unfolds across both single-player and online modes.
UI Programming
Pause Menu Layout
I designed and implemented a subtle shuffle effect for the menu items, so their placement varied a little each time the pause menu is opened. It’s a small detail, easy to miss unless viewed side-by-side, but it adds to the rough and tumble world of the game.
I enjoy working with artists and designers to push visual design through code and finding ways to make small details feel considered.
HUD
I built the original HUD widgets for health, stamina, and deadeye, helping define their early layout and behavior. I also pushed for a more minimal radar setup to let players stay immersed in the world without constant UI noise.
While the final design evolved after my time on the project, elements of this early work shaped what shipped, especially in how the meters fade away during the game’s quieter moments.
Behind the Scenes
Migrating UI between projects
To keep RDR2’s UI aligned with ongoing changes in GTAV, I handled monthly migrations of nearly 300 Scaleform files from one title to the other. I built custom tools to convert and unpack the files, creating over 30,000 diffable assets. This let me isolate changes, resolve conflicts, and keep progress unblocked on both projects. It was deeply technical, sometimes tedious work, but essential to keeping both pipelines in sync.
With scripts I built and help from the tools team, we hooked into Incredibuild to automate the process, cutting down build times from 30 to 3 minutes and reducing manual overhead across the pipeline.
Extra Credit
The sky at night
In pre-production, I explored ways to bring a realistic version of Earth’s night sky into the game. Using astronomical data from NASA, I mapped the night sky with accurate data that could be brought into the game. The goal was to let players see a sky that felt grounded in reality, with more clarity than modern light pollution allows. This work carried through to release, adding a subtle layer of authenticity to the world.
