Q&A with Franciszek Łuczak: A journey in game AI and development

What was your journey leading up to BUas? 

Franciszek: ‘I started game programming as a hobby when I was just 12 years old. However, during middle school, I took a break as I focused on basketball. It wasn't until I was 16 that I rediscovered my love for game development, participating in game jams and making small games in my spare time. It was more of a brain teaser for me back then, and I really enjoyed it.’ 

‘Then COVID hit, and I had a lot of free time. At 18, I decided to take game development more seriously but was still unsure whether I wanted to be a designer or a programmer. I initially pursued a computer science course in Poland, where I am from, but it didn’t feel like the right fit for me. That’s when I came across the CMGT programme at BUas. I reached out to students on LinkedIn, and everything came together. All of this made me realise that programming was my true passion.’ 

‘I wanted to focus entirely on game development, and from what I heard, BUas offers a great chance to succeed in the industry. Many of my friends were also studying abroad, which further motivated me. Around this time, I started working as a freelance programmer for a Polish company, which reinforced my desire to specialise in game development.’ 

Can you describe a project you worked on? 

Franciszek: 'In my second year, the project progressed through different blocks. Block A focused on foundational skills, block B allowed us to research our chosen specialisation, and during this time, I developed an AI library. In block C, my project was selected to move forward. We merged our projects into a custom game engine. Finally, in block D, we collaborated with game designers and visual artists to create a fully functional game using our custom engine. The AI library I created had visual scripting tools that enabled designers to implement AI behaviours more efficiently.'  

'Our game gained a lot of interest at the annual Industry Showcase Day at our university. It was an incredible experience working with such ambitious and talented people.' 

What was your role in this project? 

Franciszek: ‘While I initially focused on the technical aspects, my role later shifted towards communication and coordination, being the lead programmer. During the final block I became the main point of contact between the programming team and other disciplines, ensuring that everyone was aligned.’ 

‘Stepping into a leadership role was a challenge, as I had never managed so many aspects before. It pushed me out of my comfort zone, especially in terms of communication. However, I received positive feedback from my teammates and learned a lot in the process. Fortunately, we had great support from lecturers, who provided workshops on leadership. I also had other leads to turn to for advice, which helped me grow into the role.’ 

Tell us about the game! 

Franciszek ‘The game we created was called “Owlet”, a real-time strategy and tower defence game inspired by a somewhat forgotten genre. The objective was to defend a base against waves of enemies, gathering resources and strategically reinforcing defences.’ 

‘My AI library played a crucial role in this project. We had hundreds of units on screen, and the AI system managed their movements and commands efficiently. The library was optimised to handle large-scale encounters, simulating massive battles.’ 

You can play Owlet here: https://buas.itch.io/owlet. 

What challenges did you face, and how did you overcome them? 

Franciszek: ‘The biggest challenge was working with a custom engine for the first time. Many early decisions didn’t hold up later in development, forcing us to make difficult adjustments. However, these changes were also the most rewarding, as they directly improved the game's quality.’ 

‘Flexibility was essential—we constantly had to adapt to new requirements from designers and artists. The technical challenges were tough, but every improvement made the game more playable and visually appealing.’ 

What are your future plans? 

Franciszek: ‘Right now, I am working on a procedural generation tool for a top-down action game set in a space station. The tool is my main focus, alongside working with our AI designer to refine the game’s artificial intelligence. I provide technical assistance to ensure everything functions smoothly.’ 

‘While I enjoy gameplay programming, my main passion lies in AI. However, AI-focused internships are harder to find, so I try to maintain a generalist skill set with a strong focus on AI and gameplay. That’s also the focus of my freelance work.’ 

‘I’d love to work at a big studio, as I thrive on technical challenges. Larger companies develop complex systems and features, which excites me. Ultimately, I want to contribute to projects that I’d enjoy playing myself.’ 

Find out more: 

Portfolio: https://www.fluczak.site/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/franciszek-%C5%82uczak-02b9a8207/