Hello! My name is Logan Harvell, and this website attempts to collect my musings and tinkerings as a developer.
Currently, I work as an Engine Programmer on the Special Projects team at Epic Games, located in Cary, North Carolina. My role includes supporting projects and designers by creating UI and gameplay systems using C++ and Unreal Engine blueprints, as well as integrating, testing, and debugging new engine features from Unreal Engine 5. I started as an intern in August 2019, working on The Matrix Awakens: An Unreal Engine 5 Experience, which I continued working on as I transitioned to a full-time position in January 2020 up until the release at The Game Awards in 2021 on December 9th of that year. Additionally, I worked on the City Sample example project released alongside the release of Unreal Engine 5 in April 2022.
Going back a bit. As a programmer, I dabbled with basic bash scripting on a command line growing up, but it wasn’t until I began studying Computer Science at the University of Central Florida (UCF) in 2015 that I truly dove into programming with an introduction to C programming course. Fast forward to December 2018 and I graduated with honors and a B.S. in computer science in December 2018, and somewhere in the middle, I had developed a strong foundation for algorithm design and analysis, object-oriented design, C/C++ programming, and 3D math. Luckly, during undergrad, I had the pleasure of learning from a few different professors associated with game development who led me to apply for the master’s program at UCF, Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy (FIEA), and upon graduating undergrad I was already accepted.
After graduating in December 2018, I spent over half a year as a research assistant at UCF’s Institute for Simulation and Training (IST) under Dr. Joseph Kider, where I developed plugin tools for Unreal Engine 4 as part of an Air Force contract. However, by August 2019, I had begun studying for an M.S. in Interactive Entertainment as part of Cohort 16 at FIEA. I then graduated in December 2020, while interning with Epic Games.
During the master’s program, I developed a custom data-driven game engine largely from the ground up using low level frameworks. Additionally, from December 2019 until the release of Keepers of the Trees on Steam August 7th, 2020, I was the lead programmer at Studio Chili, a small studio with 20+ artists, designers, and programmers formed from some of the graduate students at FIEA.
While I currently live in Cary now, I originally hail from a small city called Orlando located around the middle of the lovely sunshine state, Florida. So, naturally, I spend many of my days hiding from the sun in front of a screen. I love science fiction and fantasy, video games, movies, anime, graphic novels, and most things from the 90’s. Chances are, if you ask me about something relevant to nerd/geek culture, then I will have something to talk about and we are already well on the way to being friends. However, ignoring the jokes about my stints as a cave dweller, as an Eagle Scout, my other love is the outdoors. I spent much of my youth going camping, hiking, even scuba diving, and experiencing all the beauty nature has to offer and it’s still a part of my identity.
That just about sums up a brief rundown of who I am as a developer, but my blog and information about my projects are available to peruse as you like. Feel free reach out for any reason, whether business or personal! I’d love to chat!