Skate Story with Sam Eng - Software Engineering Daily Recap

Podcast: Software Engineering Daily

Published: 2026-03-17

Duration: 58 min

Guests: Sam Eng, Joe Nash

What Happened

Sam Eng discussed how his game, Skate Story, integrates skateboarding mechanics with a vaporwave aesthetic and existential narrative. He described his journey from experimenting with Unity after being inspired by indie developers, to creating meme games for friends, and eventually developing commercial games like Zarvot for Nintendo Switch.

Skate Story features a unique premise where players control a glass demon skating through the underworld to eat the moon. Sam Eng explained that the title came early in development to ensure players understood it was a story-driven game, not a sandbox. The game's narrative and mechanics were built around this central premise and evolved through iterative development.

Joe Nash contributed insights into the game's technical aspects, such as the development of its physics system without relying on Unity's built-in physics engine. Sam Eng highlighted the challenges and decisions involved in creating an intuitive control scheme that balances realism with accessibility.

The podcast delved into the game's unique design elements, including its camera system that mimics the feel of skate videos, and the optional timing indicator for tricks, which reflects the real-life challenge of skateboarding at different speeds. Eng mentioned the importance of making the game approachable while maintaining a sense of authenticity.

Sam Eng discussed the boss battle system in Skate Story, which diverges from traditional skateboarding games by incorporating health bars and damage mechanics tied to performing tricks. This system took years to perfect, emphasizing the importance of combos and player strategy during battles.

The pacing of Skate Story includes a mix of fast-paced linear sections and more open, explorative hub areas. This design choice reflects the real-life skateboarding experience of alternating between intense action and relaxed downtime. Eng aimed to capture the essence of skateboarding culture, including the idea of chilling with friends and endless summers.

Key Insights

• Sam Eng's Skate Story combines skateboarding mechanics with a vaporwave aesthetic and a narrative about a glass demon skating to eat the moon. This unique premise sets it apart from traditional skateboarding games by focusing on a linear story rather than a sandbox experience.
• The game's development involved creating a custom physics system, as Sam Eng chose not to utilize Unity's built-in physics engine. This allowed for more control over the skateboarding mechanics, despite the challenges it posed in terms of implementation and bug fixing.
• Skate Story incorporates a boss battle system where performing tricks directly impacts the boss's health. This innovative approach required years of iteration to balance the gameplay and ensure that tricks and combos are meaningful during battles.
• The pacing of the game is designed to reflect real skateboarding experiences, alternating between fast-paced linear sections and open hub areas for exploration. This mirrors the mix of intense action and relaxed downtime found in skateboarding culture.