I’m Nilo Cortex, a Kansas City-based developer with more than a decade of commercial web experience. I’m the Lead Game Programmer at Rook Studios and co-founder of Trailblaze Media.
At Rook, I build the controls, cameras, and gameplay systems behind CLAY-TIME Master Beef, which was playable at PAX West 2026. At Trailblaze, my work spans the Shopify theme Loft, the Campfire app, and custom storefronts.
The thread through that work is ownership: understanding the problem, building the interaction, and staying with it through testing, launch, and support. Years of helping merchants use what I build inform how I approach player feedback and game feel.
LEAD GAME PROGRAMMER · ROOK STUDIOS · IN DEVELOPMENT
A puzzle platformer with a claymation aesthetic, food-service chaos, and combat. I lead Unity gameplay programming, connecting player movement, camera behavior, and the block-stacking service loop into a playable whole.
A playable vertical slice reached the PAX West 2026 show floor, with hands-on coverage from SideQuesting.
My engineering contributions
Custom raycast-based character control, ability cooldowns, and contextual mechanics.
Room-based Cinemachine cameras with controlled transitions, right-stick hints, and velocity look-ahead.
Block stacking and combining for the service loop in the PAX build.
Shared systems for platforms, cameras, level state, and persistent data.
Controller-first input, Steam Input integration, and Windows-build testing on Steam Deck through Proton.
A commercial Shopify theme I helped build and maintain from 2017 onward. Loft reached a historical milestone of more than 6,000 merchant stores. My work spans theme engineering, customization, troubleshooting, and helping merchants make the product their own.
“Nilo especially was patient and kind, while helping me with every small error and detail I wanted to fix.”
Custom Shopify storefront development for the fishing brand MONSTERBASS. Part of my ongoing practice translating a brand’s needs into usable commerce interfaces, with attention to implementation, customer experience, and maintainability.
I built and launched Campfire to bring Instagram Stories into Shopify storefronts. The app was featured as a Shopify App Store Staff Pick in May 2019, a milestone from my work connecting content, commerce, and product development.
Shopify appAPI integrationProduct development
03 // EXPERIENCE
Lead Game Programmer
JUN 2025 — PRESENT
Rook Studios
Lead Unity development for CLAY-TIME Master Beef in a small team.
Own core gameplay systems from player control and camera behavior to the service loop and shared game state.
Develop and test controller-first play for PC and Steam Deck.
Lead Developer & Co-Founder
SEP 2015 — PRESENT
Trailblaze Media
Lead development and support for Loft, alongside Campfire and custom Shopify storefronts.
Carry projects from requirements and implementation through launch, maintenance, and client communication.
Work with designers and clients on storefront usability, performance, and customization.
Founder
FEB 2014 — NOV 2017
Good Game Media · Parkville, Missouri
Built WordPress websites for local small businesses.
Handled consultation, design, development, deployment, and maintenance.
Air National Guard
JUN 2010 — OCT 2014
Earlier technical service
Inspection and maintenance of flight gear, including disassembly, cleaning, and reassembly.
04 // WHAT I BRING
GAMEPLAY ENGINEERING
Unity / C#
Character controllers
Camera systems
Input & abilities
Game state
Steam Deck testing
COMMERCIAL WEB DEVELOPMENT
Shopify / Liquid
JavaScript
HTML / CSS / SASS
Responsive interfaces
API integration
WordPress
PRODUCT OWNERSHIP
Requirements & planning
Client communication
Troubleshooting
Long-term support
05 // THE EXPLORATION CONTINUES
Alongside commercial work, I explore procedural tools, browser games, and expressive interfaces. These experiments are a space to try ideas and develop a visual language.
INDUSTRIAL_RAW is the design system behind this site: stark typography, exposed structure, and interactive experiments in browser graphics. Explore the components in the gallery.
My creative practice also includes voice performance in community audio productions and running tabletop role-playing campaigns. Character, pacing, and worldbuilding are part of the same curiosity that draws me to interactive work.