Work · Engineering playground
Zombie Survivor
A 3D browser survival game with a global leaderboard and "ghost presence" — you can see the traces of other players in your world. Built for the toughest client we have: our own kids.
Why it's here
A game is the most honest performance test there is.
Business software forgives a slow response. A game doesn't — if the frame rate stutters or the leaderboard lags, a nine-year-old playtester tells you immediately. Building one end-to-end exercises every muscle we use on client systems: real-time state, edge APIs, database design, and performance under load.
It's also just fun — and a shop that only ships serious software eventually forgets how to make software people enjoy using.
The system
3D in the browser, backend at the edge.
3D survival in the browser
WebGL rendering, wave-based survival gameplay, and controls tuned through relentless playtesting — no install, no launcher, runs on the family laptop.
Cloudflare Worker API + D1
A dedicated Worker (zombie-api) handles scores and presence against a D1 database — the same edge architecture we deploy for client systems, proven at game speed.
Global leaderboard & ghost presence
Every run posts to a global leaderboard, and players see the ghosts of others who played in the same world — small touches that make a static site feel alive.
browser (WebGL game loop)
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zombie-api — Cloudflare Worker (edge)
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D1 database ──► LEADERBOARD · GHOST PRESENCE
Where it stands
- LivePlayable at zombie.buildingfuturesai.com — leaderboard accepting your high score
- QALead playtester: age nine. Feedback cycle: immediate and unmerciful
- ProvesReal-time performance engineering on the exact edge stack (Workers + D1) we deploy for business systems
The point
If the backend can keep up with zombies, it can keep up with your business.
Same architecture, different stakes — edge APIs and databases proven where lag is unforgivable.
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