hey, i'm owen
I make Hytale plugins
that don't suck.
6 years of Java, mostly spent building server-side systems for game servers — matchmaking, minigames, class systems, the works. Currently deep in the Hytale modding scene.
hey, i'm owen
6 years of Java, mostly spent building server-side systems for game servers — matchmaking, minigames, class systems, the works. Currently deep in the Hytale modding scene.
I started writing Java when I was around 14 — messing around with Minecraft plugins, breaking things, figuring out how servers actually work under the hood. That was 6 years ago. Somewhere along the way it stopped being a hobby and turned into what I actually want to do.
These days I'm focused on Hytale. I build the backend stuff that makes multiplayer servers tick — matchmaking queues, ability systems, minigame frameworks, economy plugins, anti-cheat, all of it. I like building systems that are clean enough to extend later and performant enough to handle a real player count.
When I'm not coding I'm probably playing the games I'm building plugins for, which honestly is just more research at this point.
The kind of systems I've spent the most time on.
Full game loops — lobbies, countdowns, teams, scoring, spectating. Built a reusable engine that powers multiple modes from one codebase.
ELO-based ranked queues with placement matches, skill decay, and seasonal resets. Handles 1v1 through 5v5.
Custom class frameworks with unique kits, cooldowns, mana, and skill trees. The kind of thing that makes combat actually interesting.
Levelling, XP curves, achievements, daily quests, unlockables. All the stuff that keeps players coming back.
Multi-currency systems, player shops, auction houses, transaction logs. Built to be dupe-proof from day one.
Map rotation, instance management, cross-server messaging, data persistence. The unglamorous stuff that holds everything together.
Some of the stuff I've built. Most of these are running on live servers.
ZHorde is a zombie horde survival server and my biggest project to date. I built the entire plugin from scratch — it's not a fork or a config pack, every system is custom. The server runs a wave-based survival mode where teams of players fight through increasingly difficult rounds, pick classes, unlock achievements, and compete on leaderboards. Here's what's under the hood:
Custom-built wave engine that dynamically scales difficulty based on player count, round number, and team performance. Handles mob composition, spawn pacing, rest periods, and boss wave triggers — all configurable per-map.
Over 15 unique playable classes, each with their own ability kits, passives, stat profiles, and playstyles. Built on a modular framework so new classes can be added through config without touching core code. Think tank, DPS, support, hybrid — the full spread.
A hardcore variant with permadeath, limited resources, and modifier stacking. Rounds get progressively harder with randomised mutators — bonus mob speed, reduced healing, elite spawns. Leaderboards track the best runs.
A persistent achievement system with tracked stats, tiered rewards, and progress notifications. Covers everything from kill milestones to class-specific challenges and speedrun completions.
Queue-based lobby system with party support, map voting, skill-based team balancing, and configurable match sizes. Players get matched, dropped into a lobby, and the game handles the rest.
Standalone ELO-based ranked matchmaking for PvP servers. Placement games, skill decay, seasonal resets, 1v1 through 5v5. The hardest part was getting queue times reasonable at low player counts without making matches feel unfair.
Config-driven class and ability framework. Servers can define custom classes with unique abilities, cooldowns, and passives without touching code. Built it because I was tired of rewriting the same ability system for every project.
Reusable framework for building minigames — handles lobbies, teams, map voting, spectators, post-game stats. Write your game logic, the engine handles everything else.
Quest system with branching objectives, NPC dialogues, and repeatable dailies. Supports progression gating so you can lock content behind quest completion.
Economy plugin with multiple currencies, player-to-player trading, auction house, and full transaction logging. Spent more time on dupe prevention than the actual features.
What people say about working with me.
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Need a plugin built?
I'm open to commissions and collabs. If you've got a server that needs custom work, or an idea you want to talk through, hit me up.