Hiru Star

Contributed to the development of multiple real-time interactive systems for Hiru Star, one of Sri Lanka’s major live television reality shows, by building high-performance broadcast applications using Unity3D integrated with a centralized WebSocket-based communication architecture. These applications were designed to support live judging, real-time vote processing, contestant ranking, synchronized stage visuals, and production coordination during high-pressure live television broadcasts.

A major part of the project involved designing and implementing reliable real-time communication between multiple independent applications through WebSockets, allowing all systems to exchange live data, trigger events, synchronize timing, and operate seamlessly together during broadcasts. This interconnected architecture enabled smooth coordination between judge interfaces, backstage production tools, score visualization systems, and live on-screen graphics while maintaining low latency and high reliability in a fast-paced live production environment.

One of the primary systems I developed was the Judge Application, a live voting interface used by judges during contestant performances. The application supported voting, devoting, and golden vote actions while communicating instantly with other broadcast systems through WebSockets. I implemented time-based vote activation and deactivation logic to ensure judges could only interact within designated voting windows. The system also transmitted live signaling events to backstage teams, allowing production crews to anticipate voting actions and coordinate live camera and stage operations in real time.

Another key contribution was the Score Tied System, developed specifically to handle edge cases during head-to-head eliminations. Since the live broadcast displayed vote percentages only as rounded whole numbers, situations occasionally occurred where contestants appeared tied on-screen. To resolve this accurately, I engineered a secondary calculation system capable of comparing vote percentages up to two decimal points in real time. This ensured fair and instant winner determination while preserving the pacing and credibility of the live competition.

I also developed the Hot Seat Application, a live ranking and visualization system used during special competition rounds. Based on incoming real-time vote percentages, the system dynamically identified the top three contestants and displayed their scores within an interactive seated podium interface shown during the broadcast. The application additionally displayed golden vote indicators for leading contestants, enhancing audience engagement and improving the visual storytelling of the competition.

In addition, I created the Red Seat System used during head-to-head performance rounds. After contestants completed their performances, the application displayed their live scores while managing contestant states and transitions throughout the segment. The system ensured that both audiences and production teams received accurate and synchronized score updates in real time during the live show.

These projects showcased my ability to use Unity3D beyond conventional game development by engineering scalable real-time broadcast solutions that combined WebSocket networking, synchronized multi-application communication, live data processing, interactive UI systems, and broadcast-grade reliability. The systems were optimized to operate continuously and accurately during live television productions where timing, responsiveness, and stability were absolutely critical.