Various Game Prototypes and WIPs (2006 - 2023)

I finally went and recorded some of the game prototypes and small games I made over the years.

Stray Particles (Game Maker's Tool Kit 2020 game jam, theme: Out of Control).

This was entry for the GMTK 2020 game jam. I started late and built this little prototype over the course of about 30ish hours - the gameplay is severely lacking, and the controls are not fine-tuned at all, but at least it turned out looking nice.

Here's the download on itch.io

Untitled Akira-inspired action racing game, 2019-present

An experiment in trying to capture the look and feel of Akira's famous bike chase, both in terms of gameplay and faded lo-fi VHS look. Would like to make this into a finished game, eventually.

Spaced, 2006

A Flash-clone of Asteroids, with the twist that it controls entirely with a single key (the space bar, hence the name - very clever!)

Apnea, 2007

More of an interactive moodpiece, focusing on minimalist fluid controls and animations.

Untitled Delivery Van game (Game Maker's Tool Kit game jam 2023, theme: Delivery)

Didn't finish this one, but I still had fun creating a cartoony diorama-like delivery van racer. Might keep working on this at some point.

Dice Golf (unfinished, Game Maker's Tool Kit game jam 2022, theme: Roll of the Dice)

Another unfinished game jam entry, mixing golfing & dice rolling. The look was inspired by early 1990s SEGA games and their oversaturated, cheerful (perhaps even garish) palettes.

The Approximate Present (2014)

Festivals: GLAS Animation 2017, Berkeley, California / Animafest Flagey 2015, Belgium / Animafest Zagreb 2019, Croatia

A short animated film about the weather – inspired and informed by chaos theory and Lorenz attractors, romantic landscape paintings and the minimalist polygonal look of early computer simulations.

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Posters

Weltformat 2014: "Desire"
Call for Entries Poster

I was asked to create the call for entries poster for the Weltformat 2014 poster contest. The theme was "Desire" (German: "Lust")

Weltformat 2013: "Curiosity"
Winner Student Poster Contest

My entry won the 2013 student poster contest of the Weltformat Festival in Lucerne (CH). The theme of the contest was "Curiosity".

Reel & Resume

Professional Summary

18+ years of multidisciplinary design work experience, ranging from creative concept development, art direction and UX design to prototyping, product and interaction design and software development.

Successfully co-developed, led and contributed to many high-profile AR / VR / MR projects, R&D efforts and proof-of-concept prototypes for various platforms.

Extensive hands-on experience in working with leading game engines, platforms and development environments.

Strong background in graphic and motion design, illustration and typography.

Experience & Skills

  • Creative concept and visual development 
  • Project leadership (internal and client facing)
  • Multidisciplinary background, leveraged to tackle challenges from different angles
  • Extensive knowledge of game engine asset workflow and authoring techniques
  • Knowledge of development fundamentals for desktop and mobile platforms

Software & Tools

  • Unity (C# Unity API, materials & shaders, UI, animation system, particle Systems, asset workflow)
  • Unreal (blueprints, materials & shaders, asset workflow)
  • Adobe Creative Suite (After Effects, Premiere, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign)
  • C#, Python
  • SVN (Sourcetree, Bitbucket, Perforce)
  • Blender
  • Cinema 4D
  • Jira

Languages

  • Italian (bilingual)
  • German (bilingual)
  • English (full professional proficiency)
  • French (basic proficiency)
  • Spanish (basic proficiency)

Professional Experience

2021 – present
Designer / Developer
NVIDIA
Santa Clara, California
2019 – 2021
Sr Technical Designer
Magnopus
Los Angeles, California
2018 – 2019
Art Director
Method Studios (Method EXP, realtime unit)
Santa Monica, California
Selected Projects:

[Undisclosed] Immersive realtime large-scale architectural visualization
(Unity, 360° projection)

Realtime, non-linear 360° projected large-scale architectural visualization. Remotely controlled via custom tablet UI.

Responsibilities: Project Lead, Art Direction, Tech Art, UX/UI Design & implementation.

  • Developed concept and navigation system for new immersive product in collaboration with creative director and client
  • Art directed the project
  • Designed and implemented UI system and various tech art components

[Undisclosed] High-profile, location-based public space interactive AR experience
(Unity, mobile)

Collection of diverse, location-based public space interactive AR experiences, deployed globally.

Responsibilities: Project Lead, Art Direction, UX & UI, Technical Art

  • Co-lead project and art directed the project across multiple styles, ranging from experimental to high-fidelity
  • Co-developed and iterated UX prototypes in collaboration with client, creative and engineering
  • Implemented various technical art and UI components

[Undisclosed] High-profile proof-of-concept AR prototype for product functionality visualization
(Unity, mobile)

Responsibilities: Shader development, UX Design & implementation

  • Assisted project lead & client in UX concept development
  • Implemented various technical art and interaction components

The Change 
(Unreal Engine 4, HTC Vive VR)

Prototype for high-fidelity, character-driven interactive narrative VR experience

Responsibilities: Concept Development, Art Direction

  • Developed concept for interactive narrative in collaboration with creative
  • Developed visual concepts for character/environment/props in collaboration with concept artist

[Undisclosed] High-profile prototype for high-fidelity product visualization for mobile AR
(Unreal Engine 4, mobile)

Responsibilities: Project Lead, Lookdev, Shader Development for performant & complex realistic materials

  • Lead small team in creating multiple high-fidelity product assets following guidelines established by client
  • Explored, implemented and evaluated several realtime techniques (e.g. complex shader setups) to achieve fidelity goal
[Undisclosed] High-profile R&D prototype for gesture-controlled, realtime cooperative multiplayer experience
(Unreal Engine 4, immersive projection)

Responsibilities: Gameplay prototyping & implementation, Tech Art

  • Developed and implemented various gameplay prototypes in collaboration with small R&D team
  • Developed and implemented several tech art components

[Undisclosed] High-profile, location-based high fidelity AR architectural miniature visualization
(Unreal Engine 4, mobile)

Responsibilities: Look development, shader development, FX

[Undisclosed] Prototype for realtime VR live-action captured theatrical performance 
(Unity, Oculus VR)

Responsibilities: R&D, Tech Art
2016 – 2018
Associate Art Director
Method Studios (Method EXP, realtime unit)
Santa Monica, California
  Selected Projects:

[Undisclosed] Mobile VR archery game
(Unity, mobile VR)

Responsibilities: Gameplay/interaction design & implementation, Tech Art, Gameplay System Editor Tools

Justice League VR
(Unity, VR multi-platform)

Movie tie-in VR game; Collection of 6 mini games, each with individual VR-centric gameplay mechanics. Multi-platform release: Google Cardboard, GearVR, Oculus, Vive, PlayStation 4, IMAX VR.

Responsibilities: Art Direction, UX Design, Gameplay prototyping & implementation, UI, Tech Art

Remembering Pearl Harbor
(Unreal Engine 4, HTC Vive VR)

Interactive VR documentary piece commemorating the 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Responsibilities: Art Direction, UX Design & implementation, Tech Art
2015 – 2016
Designer / Technical Artist
Method Studios (Method EXP, realtime unit)
Santa Monica, California
  Selected Projects:
 

GE Store
(Unreal Engine 4, HTC Vive VR)

Interactive VR company showcase for trade shows

Responsibilities: UX Design & implementation, Tech Art
 

GE GuardEon
(Unreal Engine 4, HTC Vive VR)

Interactive VR product showcase for trade shows

Responsibilities: UX Design & implementation, Tech Art, Motion Graphics
 

The Me In You
(Unreal Engine 4, HTC Vive)

Prototype for interactive, episodic VR narrative experience with highly stylized visuals.

Responsibilities: Concept Development, Art Direction, Look dev & stylized shader development
 

VR14
(Unreal Engine 4, HTC Vive)

Internal prototype for high-fidelity, interactive VR product showcase

Responsibilities: UX Design, Tech Art, Shader Development, UI/Motion Graphics
 

ReCo
(Unreal Engine 4, HTC Vive VR)

Interactive, realtime short-form VR narrative experience

Responsibilities: Tech Artist
2007 – 2015
Graphic / Motion Designer 
Freelance
Bremen, Germany
2004 – 2014
Graphic / Motion / Web Designer
closer, Focus, moskito
Bremen, Germany

Education

2008 – 2014
Integrated Design, M.A.

University of the Arts Bremen
Bremen, Germany
2005 – 2007
Media Designer 
(professional German degree)

Wilhelm Wagenfeld Berufsschule
Bremen, Germany