curriculum vitae

Personal Information:

UNITY DEVELOPER / C# / 3D ANIMATOR (MAYA)

Profile:

Dedicated and experienced Unity Developer with expertise in C# programming and 3D Animation using Maya. Proven track record in mobile game and app development, with a exposure to Mixed Reality and Virtual Reality. Adept at implementing innovative solutions, and consistently delivering successful projects.

Work History:

Unity Developer | Snappi | 2024-present

  • designed and built PATHWORDS, an innovative word puzzle in both English and German, which required utilizing OpenAI api and Python scripting.

Unity Developer | NXRT Nekonata | 2022-2023

  • Spearheaded WebGL game development for automotive vehicle launches, serving as Team Lead.
  • Pioneered A.I. text to paint generation for 3D model vehicles.
  • Successfully implemented multiplayer features using Photon Fusion.
  • Proficient in Visual FX, UI/UX design, character animation, avatars, environment and level design.
  • Established a pipeline for delivering unique morphed and textured models for 3D printing.
  • Designed and built UI system (Android tablet ) for MR experience controller

Unity Developer | Okidoki-apps | 2011-2022

  • +10 million downloads.
  • Designed and built approximately 20 games and multiple variants of each on multiple platforms.
  • My most popular game SuperTrains  had 100,000 downloads on its opening weekend
  • Led indie game/app development, handling all aspects from design to deployment.
  • Developed and published apps across multiple platforms, including Apple App Store, GooglePlay, and Windows 8 mobile.
  • Integrated In-App-Purchasing, 3rd party plugins, and implemented localization for up to 35 languages.
  • Experimented with Vuforia, ARkit, and integrated Augmented Reality with a map/navigational system.

3D Computer Animation (Maya) | 2000-2008

  • Utilized Maya for 3D animation, specializing in character design and animation.
  • Developed skills in MechAnim system, Legacy animation, and character rigging.

3D Design/Artist – (sculpture) | 1995-2005

  • Created sculpture for exhibition and commission.

Education & Training:

  • Post-Graduate Diploma in Digital Art (3D Computer Animation) | University of Adelaide | 1999-2001
  • Graduate Diploma in Visual and Applied Arts (Sculpture) | North Adelaide School of Art | 1992-1995

Skills and Competences:

Languages:

  • English: Proficient
  • German: Conversational

Social Skills:

  • Excellent communicator with artistic sensibility and inventive thinking.

Organizational Skills:

  • Experienced in self-organization with meticulous attention to detail.
  • Patient and persistent debugger.

Computer Skills:

  • Unity: 12+ years
  • Maya (3D Animation): 12+ years
  • Video/Audio editing and production
  • Photoshop, AfterEffects

Synopsis

I have been developing games and apps with Unity independently since 2011.

Most recently, in 2022-2023 I was employed by NXRT Nekonata, a start-up firm making innovative Mixed-Reality simulations for the automotive sector. I was in charge of a team making a WebGL game to coincide with the launch of the new KIA electric SUV. I was also earlier tasked with designing the Android tablet control user interface UI/UX  for their mixed reality experience ( using UI toolkit) and I was also constructing environments and FX for their regular VR product.

Earlier, in 2011, I started my Unity journey by making educational/entertainment mobile apps for children, and then moved on to more challenging games and puzzle apps, and then branched out into apps for video manipulation and health-tech.

As autodidactic C# programmer , I’ve been coding on a daily basis for at least the last ten years.

I possess a comprehensive understanding of Unity, having delved into almost every aspect to successfully create a diverse range of functioning apps. Additionally, I have experience with various computer graphics software programs, including Maya, Final Cut Pro, and audio production tools.

Progression of Digital Skills:

  • MR/XR/VR | 2022-2023
  • Unity Development | 2011-2022
  • 3D Animation | 2008-2011
  • Art (Sculpture) | 1995-2008

Overall, my apps have accumulated more than 10 million downloads (plus approximately 20 million pirated copies).

I have deployed apps to multiple platforms, including Apple App Store, Mac Store, Apple TV, GooglePlay, Amazon Appstore, Windows 8 mobile, Facebook games, NOOK, Opera, and HTML5 web players.

I have successfully integrated In-App-Purchasing, numerous 3rd party plugins, and deployed my most successful apps localized with up to 35 different language translations.

I have experience with Vuforia, ARkit, integrated Augmented Reality with a map/navigational system, and also the Barracuda Neural Networking system.

For the KIAverse game I actually built a prototype version with a “Fortnite” style of multiplayer using Photon Fusion and deploying it on the Unity Gaming Services. This was quite difficult, but I was successfully able to modify the system to run on WebGL, which it was not designed for. This involved some fairly extreme debugging.

RedBull Mind Gamers also approached me in 2020, requesting to use one of my games, SNORK (now SuperCubic), for one of their challenges.

Commissioned works:

SNOREFREE

Designed and built a video streaming app for a speech therapist for training in how to stop snoring.

Built a sophisticated UI system in cooperation with a graphic designer.

THINKDIGITAL

Modified and refined a VR fly-through animation of the the digestive system of a cow for Dairy Australia for educational purposes.

Implemented the UI and voiceover.

DAYHOLI

Designed and built a 3D animation displaying their product for a potential VR cooperation with Emirates

Unity Skills:

XR/VR:

In 2020 I readied my game SuperTrains for deployment on the Oculus Quest store, requiring an advancement in skills, particularly in UI layouts and camera positioning. This experience assisted me in gaining employment at NXRT where we were developing advanced mixed reality simulation systems for the automotive sector.

Neural Network:

I deployed the Unity Barracuda A.I. neural network system to my Surrealizer videoFX app for standalone build, utilizing trained image recognition to separate human figures in the foreground from the background.

Character Design/Animation:

I’ve performed animation with both the MechAnim system and Legacy animation from Maya. Additionally, I have imported designed characters into an automatic rigging system in Adobe Mixamo and applied character animations for blending within Unity.

In the KIAverse game I used the Animator system to blend animations of autonomous robot.

In the latest iteration of Dinosaurus, that I was developing prior to employment at NXRT, each dinosaur had about twelve animations controlled by an Animator 2D Freeform cartesian blendtree, along with a range of attack and response animations.

Avatars:

In the KIAverse webGL game I integrated a webplayer from ReadyPlayerMe that enabled the player to create customised character avatars that could then be used in the game.

UI/UX:

I am at expert level in the implementation of Unity Canvas UI system, and have been becoming more and more fluent with UI toolkit system. UI is something I really enjoy working on. I believe my ability to combine skilled coding with my previous Art education has made me especially good at this.

Environment Design:

I’ve created many terrains using an array of shaders, including toon shaders. I’ve developed flowing rivers, spline-based roads, forests, etc. For my EarthMovers project, I implemented a system for excavating earth in real-time.

Lighting:

I’ve devised a workflow for baking lightmaps. For mobile deployment, I optimized lighting systems, often simulating shadows for better performance, sometimes using shadow blob projectors instead of real-time shadows.

ShaderGraph:

My app Surrealizer uses custom shaders developed in ShaderGraph, providing real-time input variance, typically involving inputting movies into texture channels and modifying UV or other inputs in real-time.

NavMesh:

SuperTrains in its most recent iteration uses a NavMesh system for tank and enemy soldier deployment. SuperCubic uses an entirely original A* pathfinding system.

Monetization:

I began with the free/paid model but have transitioned most apps to IAP systems on free games. SuperTrains features a system where players collect gold coins for access but can purchase coins in bulk via IAP.

Server Networking:

My app “Carely” involved tracking elderly clients, regularly uploading GPS details to an encrypted Google Sheets file. Carers’ phones would ping servers to monitor positions, alarming users if they left the designated area, automatically informing other carers via notifications.

XCODE:

Proficient in XCODE, I’ve published games to TvOS, MacOS, and IOS and successfully implemented IAP on these platforms.

Shuriken Particles:

I’m well-versed in Shuriken, typically purchasing existing particle assets and modifying them to suit.

Mobile Optimization:

I’ve optimized game performance through efficient code rewriting, reduced polygon use, and simulated light/shadow effects. Over the years I have learnt a multitude of methods to improve performance.

Localization:

My personal games are available in over 30 languages, including country-specific images in app stores.

Maya Skills:

I originally learned computer animation with Alias Wavefront Explore, the precursor to Maya.

I regularly use Maya to create assets for Unity. As seen in my short video “DIGGER,” I modelled an ancient steam shovel with polygonal modelling, involving the Maya MASH system for animated tank tracks and nCloth for stretchy steel cables. This required caching. I also used the MASH system for natural tree distribution on terrain.

Earlier Life:

As an artist, I was represented by Greenaway Gallery, one of the top private galleries in Australia.

My sculpture is present in several Australian private collections and has also been purchased by Artbank, a Commonwealth government art leasing program for contemporary art in Australia.