Michael Forbes
Game Designer | Producer | Programmer
About Me
I am a game design student perusing my Bachelor's of Arts in Game Design. My focus is on systems and user experience design, as well as production. I also have a background in computer programming. I am an Eagle Scout and served as Lodge Chief for Nisqually Lodge #155.
Professional Projects
Escape Velocity is a 3-D cooperative on-rails shooter where both players must work together to manage their ammunition while trying to escape an enemy space ship.
The team was made up of one designer, three programmers, two artists, and one music and sound designer. Who worked on the game for 10 weeks.
Worked with the Executive Producer to relay expectations and requirements to the team.
Planned and ran all regular team meetings and all special team events.
Designed, procured assets for, and implemented a finalized and shippable UI.
Escape Velocity (Tactical Affairs)
Co-op On-Rails Shooter
Producer/Designer
Student Projects
Gemini
Wave Based Arena Brawler
Designer
Gemini is a 3-D action combat game where players must fight waves of enemies in an arena to achieve the highest score possible.
The team was made up of 1 programmer, and 2 designers.
Created the arena that players move through during gameplay.
Upgraded basic enemy AI to use behavior trees and have more complex behaviors.
Created a wave spawning system using regions to have random but engaging combat encounters.
GRoMANCER is an Automation-Farming Dating-Sim, where the player takes on the role of a magical farmer, and creates a farm that automatically produced products that can be given to NPCs to progress in a romantic relationship. It was made in Unreal Engine 5.
The team is made up of 19 people. The project was worked on over two semesters with seven artists, one audio student, four designers, and five programmers in the first. In between semesters we had one programmer leave the team and hired an additional programmer and artist.
Facilitated communication between different disciplines.
Communicated with instructors on specific requirements pertaining to this project.
GRoMANCER
Automation-Farming Dating-Sim
Co-Producer/UX Designer
Silly Little Smackdown is a two player card game designed to be a digital collectible card game. It was made as a physical game and moved into custom engine. The physical prototype was published on DriveThruRPG as a print and play game.
The team was made up of seven people. The project was worked on over two semesters, the first one had programmers make the engine, then the second semester the designers and an additional programmer joined the team and started work on the game.
Hired team members to aid in the development of a game in a custom C++ based engine.
Communicated with producers from other game teams in order to share information and aid each other.
Created underlying systems in card mechanics to enable cohesive game feel.
Silly Little Smackdown
Two Player Card Game
Producer/Design Lead
.EXECalibur is a Boom-Shooter inspire Hack n’ Slash game, where the player fights through a dystopia city while being watched and hunted by the authorities.
The team was made up of five designers, who worked on the project for five weeks.
Organized a team of designers to create a full gaming experience in a short time span.
Communicated with instructors to get assistance and verify work was up to the specifications required.
Distributed a casting call for voice actors, reviewed submissions, and ran the recording session as voice director.
.EXECalibur
Boomer-Shooter Hack n’ Slash
Producer/UX Designer
Labyrinthine Dread is a top down 2-D horror game where the player must escape their laboratory while managing the fuel in their lantern.
The team was made up of three designers, who worked on the project for 15 weeks. Then we continued working to the project to get it published on Steam.
Implemented roaming, fleeing, and chasing behaviors for enemy AI (C#).
Composed all music within the game, including running a recording session with a live pianist.
Lead the team in completing the technical and gameplay requirements to be able to publish to Steam.
Labyrinthine Dread
2-D Top Down Horror
Content/Tech Lead
Contact Me
Want to know more about any of my projects or about me?