MICHAEL HUTCHISON
Austin, TX | ARTIST
| WORLD BUILDER
www.michaelhutchisonart.com
| mh@michaelhutchisonart.com
| www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhutchison
Experienced
Game Artist adept at leading and mentoring teams and individuals. Development
expertise in Environment Art, World Building, and Level Design. Acute
understanding of the tools and methods relating to 3D modeling, Texturing,
PBR workflow, and streamlining game performance through map and asset
optimizations. Development experience across PC and Console platforms, and
spanning multiple genres. Versatile developer accustomed to fast-moving
production environments.
PORTALARIUM,
Austin,
TX 2013 - 2018
SHROUD OF THE AVATAR: FORSAKEN
VIRTUES (PC, MMORPG) - Lead Artist
Live
since 2013, SOTA has delivered on-time monthly content releases ever since,
with no unscheduled downtime
- Created game-play maps, environmental assets, modular
kits, and props for use by development team
- Developed over twenty different template maps for
in-game land ownership by players, in eight different biome types
- Created housing and decorations to support robust
"sandbox-style" player customization of their in-game
property.
- Created world lighting for varied and unique
environments with fully dynamic day-to-night cycles and variable
weather.
- Provided leadership and mentoring to the art,
animation, and world building teams.
- Gave direction and feedback, conducted regular
reviews, and guided the visual decision making of artists and designers
throughout the iterative creation process.
- Ensured consistency of visuals and quality of
execution for art and map output.
- Trained and supported artists in technical
implementation of art into game engine
- Acted as the primary resource for company management
regarding issues and scheduling related to art and map production.
- Collaborated with Technology team on the development
of material shaders and game systems, as they
pertained to the production of art assets.
- Evaluated assets from a wide variety of external
sources for possible inclusion in the game, determining suitability and
whether or not they met aesthetic and technical criteria.
FREELANCE
ARTIST, Austin,
TX
2012 - 2013
VARIOUS PROJECTS -
(Contract)
Provided 3D modeling and texturing services for projects in the Computer
Games and Marketing industries. Projects included "Home Tycoon" for
PlayStation Home from Hellfire
Games, and mobile app development for corporate-customers at Somnio Solutions, Inc.
VIGIL
GAMES, Austin,
TX
2011 - 2012
DARKSIDERS II (PC, XBOX
360, PS3, ACTION RPG) - Senior Environment Artist
Assisted in optimization of maps and assets across two game zones to meet
performance standards. Involved in advance visual development for future
downloadable content. Released in August 2012.
WARHAMMER
40K: DARK MILLENIUM ONLINE (PC, MMORPG) – Senior Environment Artist
Sculpted and textured terrain, integrated structures and props, and set up
lighting for highly detailed and richly decorated exterior and interior
environments. Cancelled by THQ.
BIOWARE,
Austin,
TX 2011
STAR WARS: THE OLD
REPUBLIC (PC, MMORPG) - Technical Artist (Contract)
Focused on identifying areas for environment art optimizations, and assisting
with the implementation of environment art optimizations to meet or exceed
scene performance metrics. Released in December 2011.
UTV
IGNITION GAMES, Austin,
TX
2010 - 2011
FAXION ONLINE (PC, MMORPG)
- Lead Environment Artist
Created models, object textures, terrain textures, flora, and environmental
color and lighting schemes, while directing and overseeing the efforts of the
environment art team. Managed the outsourcing of environment art and
character art assets, providing direction and iterative feedback to four
different external groups involved in the development and completion of
concept art and 3D assets. Released in May 2011.
BIOWARE,
Austin,
TX 2009 - 2010
STAR WARS: THE OLD
REPUBLIC (PC, MMORPG) - Environment Artist (Contract)
Sculpted and textured terrain, integrated structures and props, and set up
lighting for exterior and interior environments across two game
planets. Created environment models and textures. Analyzed scenes for
aesthetics and performance. Released in December 2011.
NCSOFT,
Austin,
TX
2004 - 2009
TABULA RASA (PC, MMORPG) -
Lead World Designer '08 - '09; Senior Designer '04 - '07
Designed game-play worlds, environments, and creatures. Designed visual
points of interest and their related game-play interactions. Built
environments from start-to-finish using proprietary world editor. Created
proxy and finished in-game models. Designed mission scenarios according to
story specifications and game-play needs. Collaborated on broad mission and
game story arcs. Created and maintained thorough design documents. Released
in 2007, with regular updates into 2009.
PANDEMIC
STUDIOS, Los
Angeles, CA
STAR WARS: BATTLEFRONT
(PS2, FPS) - Art Director
SPECWARRIOR (PS2, FPS) -
Art Director
CODEMASTERS
YOSEMITE, Oakhurst,
CA
DRAGON EMPIRES (PC,
MMORPG) - Lead Artist / Lead Animator
NAVY SEALS (PC, FPS) - Art
Director
SIERRA
ON-LINE / YOSEMITE ENTERTAINMENT, Oakhurst, CA
RICHARD MARCINKO'S NAVY
SEALS (PC, FPS) - Art Director
POLICE QUEST: SWAT2 (PC,
RTS) - Art Director
LIGHTHOUSE: THE DARK BEING
(PC, ADV) - Lead 3D Studio Artist
SPACE QUEST 6: THE SPINAL
FRONTIER (PC, ADV) - Lead Artist / Lead Animator
GABRIEL KNIGHT: SINS OF
THE FATHERS (PC, ADV) - Animation Director
KING'S QUEST VI: HEIR
TODAY, GONE TOMORROW (PC, ADV) - Senior Animator
ECOQUEST: THE SEARCH FOR
CETUS (PC, ADV) – Animator
RHODE
ISLAND SCHOOL OF DESIGN, Providence, RI
BACHELOR OF FINE ARTS IN
ILLUSTRATION
|