BIO

Michael Smilovitch is a Game Developer, Designer, and Consultant currently working for Unity Technologies. He has a BASc in Cognitive Science (McGill University), a Nanodegree in Virtual Reality Development  (Udacity), and Master’s of Digital Media (Ryerson University). He is also lead singer of the Progressive Metal Band Bird Problems.

Michael previously worked at Stitch Media as Lead Game Designer on the hand-tracking VR horror game Broken Spectre (2023). He previously worked as a developer on the multidimensional VR fantasy escape room game Flow Weaver (2021).

In the past, Michael has used Bird Problems as a platform for both his VR Dev and Writing. His Master’s thesis project was Bird Quest VR – a narrative-driven multiplayer comedic experience for the Oculus Quest. Bird Quest VR was supported by the Transmedia Zone at Ryerson University, and a paper written on its design was presented at ChiPlay 2019 and published in ACM.

When not enraptured by the latest subversive indie game, Michael is an avid writer of surreal fiction, poetry, and articles. His work has appeared in The Blasted Tree, Palooka Magazine, The McGill Daily, Radix Magazine, and Rough Draft. In 2017 he published a chapbook of neuroscience-inspired poetry,  and a darkly comedic dystopian novella to accompany the debut Bird Problems album.

GAME/APP DEVELOPMENT

Michael has been making games since 2016, starting with text-based adventure games using Twine and moving on to Unity, with a focus on Virtual Reality (Google Cardboard, HTC Vive, and Oculus). He believes that video games have the capacity to deliver rich narrative experiences. Michael has experience as both a Developer and Game Designer on VR projects.

VIRTUAL REALITY

Broken Spectre (2023)

A hand-tracking VR horror game for the Meta Quest. Michael worked as the game’s lead designer.
More information at gamesbystitch.com/games/broken-spectre

Flow Weaver (2021)

A multidimensional VR escape room game created at Stitch Media. Released on Oculus in March 2021. Michael was one was one of three developers on the project.
More information at https://flow-weaver.com/

BirdQuestVR Prototype (2018)

The first prototype that birthed the BirdQuestVR world. BirdQuestVR is currently being reimagined as an asymmetrical multiplayer game featuring with the support of Transmedia Zone. Follow BirdQuest on social media to stay up to date with progress!

Twitter: @birdquestvr

Instagram: @birdquestvr

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BirdQuestVR/

Download the original prototype here.

COLOVR (2017)

COLOVR is a simple app for Google Cardboard where a player can paint a number of different designs by launching paintballs. Paint cans allow the player to select their preferred colour. This was a group project completed as part of the Udacity VR Developer Nanodegree.

Click here to read more about COLOVR in “ARVR Journey”

WishVR (2019)

WishVR is a 360 video app developed for Make-A-Wish foundation. Become immersed in a VR film created for a young quarterback who wanted to experience playing with his high-school football team once again.

WishVR is available to download for free, check out https://www.wish-vr.com/ for links!

Color Land (2018)

Color Land is a series of minigames for the Google Cardboard. The mini-games are linked together by a surreal introduction poem and a landscape painted in Tilt Brush. This was a group project completed as part of the Udacity VR Developer Nanodegree.

Click here to read more about Color Land

Tilt Brush Exhibit (2017)

Tilt Brush Exhibit is an interactive exhibit for Google Cardboard. The exhibit offers information regarding the “Tilt Brush” app for Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. The exhibit space features several artworks made in Tilt Brush, along with a few secrets!

Nāga : The Gaze Maze (2017)

Nāga : The Gaze Maze is a gaze-based maze game for the Google Cardboard. Customize your snake, navigate the treacherous terrain, and acquire power-ups to defeat enemies. This was a group project completed as part of the Udacity VR Developer Nanodegree.

Click here to read more about Nāga: The Gaze Maze

TEXT-BASED ADVENTURE GAMES

A Glimmer of Taupe

“A Glimmer of Taupe” is an experimental text-based adventure game based on Milton’s 1671 drama “Samson Agonistes”. Enter the mind of a prolific chemist gone colourblind as he struggles to come to terms with his plight.

Click here to play “A Glimmer of Taupe”

Buzby

“Buzby” is a text-based horror-poetry game that aims to disorient the player. Words change and links disappear as Buzby takes you deeper and deeper into his insanity.

Click here to play “Buzby”

Bird Quest: Textventure

Choose from a selection of flightless birds with different abilities in this text-based absurdist comedy game. Can you survive a ruthless encounter with Mike the Headless Rooster?

Click here to play “Bird Quest: Textventure”