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Emile Michalet

Game Designer

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What I like to do

Game & Level Design

I enjoy designing meaningful games with creative mechanics. And producing levels to put those mechanics to the test.

  • Documentation : GDDs, NDDs, concept docs
  • Using rational game design, loops, signs & feedbacks
  • Drawn drafts, grey boxing, level editing in engine (Unreal, Unity)
  • Project coordination, iterative workflows, QA

Narration

To me, storytelling is very important in video games. I think of narration and game design as a whole to build coherent games.

  • Writing scenarios, characters arcs, quests
  • Extensive and coherent world building
  • Environmental storytelling, coherent mechanics

Programming

I can easily switch to a more technical role and help with development to build games and prototype mechanics.

  • Experienced with development and scripting in Unity 3D/2D and C#
  • Experienced with Unreal Engine 5 and Unreal Blueprints
  • Object oriented and web languages (HTML/CSS, JS, Ruby on Rails..)

Projects

Island of Winds

Working since 2021 as a Game and Level Designer at Parity Games. Main project: a story-driven adventure game with puzzles, exploration and encounters (action gameplay) that is set on an island inspired by Icelandic nature and folklore.

  • - Design and documentation of mechanics, spells, systems, AIs
  • - Grey boxing, design of levels (both linear and open type structures)
  • - Content and narrative design: puzzles, quests, lore
  • - Implementation of missions and content, prototyping mechanics

Season Pass

Game designer & programmer on a student card game project made in 2021. Manage ressources and try to survive through the seasons as an animal in this board game. Beware of humanity's interferences though!

  • - Design of mechanics and concept with team
  • - Development of mechanics, UI, exchanges in Unity
  • - Balancing and QA testing
  • - Other tasks : UI design, content
More info

Chipwreck

A mini puzzle game about a lonely robot who ends up chipwrecked on an island. Made during Global Game Jam 2020.

  • - Design of mechanics with team, documentation
  • - Design of the puzzles and the level
  • - Coordination with sound designer, artist and developers
  • - Integration of levels and art into unity
More info
In Ignis Veritas map

In Ignis Veritas

Game and narrative designer on a student game concept made in 2021 (with Twine prototype). Try to prove your wife's innocence during a witch trial in this historically inspired stealth-investigation game.

  • - Historical research for the game mechanics & story
  • - Designing story structure and write scenario, characters, environments
  • - Quest design for a narrative prototype
  • - Building a narrative prototype with Twine
  • - Design and code in CSS/JS a UI for the prototype
  • - Participate in GDD (signs & feedbacks, matrix design)
More info

Other projects

  • - Fantasy artbook with extensive worldbuilding (2020)
  • - Dark atmospheric game made solo for a game jam (2021)
  • - Absurd party game made during a slow game jam(2020)
More info

About me

The Banner Saga
The Edge Chronicles

Ever since I was a child, I've been a fan of history and fantasy. And of Tolkien.

This started with literature such as The Edge Chronicles, Robin Hobb, Eragon and pretty much any Tolkien books I could get my hands on.

Then this spread to me playing games such as Warcraft, Assassin's Creed, Stronghold.. maybe a bit too much.

After high school, I spent a few years studying and working in UI/UX design and web development.

In 2019, I decided to push my appetite for interactive experiences and storytelling even further. I joined a Master in video games and learned to express themes and values into games.

I worked on multiple student projects, game jams and went on to work 4 years on Island of Winds, grabbing a few skill points in Game Design and Programming along the way.

The Banner Saga
The Banner Saga
The Banner Saga
The Banner Saga

As you can tell, a lot of my inspiration comes from my love of fantasy settings, but also from other interests such as: History, mythology, folklore, children’s literature, absurd comedy, philosophy.

My favorite games would be : Dragon Age (characters, world building), Stronghold (strategy, city building), The Banner Saga (turn-based, story).

In recent years, I have also grown a strong appreciation for indie adventure games such as Outer Wilds, Fe and The Pathless. Honorable mentions : Darksiders, The Witcher, Crusader Kings, A Plague Tale.