Hi, I’m MG Irvine, a passionate and versatile Game Designer and Developer with a strong background in art, storytelling, and interactive media. I thrive on creating engaging game experiences through a blend of creative design and technical development. Whether it’s brainstorming intuitive game mechanics or designing 3D models, I love using my skills to bring ideas to life.I’ve had the opportunity to collaborate with talented teams on game jams, internships, and academic projects, and I’m always excited to work with others to create something innovative and impactful. I’m eager to bring my expertise in Unity, Unreal Engine, C#, C++, and 3D modeling to new projects and continue learning from industry professionals.If you’re looking for a driven, collaborative designer with a passion for game development, let’s connect! Feel free to explore my work at mgirvine.com

Peaceland: Choose Your Memory

Entrepreneual Cooperative Education: A role-playing narrative-based video game set in a fictionalized post-conflict country, focusing on fostering empathy and understanding the impact of memories.

BUG BOX

Choose your friendly insect to grow in an immersive virtual garden through the Looking Glass Portrait.

Lethal Science Project

Rhythm bullet hell: Avoid swarms of light attacks from enemies and bosses, and absorb them to pacify the opponents.

INBODY

Play the part of a little white blood cell working to solve puzzles and cure the sickness inside the body.

BLINK

Balance using a limited light resource to scare off rats while depositing a puzzle piece to progress through levels.

Harvest

A simple scarecrow dragon shoot 'em up protecting his crops from ravens and bugs!

Kiwi Kaptain

Play as a Kiwi Pirate Captain, plunder enemy Chicken Ships for their kiwi fruit before you perish of scurvy on the open seas!

Raging Scales

A Web-based SHMUP Web Tech Final Project.

Fish Tank Simulator

Care for two types of fish by placing the correct fish food if they are hungry, or add a new fish to the tank if they are bored.

Skull Nova

Completely reskinned a default Unity game, using a personal theme and concept art to unify level and character design.

LETHAL SCIENCE PROJECT

Role: 2D Artist, Concept Designer, and Task Management
What I did:
- Designed mood boards, character sheets, & location references.
- Created concept art, 2D animations, & tile maps.
- Developed and updated task list and design documentation.

Resources used:
Unreal -> Godot & C#, Miro, Google Sheets / Slides / Docs, Procreate, Aseprite, Discord

LSP is a rhythm bullet hell game in which the player runs through tile-mapped dungeons with predetermined scattered enemies. While moving, the player must dodge the light bullets shot by each enemy and absorb them to pacify each enemy.Players are challenged by having to balance evasion and survival with absorbing consistently to progress the battle to its end. Due to the cooldown system, they are not free to absorb everything in their way without risk, and need to play it safe until the cooldown wears off.

BUG BOX

Role: 3D Artist, Concept Designer, and Programmer
What I did:
- Modeled and textured low-poly bugs with distinct modular features.
- Created concept art, emphasizing approachable and colorful designs to appeal to a wide audience.
- Developed gameplay mechanics: bug AI for omnidirectional pathfinding, dynamic interaction systems, and player-facing UI for customization and stats.
- Bug Box creates an immersive, educational idle experience that bridges the gap between virtual ecosystems and real-world empathy, bringing tiny creatures to life in a holographic world.

Resources used:
Unity & C#, Unreal Engine & C#, Adobe Substance Painter, AdobePhotoshop, Maya, Procreate,Google Drive, Discord

Project: Bug Box is a holographic simulation built for the Looking Glass display, designed to mimic the wonder of a virtual ant farm. Players can customize their bugs, observe their interactions with the environment, and influence their behavior in a playful, non-threatening way.Key Features:
Bug Customization: Interchangeable low-poly parts for beetles, ants, and grasshoppers, paired with customizable textures.
Interactive Terrarium: Bugs dig tunnels, navigate obstacles, and interact with feeding mechanics within a dirt cube environment.
Immersive Observation: Rotate the holographic cube for multi-angle viewing and hover over bugs to see their stats (e.g., age, health).
Day/Night Cycles & Biomes: Environment designs include dirt, grass, and potential desert or forest textures to enhance variety.

What I did:
- Lead Artist
- led the art team during concept, design, and development phases
- created moodboards, references, and sketches for settings and characters
- collaborated across teams to maintain a cohesive artistic vision
- ensured asset organization, naming conventions, and production standards
- contributed 3D modeling and Unity integration for various in-game assets

Resources used:
Unity & C#, Adobe Substance Painter, AdobePhotoshop, Maya, Procreate, Miro, Google Sheets, Discord

Project: A collaborative project to create a role-playing video game set in a fictionalized post-conflict country, focusing on fostering empathy and understanding the impact of memory on peacebuilding.
[IN PROGRESS] While I no longer work directly with this project, there're still cohorts of students working on our vertically integrated design.

Kiwi Kaptain

Project: Play as a Kiwi Pirate Captain, plunder enemy Chicken Ships for their kiwi fruit before you perish of scurvy on the open seas!
5-week-long group project for IGME450 Casual Game Development.What I did:
- Project Manager/Art Lead/team organization
- game design documents & production plans
- built prototype for player movement, collision, and lose conditions
- level and sprite design

Resources used:
Unity & C#, Procreate, Google Drive, Discord

↓ the prototype ↓

Link: Itch.ioProject: Play the part of a little white blood cell working to solve puzzles and cure the sickness inside the body.
7-month group project to raise awareness for mental health issues and self-care.What I did:
- Project Manager/team organization
- game design documents & production plans
- puzzle mechanics
- level and sprite design

Resources used:
Unity & C#, Procreate, Google Drive, Discord

INBODY

BLINK

Project: Balance using a limited light resource to scare off ravenous rats while carrying and depositing a puzzle piece to progress through levels.
Game Dev & Algo Prob Solving semester-long puzzle-based horror game.What I did:
- Art Lead/Game Dev
- character & level design
- sprites & animation
- object interaction code

Resources used:
Monogame & C#, Visual Studio, Procreate, Google Drive, Discord

Harvest

Link: Itch.ioProject: A simple scarecrow dragon shoot 'em up protecting his crops from ravens and bugs!What I did:
- player input & enemy movement code
- sprite & animations

Resources used:
Unity & C#, Procreate

Raging Scales

Link: Raging ScalesProject: A Web-based SHMUP Web Tech Final Project.What I did:
- sprites & animation
- player & enemy interaction code
- utilizing ES6 classes

Resources used:
HTLM, Procreate

Fish Tank Simulator

Link: Itch.ioProject: Care for two types of fish by placing the correct fish food if they are hungry, or add a new fish to the tank if they are bored.What I did:
-obstacle avoidance & state transitions
-pathing and flocking code
-sprite & animations

Resources used:
Unity & C#, Procreate

Skull Nova

Project: Completely reskinned a default Unity game, using a personal theme and concept art to unify level and character design.What I did:
-concept art and level design
- mood boards, storyboarding, and an intro animatic
- player and enemy animations

Resources used:
Unity, Procreate, Adobe Photoshop

Fishy Shader Testing

Endless Runner

Game of Life

Viridian Fishing

Mystical Stars