Hi.
My name’s Matt.
I’m passionate about creating game systems that translate into meaningful experiences. I believe that games can contribute to a better world.
If you feel the same, drop me a line at matt@matthew-r-stevens.ca
Hi.
My name’s Matt.
I’m passionate about creating game systems that translate into meaningful experiences. I believe that games can contribute to a better world.
If you feel the same, drop me a line at matt@matthew-r-stevens.ca
I’m a game developer with a twist.
I am a programmer with a background in game design. I have experience developing commercial projects from inception to launch, and have designed learning games for the Red Cross, the United Nations, and the Canadian Government.
In 2024, I joined the long-standing world-class team at LBC Studios to explore a new codebase and learn from different perspectives on game architecture.
I contributed to the modernization of a legacy codebase, applying my experience with modular package development to help accelerate their pipelines for product re-skins. I expanded my knowledge in liveops server administration and database management, and implemented the backend for major A/B tests. I migrated core gameplay systems from pre-loaded asset bundles to asynchronously loading remote addressables to manage download sizes and improve memory optimization.
In 2022, I joined the indie superstar team at Rogue Harbour Game Studio as a gameplay programmer.
At Rogue, I contributed to projects from pre-production to release and live-ops. I independently managed projects and contributed to architectural planning based on game design documents. I worked closely with designers to implement core gameplay systems, features, design tools, and UI, and built modular packages for the company's internal libraries, using clean production-quality code. I proactively participated in a small team, quickly taking on increasing responsibilities and different tasks, and learning new skills as needed.
In 2017, I founded a learning game development startup called Lessons Learned Simulations and Training, serving international humanitarian clients from 2018 to 2022.
I designed more than 15 learning games with clients around the world, including Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
I carried out research on the global effectiveness of learning games and delivered courses on learning game design for humanitarian educators around the world.
I contributed to pre-production planning and architecture, implemented core gameplay systems, collaborated on analytics, and worked with designers to build data-driven tools. DTT entered early access in Q1 2023, with release in Q1 2024. I participated in optimization, fixed bugs, and provided technical feedback on designs. My favourite task on this project is defining the math behind all the zany projectiles the art team lobbed my way.
I independently maintained iOS and Android builds and releases in communication with publishers on a successful free-to-play idle title. I managed updates of gameplay and met legal requirements in different regions. On BillionAir, I developed modular packages for achievements systems, generator data structures, and analytics tools in Unity using C#, and maintain the live game. I also strongly encouraged liberal comic reference to the Dune universe.
I led the technical development of a prototype for an unreleased CRPG project. I worked closely with art and narrative designers to validate technical feasibility of proposed features, selected and integrated third-party narrative scripting solutions into Unity, extended scripting functionality in Lua, established pipelines, implemented greyboxing, and planned out system architecture. I loved returning to my narrative roots!
I contributed to the modernization of a legacy project, refactoring code to make it more modular and portable. Migrated core systems to load assets asynchronously via Unity addressables for memory optimization and streamlined content downloads. I implemented the backend for several A/B tests, including a new minigame and monetization features. You can imagine it was a creative work environment!
An in-progress portable submodule for point-and-click games, to support the goal of releasing a commercial narrative adventure game on Steam. The core module includes branching dialogue, multiple inventory systems, multiple click types, pathfinding, scene persistence, puzzle / minigame scene loading, and more. It also makes liberal use of frightening programmer art.
An experiment in implementing a 2D game engine from scratch, using C++ and SDL2. I started this educational project to maintain and strengthen my management of large projects, my skills in C++, and my understanding of game engine architecture. Who knew smart pointers could be this much fun?
In the world of ants, chaos reigns supreme! Two ant queens go head to head, commanding their workers to search for tasks such as gathering resources and battling threats. Grow your horde fastest or be wiped out. Frantic Antics is a couch multiplayer game built in Unity over an intense three days, prompted by the theme "stronger together".
Your brain is full of ideas, but not every idea is a good one. You have to grab the good thoughts and evade the bad ones so they don’t wreck your day, your job prospects, and your shot at romance. Evasive Thoughts is an endless runner with a narrative component, prompted by the theme "make me laugh". I managed the tech team, proposed the general project architecture, and implemented majority of the gameplay systems.
A rapid prototype built to explore a procedurally generated cave, using cellular automata and marching squares. Built in Unity using C#.
A vertical slice of a basic 3D action-RPG game, demonstrating the ability to design, organize, and implement larger and more complicated projects. Built in Unity using C#.
A high-paced clone of Asteroids, built in Godot with GScript, a scripting language based on Python.
A retro-style humanitarian learning game inspired by Atari and DOS classics, developed to learn SDL2 and basic principles of engine development in C++.
An eight-month training course on learning game design for humanitarian educators in Jordan. The training was offered in English and Arabic, and created with CRISP Berlin and Save the Children.
This project was funded by a grant from the Fund for Innovation and Transformation, the Inter-Council Network, and Global Affairs Canada.
A game that teaches rural communities in Rwanda to design and monitor FCAP economic development microgrants. Designed to be played by people who are new to board games.
The client was provided with 20 sketch game proposals, of which 4 were selected for full game design documents. This game was selected by committee to be developed into a complete training tool.
A game based on Maslow’s Pyramid of Needs, which teaches about the priorities and goals of different stakeholders in humanitarian crises. The game focuses on how conflict can arise between humanitarian actors, local governments, and the people they hope to serve.
Developed in collaboration with Untold Play.
An international research project on the effectiveness of learning games in the humanitarian sector, based on game-based learning workshops in Amman, Jordan and Nairobi, Kenya.
Sponsored by Save the Children. Findings presented in Geneva and Montreal.
A basic tool to for the dynamic construction and modification of a hexmap, for use in a turn-based strategy game.
A simultaneous-action educational “MegaGame” for up 25 in-person participants, built to teach humanitarian workers the underlying systems of ethical urban refugee response. Developed as part of an in-person workshop, delivered to multicultural audiences on four continents.