Hello.
My name is Michael.
I make pretty things on the internet.
I'm a Flash Developer, specialising in ActionScript 3. I've been working with the Flash platform for close to 2 years now.
I also enjoy pretending to be zombies, knights, gypsies,
robots and diplomats on days when I'm not writing code.
If you'd like to contact me about making pretty things for your business, band or propaganda department,
give me a call on +6421891670 or drop me an email.
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Toyota Showroom
Client: TVNZ [via Pitch]
Role: AS3 Development
A video player widget for Toyota Showroom on the TVNZ website that provides informational video
content on the latest Toyota car models.
All content is editable via an external XML file. The main carrousel menu is dynamic and changes
its layout and appearance depending on how many cars are present in the XML file.
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Olay for You
Client: Olay [via Pitch and TMII]
Role: AS2 / AS3 / Flex Development
I worked on developing various localisations of the existing Olay for You questionnaire for Olay Australia, French Canada and Russia.
I made changes to the product recommendation logic in ActionScript 2/Actionscript 3/Flex, as well as
functionality and language changes to the questionnaire screens. I also developed a Flex tool for rapidly double checking that
the correct products would be recommended to the users.
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Transend Worldwide Success Stories
Client: NZPost [via Pitch and DNA]
Role: AS3 Development
A map widget showcasing where NZPost supplied IT solutions and equipment to various postal organisations.
All content is stored in an external XML file. Locations can be added/edited inside the widget from a hidden menu, and new XML is generated
which then must be manually copied and pasted into the existing data XML file.
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3D Kiosk Interface
Client: Nokia [via Pitch and TAG]
Role: AS3 Development
An interface for touchscreen kiosks that displays 3D representations of Nokia mobile phone handsets and allows users to explore the features of each handset. My role involved creating the menu functionality in Papervision 3D.
I also built a custom framework for the kiosks that allows Flash animators to easily add in new static and video content when the kiosks need to be updated.
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2D Kiosk Interface
Client: Sony [via Pitch and TAG]
Role: AS3 Development
An carrousel menu that allows users to explore the features of Sony Handycams. I was working with another AS2 developer and ported existing AS2 code to AS3 for the carrousel functionality.
I also built a custom framework for the kiosks that allows Flash animators to easily add in new static and video content when the kiosks need to be updated.
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ZombieLARP NZ Site
Client: NZLARPS
Role: AS3 Dev / Animation
HTML / CSS / Graphic Design
ZombieLARP is an event where groups of players battle hordes of 'zombies' and is based on rules created by Zombie LARP UK. I created this site to help promote and provide a method of registering players for a live action zombie game being held in September 2010.
The site uses a number of Wordpress plugins, and allows users to share blog posts and pages from the site with their friends on Facebook. The front page features a custom countdown widget built in Flash ActionScript 3 that counts down the days until the event begins.
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Chimera 2010 Template
Client: NZLARPS
Role: HTML / CSS / Graphic Design
nzLARPS wanted a refresh of the design of their website promoting their annual Live Action Roleplaying convention.
I provided them with a HTML/CSS template that they were able to use to build all the content pages and forms for the site.
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Vineyard National Site
Client: Vineyard Churches Aotearoa
Role: AS3 Dev / Animation / jQuery
HTML / CSS / Graphic Design
The full package. Vineyard was looking for a new look and feel for their national site, so I designed and built a new one in Wordpress with the help of some plugins for advanced functionality.
Vineyard staff can log in and add/edit page content, blog posts and events using Wordpress' friendly interface. A map of New Zealand lists all
the Vineyard churches in NZ and is powered by Google Maps API.
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Finda Flash Banners
Client: APN Finda
Role: Animation / Graphic Design
A series of animated Flash banners to be displayed on NZHerald.co.nz in 2008.
Flash banners with complex animation/functionality and small filesize requirements are like trying to fit a hippopotamus down a garden hose; it's an art.
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But wait!
There's more...
In a previous life I was a graphic designer. Nowadays I find having this background makes it easier to work with graphic designers;
giving me the edge when making their graphics dance with the code.
From time to time I still make pretty art for people to look at; letting the messages contained therein seep in through their eyeballs to their consciousness
(or subconsciousness, if that's the way you swing). Keep scrolling across to see various examples of graphic design for print and web.
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Logo Design
Client: Various / Internal
Various logos for events and games.
All of these were designed in Illustrator, then brought into other programs for further processing.
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Promotional Poster
Client: NZLARPS
Role: Graphic Design / 3D Modelling
A promotional poster advertising a Zombie-themed Live Action Roleplaying event in September 2010. The event involves actual combat, with foam weapons and Nerf guns being used against players dressed up as zombies, as well as a big chunk of problem solving using interactive props.
The logo was designed in Illustrator CS4 and then brought into Cinema 4D and then rendered back out to Photoshop CS4.
The poster was displayed in Borders Albany and King of Cards on Queen Street, Auckland to give the event more exposure.
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1UP One Sheet
Client: Internal
Role: Graphic Design
An branding exercise marketing a fictional energy drink targeted at young people who like to play video games. The aim of the project was to create a logo,
can label design and a one sheet promoting the release of the product.
By drinking this stuff, Mario could keep squashing mushroom-shaped baddies for hours and hours.
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Beat That Thief Brochure
Client: Rotorua District Council
Role: Graphic Design
An brochure to inform people about ways they can safeguard against vehicle contents theft in Rotorua.
Rotorua is a popular tourist destination in New Zealand, with many attractions such as bungy-jumping, Skyline luge and various geothermal sightseeing tours.
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This is where
it all goes down.
Here you will find various experimental, proof of concept works & technical demonstrations in Flash.
Items in this section use fantastic interactive technologies such as ActionScript 3.0, Adobe AIR and Flex.
Some items will require a webcam in order to interact with the content. If prompted, click ‘Allow’ to give Flash access to the webcam.
Please note that these examples are in no way finished projects, and may have bugs or performance problems. They are displayed here to show some of the latest Flash technology I'm tinkering with.
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Beat Hero Flash Game
Role: AS3 Dev / Graphic Design
A rhythm game prototype in Flash that uses webcam motion tracking to control the game. The object of the game is to burst glowing orbs as they cross the red line, in time with the music.
A fast computer and 30fps webcam is required to play.
I wrote a custom interpreter for this game so that new songs can be mapped out in a third party Windows program called Freetar Editor. Songs are exported from Freetar as XML files, then read into the game with no additional data conversion required.
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When the game begins sure to move your body out of sight of the webcam, then click the camera
icon to calibrate the webcam. Safari users should wait 30 seconds or so at the title screen before starting the game, or the music will not play.
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Satellite Shooter Game
Role: AS3 Development
This is a work-in-progress of the defense game that I am building for a ZombieLARP event. Zombies spawn
and move towards the 'safehouse' marked in red. When they reach the safehouse, they begin to attack it. If they are not
stopped, eventually the zombies will destroy the safehouse and the game will end. Players can fire an aerial bombardment of plasmoids down
onto the zombies, making them explode into little pieces.
The game loads in satellite imagery extracted from Google Maps to provide a large playing field, and a local flavor to the game. The satellite imagery
used in this demo is of Clevedon in Auckland.
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Note: when the game loads, click inside the game window to enable controls. Controls are: Arrow keys move crosshair, Spacebar fires, holding X for 1-2 seconds cycles zoom modes.
Ctrl-click (or Command-Click on Mac) anywhere on the screen to spawn a zombie.
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