Greetings

Welcome to Michael's portfolio site. I'm a multi-faceted IT Specialist with a strong affinity for the elegance of code.

While I have decades of experience in server and network administration, my playground is in the world of algorithms, data structures, and elegant solutions. I'm a certified Unity 3D programmer with a deep-rooted love for the C# programming language that I put to use developing script driven component behaviors. The art of crafting software that simplifies complexities and enhances user experiences is my daily endeavor. Let's explore the realm of code together and uncover the solutions that power our digital world.

Skills & Knowledge

Unity Certified Programmer, Unity 3D, C#, Virtual Reality, Babylon.JS, RESTful API, Heroku Hosting, Github Pages
Visual Studio, Github, Postman, JIRA, Agile Methodologies
JavaScript, ES6, HTML, CSS, Bootstrap, Angular, Typescript, Node, Express, EJS, NPM
Oracle APEX, PL/SQL, PostgreSQL, Knex.JS, MongoDB
Active Directory Mgmt., Exchange Server Mgmt., SQL Server Mgmt., Terminal Server Mgmt., DNS Server Mgmt.
IPv4/Networking, DHCP, SMTP, TCP/IP
Personnel Training

Unity Badges & Certification

Unity Essentials Pathway

(2 Week Course)

Unity Junior Programmer

(12 Week Course)

Unity Creative Core Pathway

(10 Week Course)

Unity Certified Associate: Programmer Certification

Work Experience

2024

Data Center Technician - Front Range Staffing

480 server build project
Unboxing servers
Racking and wiring servers
Provisioning servers
Re-boxing servers
Tracking serial numbers and project status
Moving and organizing pallets of boxed servers

2023 - 2024

Lead Unity Engineer - Team Dream Walkers

Leading the development of the 3D racer "You Will Crash" focusing on programming the main engine, game loop and game mechanics.

2023

Unity Engineer - Team Dream Walkers

Lead the development of the platform game "Frog Frenzy" focusing on programming the main engine, game loop and game mechanics.

2019 - 2022

Project Delivery Analyst - Deloitte

Customized Deloittes proprietary Test Workbench reporting software written with the Oracle Application Express framework (APEX)

1997 - 2018

Director of Information Systems - The Villages of Indiana

Management of Exchange, Active Directory, DNS, DHCP and Terminal Servers
Managed the Help Desk
Handled Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 help desk inquiries and solved user, hardware and software issues
Ordered HP servers and hardware to build and maintain in-house server racks
Installed and maintained multiple server and desktop operating systems
Ordered, tracked and maintained IT equipment (desktops, laptops, printers)
Managed software licensing
Managed telecom contracts
Handled troubleshooting of various hardware, software and network issues
Creation of organizational units, user accounts, security groups, mail groups, Exchange mailboxes and assigning NTFS permissions
Configuration of Meraki routers for statewide VPN use
Configured our system to interface with state mandated software

2000 - 2002

Lead Developer - The Crimson Covenant MMORPG

Utilized C++ to customize the SMAUG codebase and implement our own world, areas, commands and puzzles.

1995 - 1997

Database Developer - The Villages of Indiana

Created and maintained a content management system (CMS) using the Paradox database and programming language

Team Projects

Dive into the realms of team-based innovation, where collective efforts spark brilliance. Working in collaborative teams amplifies the impact of diverse skill sets, propelling the convergence of unique perspectives toward a unified goal. It's here, amidst the blend of expertise and collaboration, that groundbreaking ideas flourish and innovation takes flight.

You Will Crash

Team Dream Walkers released "You Will Crash" 1st QTR 2024. Serving as the Lead Unity Engineer on a team of five, I developed the main engine and game loop mechanics utilizing an assortment of programming patterns including singleton, command and observer along with many others. I also developed an in-house track creation tool so we can rapidly create tracks for different levels. The game was crafted using the Unity 3D engine while attending the Indie Game Academy.

The game is available now for $5.99! To purchase the game, visit the links below.

Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.TeamDreamWalkers.YouWillCrash

Apple AppStore: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/you-will-crash-racing-game/id6475201070

Join us on Twitter (https://lnkd.in/ekSeBatK),

Facebook (https://lnkd.in/eyRhGHkP), and

Instagram (https://lnkd.in/eFmkU-Kh)!

Game Jams

Embark on creative sprints with game jams – condensed bursts of innovation where a team of developers fuse imagination with skill to sculpt captivating worlds within a limited timeframe. These challenges not only amplify technical skills but also spotlight the capacity to thrive under pressure, a hallmark of a seasoned game developer.

Frog Frenzie

Collaborating within Team Dream Walkers, a dynamic five-person ensemble, we successfully launched our inaugural game during a thrilling five-day game jam. Serving as the Lead Unity Engineer, I pioneered the creation of the tongue mechanics, employing a physics-based hinge joint, while also making substantial contributions across various facets of the project. The game was crafted using the Unity 3D engine while attending the Indie Game Academy.

Platforms: WebGL, PC/Windows, and Apple Mac.

Playable on itch.io

Solo Projects

Most aspects of these projects, including concept, design, programming, and more, were independently executed by me.
Some graphical elements were obtained from the Unity Asset Store and other asset locations.

Interactive 3D Music Visualizer

I wanted to see if I could utilize the BabylonJS 3D library with an Angular SPA (Single Page Application). Here is the result. Multiple interactive 3D visuals. You can even build a local MP3 playlist. I used the "Fast Fourier Transform" (FFT) for my audio analysis. I'm taking 8 different sample sizes and creating a custom banded data set to counter the lack of detail in the bass due to the logarithmic nature of FFT. This way I get good detail along all frequencies.

https://soundanalyzer.michaelcoons.tech/

VR Music Platform

This is a VR implementation of a Music Visualizer. It was recorded from an Oculus Quest 2 VR headset. It utilizes the XR Interaction Toolkit and the Oculus XR and OpenXR plugins. It was developed using the Unity 3D gaming engine.

That Tower Game

A 3D puzzle game designed for mobile that requires critical thinking to manipulate, match and remove groups, rows, columns and layers of matching items. It is event driven using custom Unity events, coroutines, singletons, delegates, queue based message systems and many more cool programming techniques. It is currently under development using the Unity 3D gaming engine.

Published Test Build

Vector Ball

Alpha version of a physics based Roll-a-Ball game. It is event driven using custom Unity events. It utilizes a stack based menu system and a queue based message system. It was developed using the Unity 3D gaming Engine.

Published Application

Dueling AI NPCs

Utilized ChatGPT to create two dueling NPC brains. It utilizes the OpenAI API and environment variables to hide the API key. It was developed using the Unity 3D gaming engine and inspired from a Unity tutorial.

20th Century Studios

Paying homage to the logo for 20th Century Studios. It utilizes volumetric lighting and Cinemachine for the camera dolly. It was developed using the Unity 3D gaming engine.

Schooling Fish

I created this project while exploring the logic of AI based behavior. It utilizes flocking AI behavior code to simulate the schooling of the fish. It was developed using the Unity 3D gaming engine and inspired from a Unity Learn tutorial.

Published Application

Conway's Game of Life

This is a simple implementation of the logic for Conway's Game of Life Cellular Automation. It was developed using the Unity 3D gaming engine. It starts with a random distribution of cells. I programmed it just because it's a classic.

Published Application

Chemistry Fun

Inspired from the series Breaking Bad. Just because I was bored. I implemented elements of the periodic table disappearing into the distance. This uses simple Javascript under HTML and 3D CSS transforms. Data is read from a local JSON file.

Published Application