Michael Burklund
I have a pretty diverse background which I hope to continue to expand upon through further adventures, projects, and work in the future. My education was based in art, psychology, and culture. I like to approach new ideas through those perspectives by combining them to help enhance experiences for gamers and software users. On a personal level, I enjoy a variety of games, I am a sci-fi/fantasy junky, and I enjoy traveling and experiencing new places, languages, and cultures.
Resume
Education
California State University Chico
M.A. Interdisciplinary Studies: International Cognitive Visualization
2013 - 2015
Thesis Title:
Uncanny perception: comparing affective responses from faces with different widths and levels of realism
Université Pierre Mendès-France
International Cognitive Visualization Program:
M.Ed. Instructional Design (Master de Sciences de l'éducation - Ingénierie de la Formation)
2013 - 2015
California State University Chico
B.S. Applied Computer Graphics
Minor: Video Game Design
2007 - 2013
California State University Chico
B.A. Asian Studies
Minor: Japanese
2007 - 2013
Experience
Psyonix's Rocket League at Epic Games
October 2021 - Present
Analyzed builds for risk and wrote test plans to ensure the quality of UI for builds and features. Collaborated with the UX team on features, quality of life improvements and accessibility additions. Acted as area owner for UI and was a liaison between UIUX and QA teams.
Man Power Group: Experis Games
December 2018 - October 2021
Evaluated software for quality issues that would affect players experiences in games. Reported issues related to graphical errors, functionality problems, accessibility issues, compliance problems, and general quality of life issues. Also evaluated User Research builds.
Telltale Games
QA: DevQA and Player Support
July 2018 - September 2018
Tested games for problems that would affect players' experiences. Processed animation for any visual rendering or audio defects. Interacted with players to help them solve their problems or report novel issues to the development team. Tested on PC, Mac, Xbox One, PS4, Android, and iOS.
Projects
UberCold
P.I.G.Squad “gadgets” Summer Slow Jam
2018
Participated in a 1-week long game jam working with a small group of people developing a satirical shooter. Aided in maintaining a standard visual design and animation style that communicated the desired aesthetic.
Golem: AR Tamagotchi
P.I.G.Squad “gadgets” Summer Slow Jam
2017
Participated in a 1-week long game jam working with a small group of people on a Tamagotchi style AR game. Helped create assets that conformed to desired aesthetics and conveyed particular emotions. Also participated in UI development to enhance user experience. Helped present the project at a "Maker's Fair" held in the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry.
Uncanny Perception
International Cognitive Visualization Thesis Research
2015
Produced a 1-minute previsualization animation that was used in research on viewer perception of CG faces in regards to facial morphology and realism. Was responsible for all areas of development including study design, asset development, visual design, and data collection.
Skills
Wireframing
Prototyping
Research
Scripting
QA testing
Rigging
Motion Capture Wrangling
3D Modeling
Environmental Modeling
Software
Figma
Miro
AzureDevOps
JIRA
Microsoft Office Suite
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Premiere
Optitrak Motiv
Autodesk Maya
Autodesk Motionbuilder
Autodesk Mudbox