Michael Doucet

Production Manager at Smokebomb Entertainment in Toronto - previously at Get Set Games. Coordinated launches of Murdoch Mysteries: The Infernal Device, The Moblees App, Mega Jump 2, Storm Casters, and more.

[michaeldoucet32x]

Storm Casters (June 2014) as Production Manager

Storm Casters is what you’d get if Disney designed Diablo, and spilled it in a vat full of Spelunky and Hearthstone. It’s every loot-gathering dungeon-crawling, card-collecting fan’s next transit addiction. It’s quite simply the best two dollars you’ll spend on the App Store in a long while.

★★★★★ – Gamezebo

Lost and alone after escaping from your burning village, you find yourself at the entrance to an ancient and forgotten dungeon. With no way back, your adventure begins here as you uncover the power of the Storm Casters and conquer the mysteries below!

Storm Casters is an action-packed dungeon adventure game from the makers of Mega Jump and Mega Run! Find and collect rare Battle Cards to discover new spells, blast enemies with explosive elemental powers, and evolve your character to become a mighty Storm Caster!

The Battle Cards you take into the dungeon make every game unique!

Random dungeon layouts create infinitely changing floors

Secret treasure rooms, hidden passages, and devilish traps to discover

  Select and Evolve your character into new and powerful forms

Collect treasures from the depths and use them to upgrade your character

More than 60 Battle Card spells to collect, fuse, and power up

2 massive dungeons to explore, each with 50 fiendish floors

Over 20 different enemy types to discover

Intense Boss Fights!

What will you find when you cast lightning into the darkness?

[michaeldoucet32x]

Mega Jump 2 (Jan. 2014) as Associate Production Manager

Activate the crazy Mega Fever Mode!

Hundreds of awesome Missions!

Secret characters to collect with special powers!

Grab Lucky Prizes to win awesome items!

So much more!

IT'S BACK!

The spectacular sequel to the #1 hit Mega Jump! Bigger, better and more mega than ever before!

With over 4 million downloads and counting, hitting #1 on iPhone in 38 countries and #1 on iPad in 54 countries, Mega Jump 2 is soaring through the charts!

JUMP 2 IT!

Redford and his well-loved forest friends make a return in Mega Jump 2, along with some adorable new characters. Mega Jump 2 features a brand new game engine in which players jump, bounce and boost through beautiful landscapes grabbing coins, collecting tokens and dodging hazards. Get enough tokens and you’ll activate the all new Mega Mode, blasting the player gloriously through oceans of treasure.

One of the biggest and most requested new features in Mega Jump 2 gives characters their own skills and powers, helping players collect more coins, save themselves from danger or boost further and faster than before.

Mega Jump 2 also introduces Adventures – challenging mission sets that, if completed, give the player special and rare rewards. With 150 missions to complete, Mega Jump 2 gives players a huge number of new and exciting ways to play – and more ways to get an edge on your friends’ scores.

Mega Jump 2 introduces an exciting set of powerups that directly affect the game in significant ways, giving players more control over their experience. Combine all these new features with beautiful artwork, hilarious and lively character animations, a foot-tapping sound track, and you have a fantastic gaming experience that players of all ages will want to jump into once again.

[michaeldoucet32x]

Mega Run Android / Windows (Apr. 2013 / June 2014) as Associate and Production Manager

REDFORD'S EPIC RESCUE

Redford’s brother and sister have been kidnapped by a mysterious monster and taken far away! Take off  on an amazing adventure across multiple worlds and dozens of challenging stages. Find Redford’s lost family and discover new worlds to explore by following the trail of stolen coins and Forest Gems!

Mega Run – Redford’s Adventure is the long-awaited followup to Mega Jump, which has been downloaded by over 24 million people around the world!

In Mega Run, you’ll once again take on the role of Redford the adorable woodland-dwelling  monster, as he dashes across beautifully rendered worlds to rescue his lost friends and recover the stolen Forest Gems.

THE REVIEWS ARE IN!

The response to Mega Run has been absolutely phenomenal. Here’s what the interwebs are saying about Mega Run:

“This game will very much enchant you…and keep you happy the entire time you’re playing. Not just smiling, but genuinely happy.” Gamezebo

“It’s a joy to play and easy to get wrapped up in, just by virtue of how savagely it slays every point of design possible in a modern runner.” Touch Arcade

“Offers all the thrills and spills a side-scrolling platform game should” Macworld

“This sequel is not to be missed” IGN

“Mobile gaming done right” Inside Mobile Apps

“The Most Addictive Platfomer Yet” App Advice

“Great fun” Appolicious

“A fantastic auto runner” 148 Apps

“You’ll fall in love with Redford’s adventure” MoDojo

“So worth getting” GamerChica

“Mega Run is simply one of the best games on the platform” Apple’N'Apps

“Some of the best graphics I’ve seen in a platformer” App Chronicles

“Mega Run is a fantastic little game and I’d definitely recommend it to anyone” App-Score

“Mega Run is an addictive endless runner with non-stop super fun action and plenty of gameplay” Pad Gadget

“Mega Run bursts with life and doesn’t pull its punches” App Spy

“Best Free App of 2012 – 10/10″ The iPod Touch World

“It plays like Jet Pack joyride, New Super Mario Bros and classic Sonic.” GamerMotion

“The most adorable little platformer” App Judgement on Revision 3

Mega Run: Redford’s Adventure – Team Interview Reviews on the Run

A BRAND NEW ADVENTURE

Journey across astonishing and beautiful Worlds, each divided into 16 fast-paced Stages filled with multiple randomized routes, incredible powerups, and all kinds of hidden secrets to discover!

Mega Run is aiming to be a genre-defining game, bringing true platform gaming to touch devices, with intuitive controls and gorgeous visuals.

RIDICULOUS NON-STOP FUN!

One-touch gameplay – jump, float, boost and fly with just one control!

Randomized stages make the game unique every time you play!

Turn enemies into ice blocks with  Freezo!

Jet over platforms and enemies with GravBoots!

Unleash your inner monster with the terrifying Embiggenator!

Become a blazing comet with the ridiculously powerful Fireball!

Take on weird and wiley enemies trying to stop you in your tracks!

Blast through destructible blocks to collect gems and coins!

Launch into the air with powerful cannons!

Beautiful retina graphics!

Hilarious sound effects!

Challenges and special achievements make every stage replayable!

[michaeldoucet32x]

Mega Jump Retina (June 2013) as Associate Production Manager

Get ready to blast off on an epic jumping journey with Mega Jump! Collect coins, grab crazy powerups, and evade monsters to boost yourself to the edge of the Universe and beyond! 

Over 22 Million Players!

Mega Jump is a full-quality premium game that’s FREE!

Eye-popping cartoon graphics and beautiful multi-layered backdrops

Multiple worlds to explore!

Grab the Fireball and Super Nova Mega Boosts and hang on for a fiery ride!

Collect coins and stars for big points and huge combo boosts!

Upgradable powerups! Use the coins you collect to unlock items that make your player bigger, better and faster!

Turn into a Balloon! Strap on some Jump Boots! Become a Coin Magnet! Hover with the Action Umbrella or zap enemies with the Power Shield!

Multiple stages – try to reach the edge of space and beyond!

Reached the final stage? Try the Hard stages for an extra challenge!

Watch out for killer items and monsters that’ll stop you dead in your tracks!

Unlock all kinds of awesome new characters to play with!

Hilarious sound effects and a bumping sound track!

Regular updates with new features and upgrades!

Dozens of unlockable achievements for maximum gamerscore!

Online worldwide leaderboards with Openfeint and Game Center!

Compete with your friends on Facebook and Twitter!

And did we mention it’s FREE?

[michaeldoucet32x]

New School Blues (Feb. 2013) Producer and Co-Designer

Fact Sheet

Developer: YoyoBolo Games in Toronto, Ontario

Publisher: Untold Entertainment in Toronto, Ontario

Release Date: February 25th, 2013

Platforms: PC, Mac, Android, iPad

Available on: Mac App Store, Untold Entertainment Website, Android Store, Kongregate

Price: Free

Description

New School Blues is a free 2D family-friendly mini-graphic adventure - a love letter to 80’s and 90’s PC point and click experiences. Guide the New Kid through an eventful first day at school, solving puzzles and dealing with bullies and a frazzled teacher. This is YoyoBolo Games’ first commercial game and is born from a dedication to creating quality adventure and puzzle game experiences to the whole family.  Composed entirely of recent graduates, the team was incubated at Untold Entertainment Inc., and tasked with developing a polished adventure game using UGAGS, the Untold Graphic Adventure Game System, in two months.

Feature List

Funny and family-friendly story

Two playable characters

Fully voice acted narration

Playful and catchy original opening and closing score

10-15 minute playtime provides perfect storybook length for children

Quotes

“[A] good game to introduce the point-and-click genre to the small school child in your life.”

- Kimberly, critic at Jayisgames.com

“It’s a cute and sweet little game, with a refreshingly innocent story and setting. I enjoyed it.”

- Matt Hammill, co-founder of Asteroid Base (“Lovers in a Dangerous Space Time”)

“[A] cheery mini-graphic adventure that is probably perfect if you have kids to look after.”

- Chris Priestman, critic at IndieStatik.com

"A great game for elementary school students to play and relate to."

- Jim Whittington, grade 5 Toronto public school teacher

"I just love it!"

- Izzy, professional kid of age 4

[michaeldoucet32x]

On your marks... GET SET... Go!

So it's been a while.  Things have been busy - and that's a good thing I'm grateful for believe me!  So there's a few reasons for the lack of frequent updating:

Not pictured: reason for being busy

First off as you might know already the brunt of my time the last few weeks has been devoted to YoyoBolo production work and getting "New School Blues" out the door.  Along with all the operational stuff happening, I was maintaining regular updates to the dev diary which you can see at this link right here, creating and sending out press releases, and other stuff YoyoBolo's site can tell you more about.  Links are up on the site to download and play the game so make sure to check them out! :)

The second thing is a BIG thing: I got a position at Get Set Games!    Needless to say I am beyond excited and honoured to be part of such an amazing team.  This might mean updates to this blog will remain infrequent as I obviously am working my ass off at Get Set and there are a last few tiny things with NSB to be taken care of.  That being said, I hope you still join me on this crazy ride as I begin the next part of my journey in the games industry at Get Set Games!  I'm also looking forward to another jam at TOJam this May since Toronto Global Game Jam turned out so amazingly and to other potential projects with great people down the line.

Get Set Games barely needs an introduction for most App Store gamers out there.  They've made some of the biggest games for iOS of all time including Mega Run, Mega Jump, and Monsters Inc Run.  Their love of making and playing great games shows in how fun and polished each of their projects are!  Did I mention I'm excited and honoured to be there yet?  Check out their website here for more info.

Thanks for reading and following and catch you soon!

[michaeldoucet32x]

Happy New Year!

Jus a quick note to say Happy New Year to everyone!  Hope you all had wonderful holidays.  I'm back from a family visit and ready rock some more on New School Blues, which you can read all about at YoyoBolo's website at http://yoyobologames.tumblr.com!

We're looking at a mid to late January release, published through Untold Entertainment.  I'll be working on post-production and promotional type duties mostly now.

Another item of note would be I am part of a team for the Global GameJam happening in Toronto at the end of January!  4 of us will be creating a game so no doubt you'll see more of that by the end of January.

That's it for now, see ya :) 

[michaeldoucet32x]

Quick update

You'll notice it's been a while since my last update. Well that's because things at Untold Entertainment are busier then ever and YoyoBolo games is reaching the end of New School Blues' development!

But just in case you think I'm slacking I've actually been uploading content EVERY DAY (and psyched each time) at YoyoBolo's site: http://yoyobologames.tumblr.com.

So if you REALLY need a Mike fix or, more importantly, want to see the amazing things this team has accomplished in just over a month head on over. Thanks for stopping by. Regular updates will resume when NSB is locked and loaded.

[michaeldoucet32x]

NSB/YoyoBolo news and Hitting the Studio...

Hey everybody, things with YoyoBolo/New School Blues/Untold internship are hitting record levels of busy these days so there isn't much time to update my personal site.  But just to give a little heads up, here you go:

Last Saturday we hit the studio to do some ADR work.  It was great to watch Ryan, Alexis, and vocal talent Dexter work.  Dexter really brought the script to life and it was so fun playing around with different takes to see which fit the tone of the game best.

With sound done, now it's all up to us to finish the code and art on schedule.  It's going to be busy, but with every new piece we add it gets more and more exciting seeing it all come together.  Check out our website for more details at http://yoyobologames.tumblr.com/.  Better go for now, thanks for reading!

[michaeldoucet32x]

Vote for Black Hole Explorer!

Hey everybody, just a quick post to say friend and science game developer Damian Pope (@damian_pope) is developing a game called Black Hole Explorer that is friggin sweet!  Click on the link below and register to vote for it since it is up for a competition and again, is friggin sweet.  Seriously it has Stephen Hawking and black hole physics based space gameplay full of science goodness, you cannot go wrong.

https://nsf-scivis.skild.com/skild2/nsf2012/viewEntryDetail.action?pid=40720#

Just spent my weekend at Gamercamp and it was beyond amazing.  So many great games and great people!  Really inspiring stuff is happening and positive vibes abound.  I am stoked to be able to bear witness to it.  Stay tuned to YoyoBolo's site for more info on our first title New School Blues and thanks to everyone following on twitter, liking on facebook and commenting.  The best is yet to come!

[michaeldoucet32x]

Meet YoyoBolo and "New School Blues"!

Hey everybody, quick post since things are getting pretty busy these days.  While interning at Untold I've had the opportunity to co-found a development team and produce a game!  Our team is called YoyoBolo Games and you can learn more about us and our first game, called "New School Blues", by heading to our website at http://yoyobologames.tumblr.com/.  Here's a little blurb including how to follow us on various sites.  Thanks for checking it out! :)

"YoyoBolo Games have been developing titles for PC and iOS in the Toronto area since October of 2012.  We are dedicated to creating quality video game experiences that the whole family can enjoy.  Our mission is to bring engaging interactive experiences that invoke a sense of both fun and discovery.  Our current title “New School Blues”, a 2d graphic adventure, is set to be released December 14th, 2012.

Email us for info: [email protected]

Follow us on Twitter: @yoyobolo

Like and follow us at YoyoBolo’s Facebook page

Follow us at YoyoBolo’s LinkedIn page"

[michaeldoucet32x]

Know when to walk away...

I finally got around to playing Super Meat Boy the past week or so and like many I find it absolutely brilliant but also completely maddening.  If my neighbours didn't hate me already they do now because I can recall a few nights screaming until I was hoarse at that intoxicating but deadly son of a bitch of a game.

I've never killed such a cute thing so many times

For the most part things followed the same cycle.  I would be moving smoothly through, then I'd hit a level and just die ten thousand times and scream profanities until I passed out.  Sometimes I'd take a break for the night or a few hours, come back and nail it, sometimes I'd just soldier through and all of the sudden clear the level as if by magic.  My point is there were plenty of moments with me staring at the screen in almost complete disbelief that the level is even possible, and it seemed like just when I was ready to delete the game forever and cry into a pillow, I'd pull it off.

There is a special place in hell for these fans.

That was obviously satisfying, and the sense of accomplishment when you look back at older levels and see how simple they now seem makes the game that much more addictive.  But the other night I hit a few levels and just had enough.  I was burnt out.  The bragging rights (to myself I guess?) just weren't worth it anymore.  The stakes stacked so high against me that no matter how many breaks I took and tried to come back I was nowhere near closer to beating those stages.  It sucks because I got about 75% through (the entire game, not just light world).  

Screw this, I'm out!

I'm not faulting the game at all.  It's rock solid and it gave me the exact experience it promised so let me be clear that me giving up on it is me admitting defeat, not me saying the game is unfair or ill-designed.  I just had enough, and I can't help but wonder how many others may have done the same thing.  At what point does challenge turn from what spurs you on to what turns you off of a game?  I guess it all depends on your personal taste.  Not finishing a game always leaves a bad taste in my mouth though.

What about you?  Have you ever had to walk away from a punishing game?

[michaeldoucet32x]

Puddle pals

I was playing with a few friends on xbox live a while back and mid cooperative mission, bullets blazing over our heads and amidst us yelling over our headsets for help, I heard one friend say something unexpected.

"Dude, check out this oil puddle!"

Once our AI enemies had been dealt with we ran over; a few of us particularly annoyed since our puddle pal hadn't been where he was supposed to be.  But before any of us had a chance to really complain we noticed what his character was looking at: the aforementioned oil puddle.

Picture 4 video game characters, guns held at the ready, facing each other in a circle and hunched down close to the ground.  Just staring.

"That looks insane!"

"Talk about friggin detail..."

"Unbelievable."

By then the next wave of enemies in this escalation style game had started.  They flanked and exploded us into oblivion.

A lot of games get the big things right, and that's certainly impressive in itself and to be respected.  But the small things are what sticks out sometimes.  A minuscule animation can add so much humanity to a character.  The smallest dash of colour changes a stale pool of oil into a rainbow flavoured fractal.

What's a tiny detail in a game that blew your mind?

[michaeldoucet32x]

Disclaimer

My first week with Untold Entertainment is now done and if I can say one thing about it besides how much fun I'm having and how exciting it is to be a part of things, it's that it has been an immense learning experience so far and I can only imagine how much I'll have learned by its end.

Which leads me to my disclaimer.  I had originally intended to update this site with a weekly editorial but with how busy things have gotten in such a short time I know I won't be able to do that justice.  There will still be regular updates but much, much smaller ones.  Starting with this one!

Thanks for reading and for adding me and Untold on twitter and Facebook.  Amazing things are coming and I am so grateful and pumped to be a part of it!

[michaeldoucet32x]

An Untold story begins...

I am excited and honored to announce that I am now serving as a production intern at Untold Entertainment!  Yes, THAT Untold Entertainment, home of the one and only Sissy's Magical Ponycorn Adventure and the upcoming earth-shattering work of word and adventure gaming known as SPELLIRIUM!

I guess you could say I'm a little excited.

Make sure to check out the Ponycorn, Spellirium, and Untold links for everything they have to offer.  Please follow, like, favourite, and subscribe using the info and links below.  While you're at it, follow me as well to get the nitty gritty on the wild world of video game interning...

Follow Untold on twitter!  -  @UntoldEnt

Follow my intern adventures!  -  @UntoldIntern

Like Untold on Facebook!  -  Untold's Facebook page

Subscribe and favorite on youtube!  -  Untold's YouTube page

[michaeldoucet32x]

Like a fine wine...

Tastes certainly change as you get older, and that's obviously an awesome thing.  I still have a goofy nostalgic place in my heart for when I loved Korn, but now I find listening to it painful.  I thought rap-rocking about hating people just seemed so EXTREME, and I hadn't found the bands that were out there at the same time saying a lot more.

On the other hand, sometimes tastes don't change all that much.  I read Tim Schafer once said "what you love at age 8 just stays with you forever" (or something like that, sorry Tim) and I wholeheartedly agree.  When I was 8, I loved video games, epic movies, and Iron Maiden.  I'm 32 now, and I still love video games, epic movies, and Iron Maiden, and I certainly don't think I'm unique for my tastes carrying on this way.

MAIDEN! MAIDEN! MAIDEN!

Because some tastes change (like my Korn phase up there), think it's tempting for a lot of people to feel like even what we love loses its fun over time.  We're inclined to see most experiences as drugs: the initial high brings us to an apex we then continuously endeavour to reach again, but never do.  We feel immune to its effects after a while and compelled to do more and more until we wonder if we're even enjoying it anymore.  It all starts to feel the same.  We miss that thrill, and we dismiss it as a result of just getting older and that there's no way to get that joy back.

Oh fun!  Another generic world to save.

I'm sure most of you know this statement rarely holds true.  Some tastes do dull over time, and it's perfectly natural for some experiences to lose their lustre after the tenth encounter, but I'd argue if it IS dulling then it just means it's time to cleanse the pallet and try something a little different or experience an old favourite in a new way.  As long as we search for new spins on what we love I feel like we actually enjoy things more, not less, over time.  Our tastes get refined and we start noticing the little details that makes things great.  Our life experiences help us understand and appreciate the care and devotion creators put into their work.  I absolutely love that the more that I play and the older I get, the more I learn about and can appreciate games and their makers.

When I was a kid playing Wonder Boy 3 I thought the score was "radical" and the graphics were "tubular".  I still do (remember: what you love when you're 8...).  But that appreciation has increased exponentially over time.  I now think of the time and energy spent developing the game, the hours pouring over level designs, crafting sprites, and creating a gigantic seamless 2-dimensional world for kids to transform into animals, jump, swim, fly, and run in.  It isn't just a game anymore, it's a work of art made by many hands who put their heart and soul into something I could attach fond memories to and relive for a lifetime.  How can my taste for that possibly dull?  How can it not just get better and better with age?

Oh fun!  Another generic world to sa-hey wait this is awesome!

So what about you?  What have you grown out of and what has grown with you?  What's been dropped and what has been refined?  I'd love to hear it

[michaeldoucet32x]

Choices, choices, choices...

I've been staring at this screen for a while trying to figure out what to say since it's my first post.  Maybe I should make it epic and formal.  Maybe just a quick thank you for visiting, keep it cool and non-chalant.  But while I do take games pretty seriously, and am really grateful you're here reading this, I feel like what I really want to do is ask you a question.

Last night I was in an Xbox Live party.  My two good friends, who we'll call George and Burns, were enjoying some COD multiplayer.  George asked Burns if he had to show someone a video game who had never seen one before and it should represent what a video game is and can do, what would he show?  George's pick was COD.  Burns wasn't quite as decided at first but eventually agreed.  Then they asked me, and while I do have an answer, I realized in thinking about it that this question is a lot more loaded then I thought.

"Sonic IS way faster but Mario has that sweet moustache... Dang."

Let me first say that COD is a rock solid choice to represent a current take on video games in general.  It's a beautiful and technically impressive game that has just enough spectacle and visceral gameplay to keep you riveted.  On top of that it also represents how games have become a massive social experience due to coop and competitive multiplayer.  It's a wonder of design and pacing, each combat sequence meticulously plotted, each enemy carefully placed to spawn at the exact moment it'll make the game that much more exciting and challenging.  All in all, COD wouldn't be a bad call to show to Encino Man and say "Hey:  This is a video game.  Pretty sweet, huh?"

GONZAGAS

My choice was Super Mario Galaxy though.  It's not that I think it's the greatest game ever, though I'd argue it's certainly up there, I just think it fuses elements of classic and current game design so effectively.  It's distilled, pure, clever, unadulterated fun, like a Pixar movie you can play.  The controls are tight, the visuals are appealing, and it's accessible to almost anyone.  It's challenging enough for an inexperienced player, and hardcore gamers also have something difficult to chew on should they go for every star.  Granted some people scoff at the kid-friendliness, but honestly if you put any grump in a room with that game where no one can see I guarantee they'll be into it, whether they ever admit or not.

"YEAH!  THIS GAME IS AWESsss..ful.  Yeah.  Totally awful."

I feel pretty good about my decision, but all three of us found ourselves wondering if it really was the best choice.  George and Burns started adding disclaimers: "Well if it was a dude above 20, I'd say COD.  If he's a sports fan, I'd say Madden, if he was a fantasy fan I'd say Skyrim, etc...".  But making allowances like that is a road that never ends and I like closure, so for me it always came back to: "No.  You get one pick.  One game.  Doesn't matter for who, they're just a person who's never played a game or ever seen one.  We don't know how old, what gender, what anything.  So you get one game, one pick.  Which is it?"

The wrong choice may or may not shrivel you to death

Like I said, I've got my choice, but I keep wondering if I'm missing something.  Some all-encompassing game experience that defines and reflects what I love about this art so perfectly.  I'd love to know if I am and what that experience is because even today with so many people playing games, most still don't know much about them and how far they've come, how much they can do and what stories and worlds they've created.  Most people just see a way to kill five minutes.  And that's ok.  But I can't help but wish I could present those people that one game that'll make them understand.

I'm picturing it now, I'm meeting someone for the first time, we talk about work, they mention how much they loved Mario Kart back in the day but aren't sure what the fuss is about with the "Skyrims" and the "Gears of Duty".  I wish I had one perfect no-fail answer for how video games are so much more then rules and victory and defeat conditions.  Instead I have five or more (Killer 7, Shadow of The Colossus, Silent Hill 2, Deus Ex, Spec Ops: The Line...) and by the time I get the first title they've already gone to the bathroom or "just saw a friend over there and it was super nice meeting you".

"And that's why Killer 7 is about everything ever!  Want a beer?"

What if we had a champion?  What if there was one we all agreed on?  Does this game even exist?  Is it even possible?  Probably not, but I like to think it just hasn't been made yet.  For now my answer is Super Mario Galaxy.  But what's yours?

Remember though.  One game.