Timothy Johnson, PhD
Software Designer and Developer
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/twcjohnson/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/twcjohnson/
Playconomics 5 / 6 – LionsHeart Studios
Game Designer and Lead Developer
Multiplayer educational game embedded directly in a web-based e-book. Worked as a game designer and lead programmer:
- Lead level designer
- Designing user experience and interactions
- Backend economic model development
- Optimization, ensure compatibility across a range of browsers and operating systems
- Project team / management
- Scheduling and coordination
- Developing educational content
Play: https://playconomics.com
The Helorion Wars – Duck Hero Gaming
Game Designer and Developer
Personal project. Old-school inspired turn-based combat strategy game with modern features. Alpha release aiming for late 2026 / early 2027.
Features developed:
- Random world generations
- Editor tools for custom world creation
- Battle system
- Sound / music systems
- Pathfinding
- Fog of War
- GOAP AI
- Saving / Loading
- Random events
- Intro cutscene
Playconomics 3 / 4 – LionsHeart Studios
Senior Software Engineer
Real-time multiplayer educational game designed to teach University level microeconomics course. Developed:
- Microservice architecture with C# .Net and TCP communication for real-time multiplayer
- Back-end data storage using PostgreSQL with Marten
- In-game user interfaces
- Terrain systems
- Combat mechanics
- Documentation and code reviews
- Mentoring junior team members
- Building internal tools
BizLab – UNSW Sydney
Contract Programmer
Worked with researchers from the UNSW Business School on a range of behavioural research experiments including:
- Real-time multiplayer and asynchronous web experiments using oTree / Python
- In-lab experiments using zTree
- Facial and emotion analysis. Integrating Microsoft’s Azure Face tools into Qualtrics
- Virtual Reality experiments and demos
- Administrator control and data collection tools
Playconomics 2 – LionsHeart Studios
Senior Software Engineer
Gameplay developer for asynchronous multiplayer city builder economics game. Developed:
- Market systems
- Combat features
- Game interfaces
- Agent AI systems
- Cutscene tools
MGI Evolution – Impact Multimedia
Contract Programmer
Developed a Virtual Reality experience designed to demonstrate the Konica Minolta MGI Evolution printer to potential customers.
- Developed with Unity / C#
- Support for both Oculus Rift and HTC Vive VR
- Ported to Samsung Gear
PlayMed – LionsHeart Studios
Senior Software EngineerÂ
Designed and developed a medical simulation game with Doctors from the Sydney Children’s hospital in Randwick. Deployed in a university environment. Key features:
- Full customisable Case Builder tools for creating new levels inside the game
- Avatar builder
- Realistic patient examinations and administration of medicine
- Integrated real-world medical data
- Case logs and history
- Data collection
Cube Rush – Duck Hero Gaming
Game Designer and Developer
Self-published mobile game built with Unity / C# for Android.
- 140 levels spread across 7 unique themes such as fire, ice, portals and wind
- Pickup and move geometric shapes to guide cubes to the goal platform in each level
- Themed powerups that speed up and slow down time, spawn additional cubes, spawn additional geometry, etc
- Tips system and store to unlock additional powerups
Trailer: https://youtu.be/nAJoG6CgAQc
PlayCampus – LionsHeart Studios
Senior Software Engineer
A re-creation of the UNSW Campus designed to teach new students how to navigate and explore the grounds safely. Developed:
- Mission system
- Character control and navigation system
- Avatar builder
- External content loading
- User interfaces
Playconomics – LionsHeart Studios
Senior Software Engineer
Game designed to teach first year microeconomics students at University. Each chapter of the textbook was adapted into a level in the game.
- Lead gameplay programmer
- Economic models and simulations
- In-Game textbook integration
- Story writing
- User interface development
- Data saving and loading
Victorian Space Science Education Centre
Game Designer and Developer
Worked in a small team to develop several games and simulations for VSSEC’s interactive learning facility. Including:
- Season Search – Learn about the seasons of the Earth with an interactive tool
- Start Search – Travel through space to analyse nearby stars
- Time Search – Travel through time to learn about history
Key contributions:Â
- Team leader on multiple projects
- Interface development
- Designing and developing minigames
- Prototyping
- Building administrative tools
Chem Lab Alpha – University Project
Game Designer and Developer
A mod for Unreal Tournament 2004 (Unreal Engine 3) built as a group project while studying.
Worked on
- Level design
- Core gameplay mechanic. Collecting and combining chemicals.
Publications
Fidanoski F., Johnson, T. W. C., A Z-Tree Implementation of the Dynamic Experiments for
Estimating Preferences [DEEP] Method, Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance Volume
38, June 2023.
Johnson, T. W. C., Rankin J. R., Performance of a Parallel Multi-Agent Simulation using Graphics
Hardware, International Journal of Agent Technologies and Systems, IJATS. Volume 6, Issue 4,
2014.
Johnson, T. W. C., Agent Simulations on Graphics Hardware, Presented at the 2nd La Trobe
Computer Science and Computer Engineering Research Workshop, LaTrobeCSCERW ’13.
Melbourne, Australia, November, 2013.
Johnson, T. W. C., Rankin J. R., User Friendly Agent-Oriented Simulation Builder, In Proceedings of
the 8th International Conference on Information Technology and Applications, ICITA ’13. Sydney,
Australia, July, 2013.
Johnson, T. W. C., Rankin J. R., Parallel Agent Systems on a GPU for use with Simulations and
Games, In Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Computing, Information Systems and
Communications, CISCO ’12. Singapore, May, 2012.