Michael Bartnett

Update (10/8/2010): Deceptive Platformer: BABYCASTLES EDITION is the build that we had on display for Babycastles at Chashama. It takes the newer music system, but retains the old sequence of 4 stages. We know you love that last jump at the end–it’s back! Also, we had tried to make a less obvious name than Deceptive Platformer, but Reverser never seemed to stick.

Here is the game I’ve been working on polishing for the last couple of weeks.  Reverser Deceptive Platformer started as a Global Game Jam game, winning Best Overall Game at the NYU Jam Site. You can check out our GGJ Profile, play the old version, or click the link below this screenshot to play the latest version. If you play the work in progress, be sure to see what happens if you keep falling off the platforms during the first couple of levels. If you manage to get to the advanced levels, I’m afraid the “finale” music will loop continuously, as these levels were added to the build after the music states had been written.

Click Here To Play Work-In-Progress Version of Reverser

In Spring 2009 I took Audio for Video I with Langdon Crawford. Our final project was to recreate the sound for a 5 minute clip from a movie, so I chose an action sequence from Hancock. My onlyregret was that I didn’t have time to score the movie myself (there were a LOT of muzzle flashes to cover), so I chose music from a couple of my favorite game composers as temp tracks. Then again a lot of the bullet shots are a little too hot, and I could use a few more pings . . . but anyway, be sure to watch the second half! Brendan McGrady did an incredible job voicing Eddie Marsan’s character.

Hancock Soundtrack Reconstruction from Michael Bartnett on Vimeo.

WaterAid Mixology is a sound composer/visualizer application on Facebook in which players collect sounds and build and share songs while supporting the efforts of WaterAid.

Recently I composed 42 looped music stems to be included as an “instrument” with others that players can use to create their own songs. These songs can then be shared with friends to be included on other songs, making a sort of sandbox remix community in your friend network that spread awareness about WaterAid’s projects and mission.

My friend, Ema Ryan, had been working with the online video project, 8 Billion Lives, making a beautiful film about her grandfather. As a followup, she filmed and interviewed David Burke, the famous chef and restauranteur. She needed some music, so I composed some cues that I thought would highlight Mr. Burke’s unique combination of sophistication, wise-cracking humor, and down-to-earth love for cooking. The video has since been taking offline, but I still have the track up on Soundcloud.