mathew olson - portfolio

Oshi-Gokko

Original game and cabinet made for the 2023 New Arcade class. Oshi-Gokko is an asymmetrical competitive game where one player (the mega fan) chases the other player (the pop idol or "oshi") around a top-down city map. I was primarily in charge of the cabinet's design and assembly. All major pieces were drawn up in Fusion 360 and cut from plywood using a ShopBot CNC. Collaboration with Kitty Guo, Mashi Zaman, An-Kai Cheng.

Oshi-Gokko arcade cabinet Oshi-Gokko arcade cabinet, unfinished Cabinet drawing in Fusion 360 Close up of joystick and illuminated buttons

For Amusement Only

VR storytelling project featuring a custom-built pinball controller, a mock neural interface wristband, and an illuminated sign. Programmed in Unity with use of the Oculus SDK, plus heavy use of 3D printing and vinyl wrap techniques in the design of the accessories. I designed the seven-segment display in the sign to include a hidden infrared message viewable only through a VR headset's passthrough cameras.

For Amusement Only installation at ITP Winter Show 2023 For Amusement Only pinball controller

Playces

My ITP thesis project. A three-part collection exploring level design and the sense of place created by famous maps from '90s and 2000's FPS games.

Foamcore models of objects from cs_office blood gulch kinectic statue close up of blood gulch piece Dust from Counter-Strike walking tour

There Is a Hole

Minimalist Bitsy game, available to play at my itch.io page.

Screenshot of a minimalist Bitsy game

Audio Reactive Gundam Helmet (RX-69)

Wearable 3D printed helmet for a performance at ITP and Friends. Based off of the RX-78 design from the original Mobile Suit Gundam. Collaboration with Jess Shen on the lights and programming.

Gundam helmet, close up Gundam helmet worn on stage at Wonderville

Crab Mouse

Modified hardware made during the 2024 Stupid Hackathon. A mouse designed for letting humans surf the web like crabs (you pinch both buttons in to click, it moves easier side-to-side). A companion piece to Brent Bailey's Crabify browser extension.

Ergonomic crab mouse

Omega Stump

Unity game and original Teensy-powered controller. 3D models and texture assets made from scratch using Blender and Photoshop. Shown at 2023's Brooklyn Alt-Ctrl Showcase at Wonderville.

Close up of the Omega Stump controller Omega Stump with hammer and laptop Omega Stump in action Omega Stump attract screen

K5 Robot Visual Journalism Piece

Researched and wrote an article on the K5 robot used by the NYPD in Fall 2023. Also sculpted and textured the piece's 3D model of the robot. Collaboration with Jane Cheng and Athena Zhou.

Close up of the K5 model in the article K5 model animated turnaround

Reptilia PCB

Project for a class called Homemade Hardware. Custom PCB designed in EAGLE and milled using an Othermill CNC. Contains circuitry for two guitar distortional pedals for altering the sound output of an Arduino Uno playing a MIDI of "Reptilia" by The Strokes.

Custom PCB with logo for the band The Strokes

CARPG

Created low-poly, low-resolution 3D assets for this prototype RPG combat system (itch.io link). Made for a class at the NYU Game Center. Collaboration with Mashi Zaman.

Picture of the player vehicle from the CARPG demo

Want to know more about any of these projects? Email me!