01 About me

Michael
Compton

3D Technical Artist with 14 years across AAA game design, animation, tools development, and real-time digital twins.

I’m currently a 3D Technical Artist on the SAS Institute Digital Twins team, where I own the art production and technical art pipeline behind next-generation digital twins in Unreal Engine—and play a key role in anchoring our partnership with Epic Games.

SAS×EPIC GAMES/UNREAL ENGINE

See my current work ↘ Read the synopsis →

Portrait of Michael Compton — MICHAEL COMPTON // COMPTONIC3D Technical Artist

ArtStation Superhive Tabzoo Email

14Years in productionGames · Drone shows · Digital twins

3DArt productionModeling · Texturing · Lighting · Level design

UEImplementationUnreal Engine · Rigging · Animation · Interfaces

DEVPipeline & toolingBlender + Unreal plugins · Automation · Validation

02 Current role

SAS Institute

Role: 3D Technical Artist
When: Current role
Team: Digital Twins
Engine: Unreal Engine

SAS × EPIC GAMES // FIELD NOTESee what we’re building at SAS in partnership with Epic Games.

I’m a 3D Technical Artist on the SAS Institute Digital Twins team, helping define how our digital worlds are built—not only how they look.

The teamDigital Twins: We build operational digital twins in Unreal Engine: working environments for advanced analytics, designed to generate evidence, explore scenarios, and improve decisions before they affect the real world. Machine learning, computer vision, synthetic data, and operational simulation all run on the worlds we build.

Responsibilities

Art productionCreate production-ready assets, environments, materials, and lighting—modeling, texturing, and level design matched to real-world sites.
Pipeline + toolsDesign, build, and own the Blender and Unreal plugins that carry assets from DCC to engine, with validation at every step.
ImplementationRigging, animation setup, client interfaces, and technical art support inside Unreal alongside the lead developers.
DeliveryVerify scene quality, optimize, and ship under strict production timelines across healthcare, aviation, logistics, and security.

HIGHLIGHT REELSTANDBY

STERIL CENTRAL Norway · Unreal Engine

Walk the twin.

A real-time flythrough of the sterilization facility, built 1:1 from CAD drawings and site photos—wash tables, conveyors, instrument racks, and robotics.

STERIL CENTRAL // FLYTHROUGH · 01:47 · 3:1 ULTRAWIDEModeled, textured, lit, and level-designed to match the real facility.

Projects

Four deployments, broken down by project and my role on each. Captures follow along as you read.

01

Healthcare operationsNorway

Project

Steril Central

A digital twin simulation, built in Unreal, of a surgical cleaning facility in Norway.

My role

Modeling, texturing, level design, and lighting. I modeled everything from the doors and windows to the ceiling panels and details, wash tables, barriers, conveyors, instrument racks, medical instruments, wall props, robotics, and the finer details—then built out the level and finalized the scene to match the real facility 1:1, working from a combination of CAD drawings and site photos.

OutcomeAll delivered assets were used to find optimal routing for robotics and package flow, increasing the rate and quality of medical instrument sterilization in the facility.

CAPTURES07Tap to view

02

AviationDubai

Project

Dubai International Airport VIP Screening

A digital twin of foot traffic through the airport, built to help Dubai International Airport find the optimal sensor and security design.

My role

Modeling, texturing, level design, lighting, and implementation for both the “old” airport environment and the “new” airport environment—everything from the architectural design to the new floor-standing camera sensors, security desks, electronic devices, furniture, and props. I also supported the lead Unreal developer with other technical art implementation tasks.

CAPTURES02Tap to view

03

LogisticsComputer vision

Project

Enstructure Warehouse: Forklift Paper Handling

A computer vision project. The simulation generates marked renders used to help identify potentially dangerous and costly mistakes when forklift operators mishandle one of the large, heavy paper rolls.

My role

Modeled the warehouse, the various paper roll subjects, and the forklift mast and clamp attachments, and was responsible for the skeletal rigging of the mechanical pieces as well as the lighting of the scene. Worked with the lead Unreal developer to integrate the forklift rig as a Chaos vehicle, and set up all animations for the forklift clamp attachment. Created a project-specific client interface with full control over procedural generation of the warehouse contents, for a dynamic simulation experience.

CAPTURES10Tap to view

04

Border securityPoland

Project

Frontex Border Security Digital Twin

Unreal Engine as a simulation layer on top of satellite data, enabling the Frontex team to define line-of-sight points and identify potential security issues.

My role

Supported this project by making the building assets that were layered on the Copernicus satellite data. Also modeled and textured a UAV drone and a cell tower, and reskinned several assets to fit the Frontex design schema.

CAPTURES02Tap to view

03 2024—2025

Sky Elements

Role: Animator · Developer
When: 2024—2025
Work: Drone shows
Tools: Blender · Unreal Engine

At Sky Elements my role was split between show animation and technical development. I was building shows and animating them for clients, while building out a custom Blender plugin that gave other artists on the team new potential to take our shows to the next level.

99%Reduction in import and export times. Shows that took hours to move across systems now take a couple of minutes.

01

Project

Show animation

My role

I was the sole animator for many shows, and collaborated with other artists on bigger productions, including events like Lost Lands and the Outer Banks 4th of July event. Other productions included Blizzard, MrBeast, Boots in the Park, and our flagship holiday show—consistently delivered under tight deadlines.

HOLIDAY SHOW · 2,500 DRONESThe longest drone animation ever

BLIZZARDHoliday party at Knott’s Berry Farm

02

Project

Custom Blender plugin & show pipeline

My role

My most impactful work for Sky Elements was on the technical side. I built a custom asset library of show formations, created new ways of animating color across swarms, built new ways of modeling with drones, and reduced import and export times by 99%. Shows that were taking hours to export and import across systems, I was able to bring down to just a couple of minutes—which changed the game for us, letting us iterate more often and create better shows on tighter budgets.

04 2022—2023

Electronic Arts

Role: Senior Game Designer
When: 2022—2023
Title: Super Mega Baseball 4
Focus: Cinematics · Art · Tools

At EA I was a Senior Game Designer on Super Mega Baseball 4, working across design, cinematics, art, and tools. Much of this was done alongside marketing and operations, where I helped shape how the game presented itself both in and out of gameplay.

01

Project

Dynamic opening cinematic

My role

Principal designer of the dynamic opening cinematic for Super Mega Baseball 4, a feature that set the game’s tone from the first moment. I directed the cinematic pipeline, unifying cameras, animation, and lighting into a cohesive presentation.

02

Project

Legends & Legends League

My role

Designed the Legends feature, producing over 200 authentic character likenesses from modular assets, and owned the art and branding for the Legends League teams.

COMMUNITY · LEGENDSThe 10 best Legends in Super Mega Baseball 4

03

Project

Cameras, presentation & home screen

My role

Reworked the in-game cameras and presentations. Modeled, textured, and lit the main home screen UI, complete with dynamic character animations.

04

Project

Dynamic Sky Generator

My role

Created a tool that rendered all of the stadium skyboxes for the gameplay environments, so every stadium shipped with consistent lighting moods.

05 2021

Mountain Concepts

Role: Arch Vis · 3D Rendering Specialist
When: 2021
Work: Architectural visualization

For Mountain Concepts, I produced architectural visualizations for David Spear, taking high-level design ideas and rendering them into compelling 3D experiences for potential clients.

Architectural visualization of a modern mountain home at dusk, seen from the driveway — RENDER 01Entry approach at dusk

Architectural visualization of a multi-level modern mountain home with decks, seen from the slope below — RENDER 02Rear elevation and decks

06 2012—2021

Sony Interactive Entertainment

Role: Senior Game Designer
When: 2012—2021
Title: MLB The Show
Path: Game Designer 2012—16 · Senior 2017—21

Nearly a decade on MLB The Show, owning flagship features from early concept through implementation, iteration, and polish. I collaborated closely with engineers and artists to make sure gameplay presentation matched the ambitions of a top-tier sports franchise.

01

Project

Stadium Creator

The flagship next-gen feature that distinguished MLB The Show’s PlayStation 5 launch.

My role

Principal designer. I led Stadium Creator for MLB The Show on PS5, delivering the flagship next-gen scene-building experience from concept through ship.

PLAYSTATION · MLB THE SHOW 21Get the lowdown on Stadium Creator

COMMUNITY · MLB THE SHOW 21Field of Dreams

COMMUNITY · REACTION“The type of inspiration we need”

02

Project

Diamond Pack Opening Experience

My role

Product owner. I drove the design of Diamond Pack openings and other high-visibility moments, balancing clarity, excitement, and polish.

COMMUNITY · MLB THE SHOW 20First diamond pull

COMMUNITY · LIVE REACTIONMike Trout pull

03

Project

Road to the Show interactive mode

My role

Led Road to the Show’s interactive RPG storylines and directed its in-game cinematics, aligning narrative beats with gameplay systems and delivering continuity across long-term progression.

PLAYSTATION · PS UNDERGROUNDMLB The Show 17 goes full RPG

04

Project

In-game presentation & camera sequences

My role

Directed the annual broadcast-style presentation packages, cinematic cameras, and innovative replay systems that expanded how players experienced the game. I owned presentation tech—cameras, broadcast packages, and lighting continuity—to keep long-term progression feeling broadcast-ready.

COMMUNITY · FIRST LOOKStadium Creator gameplay

SONY SAN DIEGO · LEARN THE SHOWThe pitching meters

05

Project

Feature ownership, tools & mentoring

My role

Owned features from early concepts and prototypes through implementation, iteration, and polish. Earlier at Sony, I contributed to pioneering new design tools that streamlined how gameplay and presentation teams collaborated, laying groundwork that influenced years of content creation. I also mentored new hires and helped onboard them into cross-disciplinary pipelines. This is where I learned to bridge art, engineering, and design to deliver features that became core to the product’s identity.

07 Synopsis

Design intuition,
technical depth.

I specialize in leading and delivering high-impact experiences across complex, multidisciplinary environments.

As a product owner at Sony Interactive Entertainment and Electronic Arts, I directed and implemented flagship features including Stadium Creator, Road to the Show, Legends League, and Diamond Pack Opening, while contributing to the design and execution of front-end UI, gameplay UI, and cinematics. At Sky Elements I combined hands-on animation with deep pipeline engineering that powered large-scale drone shows for global audiences. Today, at SAS, that same mix drives the art pipeline behind operational digital twins.

What sets me apart is the ability to merge design intuition with technical development—creating the tools, features, and systems that unlock new creative possibilities. I bridge art, engineering, and production to turn dependencies into momentum and bottlenecks into strengths, delivering results that elevate both the product and the people behind it.

Unreal EngineBlenderTools + pluginsModeling · Texturing · LightingLevel designGame designCinematics

What I’ve accomplished

SAS Institute
Own the DCC-to-Unreal art pipeline for the Digital Twins team, including the custom Blender and Unreal Engine plugins that run it.
SAS Institute
Delivered digital twins for a surgical sterilization facility in Norway, Dubai International Airport, Enstructure, and Frontex.
Sky Elements
Cut show import and export times by 99%—hours down to minutes—and built the custom Blender plugin the animation team relied on every day.
Electronic Arts
Principal designer of Super Mega Baseball 4’s dynamic opening cinematic, and designer of Legends, with 200+ authentic likenesses.
Sony Interactive Entertainment
Principal designer of Stadium Creator, the flagship next-gen feature of MLB The Show’s PlayStation 5 launch.
Sony Interactive Entertainment
Product owner of the Diamond Pack Opening Experience; led Road to the Show’s interactive storylines, in-game presentation, and camera sequences.

+

Art tech toolsPipelineSAS Institute

Where design meets development

Unreal Engine & Blender Tech Tools Plugins

A custom plugin for each application that together manage the DCC-to-Unreal Engine pipeline.

My role

Designing, building, and owning the SAS art tech tools for both Blender and Unreal. The tools are used for modeling, texturing, prepping assets, injecting assets through the pipeline, verifying scene quality, and setting up Master Materials and Material Instances—everything required to deliver projects under strict production timelines.

Private portfolio

Michael
Compton