Welcome!
I'm Joel Davis, a 3D animator, illustrator, and game developer based in Orlando, Florida.
Most recently, I co-developed KeyWe, an award-winning co-op puzzle game. Click here to jump to my work on KeyWe.
Please take a look around, and email me at joeldinosaur@gmail.com if you'd like to chat. Thanks for visiting!
- Joel
Recent projects
KeyWe is a co-op puzzle game about two kiwi birds named Jeff & Debra, who work at the Telepost, a whimsical post office in the remote territory of Bungalow Basin.
Our 3-person studio Stonewheat & Sons developed KeyWe over 2 years. It released for PC and consoles in 2021, and was published by Fireshine Games.
KeyWe was awarded Best Family Game at Gamescom 2020, and currently holds a
"Very Positive" review rating on Steam.
KeyWe work
I wore a few different hats on KeyWe - click a section below to expand it.
Animation & cinematics
I was the primary animator on KeyWe. This allowed me to make bird bodies shimmy and shake.
Concept art & character design
The Telepost
In-game
Concept
KeyWe takes place at a rustic mail outpost, surrounded by wilderness. This concept was a main touchstone when designing our setting. I also staged and lit the in-game version, a recurring visual in KeyWe's cinematics.
I was the primary concept artist on KeyWe, generating designs for whatever needed visualization - from characters to user interface. These included 2D concepts, 3D character designs, and in-engine mockups.
Jeff & Debra
Our flightless protagonists had to be cute and readable, but it was important from an animation perspective to design them with solid underlying anatomy. In addition to 2D concepts, I also sculpted the base 3D model, which was then prepped and rigged for animation by Grant Gessel.
Cassowaries
In-game
The cassowaries were recurring characters that were also integral to several gameplay mechanics. We needed them to be able to read as both playful and intimidating, depending on the scenario. In addition to 2D concepts, I also sculpted the original 3D design, which was then prepped and rigged for animation by Grant Gessel.
Buck Hamm
In-game
Jeff & Debra's boss is a good example of how KeyWe concepts often had to be quick and sketchy, due to time. But from the first concepts, Buck was a team favorite, and we were glad our schedule allowed us to fit him into the game! In-game model by Grant Gessel.
Mailflies