Don Grout


Unity Developer

Montreal, QC, Canada
403-660-5542
dongrout@yahoo.com
www.linkedin.com/in/dongrout
dgsoftware.itch.io teammathiasgames.itch.io

Technologies

  • Unity
  • C#/.NET
  • Meta Quest
  • Oculus Rift
  • HTC Vive
  • Android

Certifications

  • Unity Certified Professional: Programmer

Skills

  • Strong attention to detail
  • Critical thinking and problem-solving
  • Adaptable, flexible, and quick to learn
  • Effective team player and independent worker

Experience

Unity VR Developer

Developed VR simulation training software to teach and assess nursing clinical skills in immersive environments. Built modular systems using the Model/View design pattern to support realistic patient interactions, procedural workflows, and dynamic user interfaces. Engineered simulations for medical procedures such as IV insertion, suctioning, and auscultation across adult and pediatric patient models. Optimized multiplayer performance, enhanced accessibility through localization, and collaborated with medical experts to align training scenarios with clinical best practices.

Developed VR training simulations for operating large mining equipment, with guided walkthroughs and open-world scenarios. Built a modular system for designers to create and adjust content within VR, implemented performance tracking for detailed reports, and added hidden "Easter egg" interactions for enhanced engagement.

Unity Apps Developer

Designed and implemented 3D home modeling features, enabling users to build custom houses with modular rooms. Developed intuitive wall creation/editing tools for straight, sloped, and curved walls, and improved door/window placement with drag-and-drop functionality. Updated UI for streamlined furniture browsing, integrating manufacturer catalogs into a user-friendly interface.

Unity Games Developer

Independently design and develop games across Android, VR and WebGL platforms, recreating classic titles and creating original experiences. Projects emphasize intuitive gameplay, creative mechanics, platform optimization, and immersive interaction, with several adapted for VR to enhance player experience.

The Most Amazing...

... software I create brings graphics to life through intuitive and immersive interaction.

Professional Roles

  • Unity Apps & VR Developer

    Nursing Simulation Training Software

    • Developed over 100 VR simulation features for nursing education, focusing on medical procedures (e.g., IV insertion, auscultation, NG tube suctioning) and patient interactions across adult and pediatric scenarios.
    • Built modular Unity systems using the Model/View design pattern, applied to control panels, wrist menus, EHR interface, Hook UIs, and supply cart interactions.
    • Implemented dynamic VR UI components such as tooltips, wrist-mounted menus, floating labels, and checklist systems to guide users through clinical workflows.
    • Engineered complex medical equipment mechanics, including IV infusion pumps, blood culture sampling, NG tube attachment systems, and suction regulators with real-time physics behaviors.
    • Integrated hardware feedback and sensors to synchronize physical object manipulation (e.g., IV bags, blood pumps) with virtual interactions and animations.
    • Diagnosed and resolved critical VR multiplayer synchronization issues, cross-platform exceptions (Meta Quest VR and PC VR), and real-time state desynchronizations.
    • Collaborated closely with medical experts and instructional designers to align scenario designs with real-world nursing protocols and best practices.
  • Industrial Training Simulations

    • Developed a VR training simulation for electrical circuit breaker maintenance, requiring users to select proper PPE, perform hazard checks, coordinate with a switchman, and complete a full racking procedure.
    • Designed a progressive learning system with three training modes: fully guided, semi-guided, and open-world, where task sequence errors resulted in failure, reinforcing real-world safety protocols.
    • Integrated real-world physical equipment with VR via sensors, allowing users to see and control live equipment movement within the simulation.
    • Built a VR inspection experience for large mining equipment, enabling users to teleport around machinery, inspect components, identify hazards, and interact with moving parts like doors.
    • Enhanced user navigation with guided visual cues and an animated robot demonstrating inspection procedures.
    • Optimized performance for both Oculus Rift, Oculus Quest and Oculus Go VR hardware, tailoring controls and visuals for platform capabilities.
  • Home Design Visualization Software

    • Developed 3D home modeling software where individual rooms were created as modular, standalone components and assembled like a puzzle to form complete house layouts.
    • Built a wall generation system with intuitive drag-and-stretch controls, enabling users to place, modify, and resize walls in real time, with dynamic dimensions displayed.
    • Engineered smart corner handling to automatically align walls at varying angles and thicknesses, including support for sloped and curved wall designs.
    • Improved the placement and duplication of windows and doors with real-time snapping and dragging mechanics for a smoother user workflow.
    • Designed and implemented complex triangulation algorithms to handle wall surface faceting, curved geometry, and clean joins between internal and external wall layers.
    • Customized a generic 2D triangulation library for 3D use cases, including extending end lengths for seamless corners and adjusting wall thicknesses to prevent rendering conflicts.
  • Unity Games Developer

    • Develop and publish small games on https://dgsoftware.itch.io, focusing on both original creations and recreations of classic titles like Pong, Breakout, Asteroids, Space Invaders, Diamond Mine and Tetris.
    • Design a highly customizable, modern version of Othello, supporting 2-4 players (human or bots), adjustable board dimensions (8x8 to 16x16), randomized tile blockouts, and speed-based Dash Mode with timed turns.
    • Experiment with innovative design techniques, including vector-line and voxel-based versions of Asteroids and Space Invaders, featuring dynamic destruction effects.
    • Revive and modernize older games, such as Alien Invasion, a resurrection of a 1999 space shooter, and create new original titles like Tank vs Tank, a head-to-head tank battle game.
    • Develop educational games like Mathscape, a multiplayer dungeon escape game that challenges players' math skills in a collaborative environment.
    • Recreate mobile games such as Unblockable and Ballz, adapting mechanics for fresh gameplay experiences.
    • Adapt traditional game genres into VR experiences, including the Unity Tower Defense Template (playable from a full-map or first-person perspective) and a Shooting Gallery optimized for immersive 2D and VR play.
    • Designed and published a suite of family-friendly games for young children using Unity (URP) and C#. Built intuitive, touch-optimized interfaces with Unity UI Toolkit and Input System. Developed reusable gameplay systems, browser-based text-to-speech, and dynamic camera/environment effects. Deployed to itch.io (WebGL/Android), optimizing builds for low-spec devices. Handled all design, coding, UX, and publishing.
      Available at: https://teammathiasgames.itch.io/

Employment History

UbiSim
Unity VR Developer

Dec 2020 to Apr 2025

Montreal, QC (remote)

ICOM Productions
Unity & Unreal VR Developer

May 2018 to Apr 2020

Calgary, AB

Picture This Today
Unity Developer

Apr 2017 to Aug 2019

Victoria, BC (remote)

Integrated Geomatics
AutoCAD Software Developer

Jan 2017 to Jun 2018

Calgary, AB

Accalia Accounting Ltd.
Microsoft Windows Developer

Jun 2016 to Aug 2016

Calgary, AB

Vista-Mustang JV Corporation
Website Developer

Nov 2015 to Feb 2018

Calgary, AB

Longhorn Geomatics Limited
AutoCAD Software Developer

Nov 2015

Calgary, AB

Vista-Mustang JV Corporation
AutoCAD Systems Management & Support, AutoCAD & Windows Software Developer, and Website Developer

Nov 2009 to Nov 2015

Calgary, AB

Wood Group Mustang / IMV Projects Inc.
AutoCAD Systems Management & Support, and AutoCAD Software Developer

Dec 2007 to May 2009

Calgary, AB

Upside Engineering
AutoCAD Systems Management & Support

Feb 2006 to Dec 2007

Calgary, AB

Cimarron Engineering
AutoCAD Systems Management & Support

Oct 2005 to Jan 2006

Calgary, AB

Catalyst Realtime
Graphical Interface Developer

Jan 2005 to Jul 2005

Calgary, AB

PROCAD Software
AutoCAD Software Developer, and AutoCAD Systems Management & Support

Jul 1999 to Mar 2008

Calgary, AB

AGRA Monenco
AutoCAD Drafter, and AutoCAD Systems Management & Support

May 1989 to Jul 1999

Saskatoon, SK

Education History

YouTube
git-amend, Code Monkey & Jason Weimann

Ongoing

Online

Unity Certified Professional: Programmer
Unity Technologies

Oct 2020

Calgary, AB

Android Developer
Udacity

Dec 2016 to Feb 2017

Online

Web Design for Everybody (Basics of Web Development and Coding)
Coursera

Jul 2016 to Aug 2016

Online

Software Product Management
Coursera

Feb 2016 to May 2016

Online

Programming Mobile Applications for Android Handheld Systems
Coursera

Jul 2015 to Aug 2015

Online

Advanced ObjectARX
Autodesk University

Oct 2004

San Francisco, CA

Computer Science Courses
Athabasca University

Oct 1998 to Jun 2001

Calgary, AB

An Intro to Programming in C
Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science & Technology

Oct 1992 to Dec 1992

Saskatoon, SK

Computer Aided Design & Manufacturing Engineering Technology
Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science & Technology

Sept 1987 to May 1989

Saskatoon, SK

Languages

  • English (Fluent/Native)
  • French (Beginner)
  • Spanish (Beginner)