Dave Ryley

Introduction # So I’m working in UI again. I cut my game dev teeth in UI. I entered into the Empire of Sin project as an intern doing some tool work before moving on to a couple UI screens. Eventually I became the UI Systems owner, having to deal with multiple platform requirements, constant iteration and rework, and just about struggling to keep up while learning on the go.

Also known as the Platform Engineer / Automation Engineer / DevOps Engineer The following is insight into these roles from Tom O’Neill, former Build Engineer at Romero Games, and currently Senior Automation & Tools Engineer at HundredStar Games. General Sentiment/Overview # These roles would be considered the most adaptable and transferrable skill-sets to have when it comes to software development in general, and is the backbone of the games development process.

Overview # The Tools Programmer builds the tools that the artists, writers, and designers use to build the game. Wait, doesn’t the game engine already do that for you? Well, yes and no. A Game Engine is a suite of tools that covers the basics of what you should need when building a game, but its impossible to make a set of tools that are tailored to suit every game being developed, and that’s where the tools programmer comes in.

The following is primarily input and advice from John O’Kane, a principal software engineer with years of animation programming experience, with my contributions sprinkled throughout. Enjoy. Overview # An animation programmer’s primary role is to take a character (or object) design and provide the code and systems that will bring it to life. This means a lot of talking with everyone involved:

Overview # The Multiplayer Programmer’s job is to make sure the game works reliably across a network. From setting up lobbies and matchmaking, to supporting the shared experience of all players over the course of a match. I’ve asked Peter Romanovsky, who was the Principal Multiplayer Programmer at Romero Games, to provide his insight into the role. Pros # Why might a student want to pursue this role?

Overview # The Graphics Programmer/Rendering Programmer is responsible for making the game look as good as it possibly can, while also making sure its within the performance budget for the target hardware. This involves working closely with artists to understand the target look and quality of the game, and working to find computationally cheaper solutions that still maintain that level of quality.