Curriculum Vitae
Introduction
I am a highly motivated and qualified programmer who enjoys rising to challenges, capable of novel problem-solving and imaginative thinking with a drive and dedication to complete my tasks and duties with precision and care. I am an excellent team player, capable of meshing with an existing team easily and also capable of working alone while still giving high-quality work and meeting deadlines. I am eager and willing to undertake additional training deemed required.
Skills and Training
- Excellent grasp of 3D maths and physics.
- Experience programming commercial platforms such as PS2, PS3 and PSP.
- Proficient in C++ and several industry-standard graphics libraries such as OpenGL, DirectX and shader language Cg.
- Have developed and presented at Protoplay 2011 a prototype PS3 Move game that was produced according to specs given by Sony Cambridge.
- As a result of my Abertay MProf experience, I have experience working in an environment that is very similar to a real studio environment.
- Additional skills in Java, C# and Berkely Sockets using C.
- Experience developing with, and contributing to external tools and projects (used graphics and audio engines, contributed to Second Life client project and used Sony PhyreEngine ported to PSP and related PhyreEngine tools).
- Strong grasp of Object-Oriented programming practices and standards.
- Experience with artificial intelligence.
- Cross-platform development experience.
Education
2005-2009: University for the West Of Scotland
BSc Computer Games Technology (Honours, 2nd Class Upper Division (Skillset Accredited))
Honours Dissertation:
"Investigation into Genetic Algorithm Approaches for Procedurally Generated Content"
An investigation into governing the generation of game data using a Darwinian evolutionary approach.
2010-2011: University of Abertay Dundee
Professional Masters in Games Development (Presently Studying (Skillset Accredited))
During this course, I have worked in a multidisciplinary team of programmers, artists and producers to conceptualise, design, pitch and then develop games in a studio environment. For the first semester, we developed a 3D game based around a thief concept, where the player needed to navigate a maze of corridors, avoiding the guards and ultimately winning by opening the safe at the end. The game was developed using the Sony engine PhyreStation.
For second semester, we were given the task of developing a small prototype by Sony that could be carried over and fully developed for sale as a PSP Mini game. The game was part of the established Sony franchise MediEvil and the concept was Dan retelling the story of his heroic deeds in the form of tall tales to his fellow heroes that the player had to relive. It took the form of a simple 3D top-down hack and slasher with humorous dialogue and banter between the listening heroes and Dan. This game was also developed in PhyreEngine.
For the third semester, I and a team of 8 others, including two other programmers, 3 artists, a producer and a designer were tasked to produce another MediEvil game, this time for the PS3 and using the PlayStation Move. The game was a tower defence style game with Sir Daniel Fortesque on top of a high wall, shooting his crossbow at approaching zombies. The game featured a lightning attack, allowing Dan to charge a powerful area-of-effect killing spell by racking up zombie kills and filling up a brazier with souls, melee for killing enemies climbing the wall and a power shot for killing shield-wielding zombies.
We presented our game to the public during the 2011 Dare to be Digital Protoplay expo, where we received a very positive response from members of the public and from judges. Sadly, as we were not Dare entrants, we were not entitled to be entered into the prizes or voting for best game.
The MProf course has given me a great deal of preparation for a real studio: working to deadlines, communicating with a team consisting of different people with different backgrounds, delivering to a specification and presenting the result to industry and public.
Unfortunately, due to the use of Sony’s proprietary engine PhyreEngine, source code is unavailable for these games as I was required to sign an NDA stating I would not reveal or share PhyreEngine code. However, videos and screenshots of the games can be seen on my website.
BSc Computer Games Technology (Honours, 2nd Class Upper Division (Skillset Accredited))
Honours Dissertation:
"Investigation into Genetic Algorithm Approaches for Procedurally Generated Content"
An investigation into governing the generation of game data using a Darwinian evolutionary approach.
2010-2011: University of Abertay Dundee
Professional Masters in Games Development (Presently Studying (Skillset Accredited))
During this course, I have worked in a multidisciplinary team of programmers, artists and producers to conceptualise, design, pitch and then develop games in a studio environment. For the first semester, we developed a 3D game based around a thief concept, where the player needed to navigate a maze of corridors, avoiding the guards and ultimately winning by opening the safe at the end. The game was developed using the Sony engine PhyreStation.
For second semester, we were given the task of developing a small prototype by Sony that could be carried over and fully developed for sale as a PSP Mini game. The game was part of the established Sony franchise MediEvil and the concept was Dan retelling the story of his heroic deeds in the form of tall tales to his fellow heroes that the player had to relive. It took the form of a simple 3D top-down hack and slasher with humorous dialogue and banter between the listening heroes and Dan. This game was also developed in PhyreEngine.
For the third semester, I and a team of 8 others, including two other programmers, 3 artists, a producer and a designer were tasked to produce another MediEvil game, this time for the PS3 and using the PlayStation Move. The game was a tower defence style game with Sir Daniel Fortesque on top of a high wall, shooting his crossbow at approaching zombies. The game featured a lightning attack, allowing Dan to charge a powerful area-of-effect killing spell by racking up zombie kills and filling up a brazier with souls, melee for killing enemies climbing the wall and a power shot for killing shield-wielding zombies.
We presented our game to the public during the 2011 Dare to be Digital Protoplay expo, where we received a very positive response from members of the public and from judges. Sadly, as we were not Dare entrants, we were not entitled to be entered into the prizes or voting for best game.
The MProf course has given me a great deal of preparation for a real studio: working to deadlines, communicating with a team consisting of different people with different backgrounds, delivering to a specification and presenting the result to industry and public.
Unfortunately, due to the use of Sony’s proprietary engine PhyreEngine, source code is unavailable for these games as I was required to sign an NDA stating I would not reveal or share PhyreEngine code. However, videos and screenshots of the games can be seen on my website.
Interests
I am an avid game fan and spend time tinkering with personal code projects, with a view to one day publish an independant game. I study Tae Kwon Do on the weekends, where I have obtained a red belt and have an interest in contact sports. I have also experimented with game modding and level designing and made and submitted a level for Thief 2: the Metal Age for a contest in which participants who had never had a mission published were invited to create a level using a bank theme and within a strict size limit. I won 3rd prize and many of the users who judged my level commented that it had the best story and atmosphere.
Currently, I am developing apps and games for Android along with a colleague, in the hope of publishing an Android-iPhone cross platform game.
Currently, I am developing apps and games for Android along with a colleague, in the hope of publishing an Android-iPhone cross platform game.
