Ask a games programmer

[ParadigmShifter]

Since there was a thread about new "Ask a" threads.

Small company, underpaid, oversexed.

Can't talk about current games under non-disclosure.

Can't talk about specific companies who produce the games for us, I'd get angry then.

I mainly do tools coding (getting assets from art into the game) but also do gameplay stuff when we need to hit a deadline. AI, 3d maths and C++ are my main skills.

 

[Ajidica]

I take it the job is not as glamourous as the legions of middle school gamers make it out to be?

What are the top ten things you would have done differently if you were designing Civ5 (or Civ4)?

 

[ParadigmShifter]

Nope. It's rubbish I like it because I get to do maths everyday, most of the time

 

[ParadigmShifter]

I take it the job is not as glamourous as the legions of middle school gamers make it out to be?

What are the top ten things you would have done differently if you were designing Civ5 (or Civ4)?

I only play Civ IV, I only got a PC just before I joined here, and haven't upgraded, so can't play Civ V. (I heard it sucks anyway!)

The interface needs an upgrade on Civ IV, and it is SLOOOOOOW.

EDIT: And I don't really do design, I just make suggestions which are often ignored.

 

[Quackers]

Have you ever put any fun secrets into the game? Like if you find some random orb you get to find a picture of yourself rubbing your naked nipples?
What is the craziest thing you've done at work?

 

[ParadigmShifter]

Nah, the secrets in our games are crap.

I keep trying to get them to put the phrase "bummed in the gob" into the game. I don't think they will.

I once formatted my hard drive by mistake, then went the pub (it was my birthday).

 

[aelf]

Can't talk about current games under non-disclosure.

What about games you worked on, then? What games should I get if I want to see some of ParadigmShifter's fine work?

 

[ParadigmShifter]

BUZZ! Junior Jungle Party (won a BAFTA that one ).

EDIT: I did the Z's on this gorilla!

 

[aelf]

BUZZ! Junior Jungle Party (won a BAFTA that one ).

Not my age group, unfortunately. Have you only done children's partiesgames?

EDIT: I did the Z's on this gorilla!

How much work is doing something like that? Does that take days?

 

[ParadigmShifter]

Nah, it took about half an hour. I made it all customisable and everything. No-one bothered to change it.

It involved trigonometry and stuff. Basically the Z's wobbled and faded out.

My first game was the PS1 conversion of this dreadful golf game

 

[Bestbank Tiger]

How hard is it to learn game programming? I can think of a few simple games I'd like to make but it seems like it would be hard to pull off.

 

[ParadigmShifter]

It's quite hard, there's lots of maths involved in 3d stuff and graphics.

C isn't too hard to learn but C++ is pretty tricky (to do right).

 

[aelf]

It involved trigonometry and stuff. Basically the Z's wobbled and faded out.

Nice.

Is this your first game programming job?

 

[ParadigmShifter]

Nope, I've been doing it on and off for 17 years.

EDIT: Whoah, just realised it's 17 years since the PS1 came out

 

[Joecoolyo]

What game was the most difficult to code (so far)?

 

[ParadigmShifter]

The first one (World Cup Golf), malloc didn't work and I was a total noob.

 

[Perfection]

Does makin' games sour your ability to play games or improve them?

Do you like to play your own games?

 

[GenMarshall]

Do you sometimes write patches to fix games?

 

[RobAnybody]

In light of Civ V & Dragon Age 2, two games I did not enjoy but successors to games I really, really enjoyed, I've wondered:

How much does the current game factor into a sequel compared to the vision of the Lead Designer of the sequel?

It seems like game companies would stick with "what works & was successful", tweaking it slightly, but what I've seen recently is radical departures from "what works & was successful". Who's responsible for that? Is it handed down from on high, or is it due to who's in charge of designing the game? How much freedom is the Lead Designer given to change the game when a sequel comes out? In general, of course - I don't expect you to address those two games specifically.

 

[Maniacal]

How do you feel about the games you make? Would you consider some of them decent games you'd reccomend to someone to buy or overpriced shovelware?