Ask a games programmer, again

[ParadigmShifter]

Was going to bump my old thread from OT, can't find it.

Console games programmer.

Here is our BAFTA:



I went home early that night and didn't do an all nighter

Here is some Germans enjoying that game, I hope they don't swear, in German, when they are playing it:


Link to video.

Sony just canned our recent project but we have another one, PS3 platform game.

 

[NickyJ]

What company do you work for?

 

[ParadigmShifter]

The one that did the game in the Youtube link. Not very big, been going for 17 years though.

EDIT: It's Magenta Software anyway. Our website is rubbish.

 

[Kyriakos]

Nice work, the engine seems good (graphics flowing ok). What else was your work to do in that particular game?

Also, does your company make non-platformer games as well?

 

[ParadigmShifter]

I did gameplay and tools coding in that game. That wasn't a platformer, it was a collection of minigames using the Buzz controller.

 

[Kyriakos]

Should have stuck with the video...

Another question: which old software company influenced you to get into gaming? (although you said that partly it was chance that got you from a math MA to computer software-related things)

I love some of the old companies like Delphine, Psygnosis, Ocean etc.

 

[ParadigmShifter]

Psygnosis is now Sony, so bumflaps to them.

I'm a Nintendo fanboi

 

[G-Max]

Question: why has the entire industry developed such a hatred for proper save functions? Games like Minecraft and Diablo II have fused save-exit functions (no exit without saving? NERDRAGE!!!), while first-person shooters now rely on checkpoints and ******ed Wolverine healing instead of the far superior save-whenever-you-want, get-some-first-aid-if-you-want-to-feel-better system. What up with that?

 

[Ayn Rand]

What language do you program in and how long have you been learning to program?

 

[Tahuti]

Question: why has the entire industry developed such a hatred for proper save functions? Games like Minecraft and Diablo II have fused save-exit functions (no exit without saving? NERDRAGE!!!), while first-person shooters now rely on checkpoints and ******ed Wolverine healing instead of the far superior save-whenever-you-want, get-some-first-aid-if-you-want-to-feel-better system. What up with that?

As someone who actually programmed games too, my answer is that first, it is relatively difficult to implement a safe-whenever-you-want system compared to checkpoints and second, it may be a design choice to enhance the challenge.

Now I'm probably nowhere near the level or experience of ParadigmShifter, but I'm sure he would concur with me here.

 

[ParadigmShifter]

Question: why has the entire industry developed such a hatred for proper save functions? Games like Minecraft and Diablo II have fused save-exit functions (no exit without saving? NERDRAGE!!!), while first-person shooters now rely on checkpoints and ******ed Wolverine healing instead of the far superior save-whenever-you-want, get-some-first-aid-if-you-want-to-feel-better system. What up with that?

Minecraft and Diablo are sort of an update to roguelike games, where you have permadeath. I don't like the "hide behind a wall" healing in FPS's these days.

What language do you program in and how long have you been learning to program?

C and C++. Started programming in 1981, in BASIC on a ZX81. Been a pro programmer for 17 years, after I went on a training course to learn C I already knew Pascal though from CS A level and Maths degree. First programming job was doing PS1 games, when the PS1 devkit was bigger than a PC is these days. Also worked on PS2, Wii, PS Vita, PS3. We did some XBox360 stuff but nothing that was released. Our engine does work on the 360 though. I also do Tools coding on the PC, that's C++ and some C# occasionally for GUI stuff. The stuff I do tools wise is mainly getting the data from 3DS Max into the correct format for the engine guys.

As someone who actually programmed games too, my answer is that first, it is relatively difficult to implement a safe-whenever-you-want system compared to checkpoints and second, it may be a design choice to enhance the challenge.

Now I'm probably nowhere near the level or experience of ParadigmShifter, but I'm sure he would concur with me here.

Yeah, it's more difficult to implement save whenever you want, you need to save the state of all entities, checkpoints is much easier.

 

[Mr. Dictator]

What is your favourite part of the whole process?

Do you mod in your spare time? (not counting Civ, though if you do, do tell)

If one of us had a good idea for a game, could you bring it to your company and see if it could be made?

Actually, what is the process that determines what game gets made?

What is the latest development in the industry that has excited you?

 

[civver_764]

How many hours a day do you spend programming?

How long would one have to learn programming before being considered for a "professional" job?

How long does it take your team to complete a game?

 

[ParadigmShifter]

I like maths and gameplay programming the best. AI stuff isn't bad either. Worst part is shuffling data about.

I don't program in my spare time at all. I only got a home PC in 2006

A game idea isn't good enough, you need some design docs and such. What we normally do is either pitch an idea to a publisher (usually accompanied with a tech demo - about a months worth of work say), or they offer work to us, we got an offer to do a HD remake of a PS2 game but we had to turn it down because we got another contract which needs more resources and lasts longer.

I don't get very excited about tech developments, sorry. My mobile phone still has buttons! AR stuff (overlaying graphics on a real world scene) is quite interesting, I suppose.

 

[ParadigmShifter]

How many hours a day do you spend programming?

How long would one have to learn programming before being considered for a "professional" job?

How long does it take your team to complete a game?

We work 10AM-6PM, with about 45mins for lunch, so about 7 hours a day including ciggy breaks When it is crunch time we do a bit of overtime, sometimes 11 hours a day? But not for very long. Sometimes we do an all-nighter but only when we need to hit a deadline.

These days you need to have a relevant degree (maths, physics, CS) but as long as you can program fairly well you can pick it up - maybe a couple of years experience? A finished demo is good too. Once you get a job you learn quickly.

It normally takes between 12 months and 2 years to do a game. A bit longer if it is for a new platform, since the engine and libraries have to be ported over.

 

[ParadigmShifter]

Look how hi-tech we are. This is my TV attached to a broken fan with gaffer tape. And on Friday, the owner of the monitor came in and took it away, cos the boss hasn't bought enough TV's.



EDIT: Also my mouse mat is an envelope, I did write "Kieren's Super Duper Mouse Mat" on it, in big letters, though.

 

[Tycho]

Is it an enjoyable job or one that you think back on and think "yep, probably should have thought this through"?

 

[ParadigmShifter]

I like maths, so I like it.

 

[Rashiminos]

Question: why has the entire industry developed such a hatred for proper save functions? Games like Minecraft and Diablo II have fused save-exit functions (no exit without saving? NERDRAGE!!!), while first-person shooters now rely on checkpoints and ******ed Wolverine healing instead of the far superior save-whenever-you-want, get-some-first-aid-if-you-want-to-feel-better system. What up with that?

There's a gap in the playerbase between those that like to save scumm and those that do not.

 

[GenMarshall]

What is the challenge of porting a console game to PC and vice versa?