Networking Event in Tustin?

[gumionday]

Hello Everyone,

 

Just signed up to the boards here, been coming here for a while as a guest. But I just got my January newsletter from my school DeVry and they said that you guys are having a networking event at Auld Dubliner in Tustin on Wednesdays this month. I was wondering roughly what time is the event? I would love to come down and meet some of the Obsidian employees and ask questions about specific directions to head into in regards to programming. I am currently a student at DeVry going for my BA in Game Simulation and Programming. I would love to know what it would take to become an employee at one of the best RPG developers out there.

[Adam Brennecke]

It usually starts around 7pm. It's a bit difficult to know who to talk to at the mixer because there are so many people around, and on top of that I don't think any of our programmers go regularly. However, it is fun, and you can meet a bunch of cool people. If you have any programming questions, I would be happy to answer them here.

[gumionday]

It usually starts around 7pm. It's a bit difficult to know who to talk to at the mixer because there are so many people around, and on top of that I don't think any of our programmers go regularly. However, it is fun, and you can meet a bunch of cool people. If you have any programming questions, I would be happy to answer them here.

 

 

Thanks for letting me know, I am gonna probably have to pass this week, cause I have a DirectX Pong clone due by Sunday. But gonna make it to the one next week.

What is the main job of the tools programmer as apposed to the gameplay programmer? Like say for DSIII? How do those jobs differ? What aspects of the gameplay do they work on?

 

Thanks for taking the time to answer some of my programming questions.

Kudos on getting the chance to do the South Park RPG, it sounds awesome can't wait to play it.

[Adam Brennecke]

It usually starts around 7pm. It's a bit difficult to know who to talk to at the mixer because there are so many people around, and on top of that I don't think any of our programmers go regularly. However, it is fun, and you can meet a bunch of cool people. If you have any programming questions, I would be happy to answer them here. >_

 

 

Thanks for letting me know, I am gonna probably have to pass this week, cause I have a DirectX Pong clone due by Sunday. But gonna make it to the one next week.

What is the main job of the tools programmer as apposed to the gameplay programmer? Like say for DSIII? How do those jobs differ? What aspects of the gameplay do they work on?

 

Thanks for taking the time to answer some of my programming questions.

Kudos on getting the chance to do the South Park RPG, it sounds awesome can't wait to play it.

 

I'm not sure if you will be satisfied with this answer, but tools programmers primarily work on tools (the level editor, build process, exporters), - typically programming software "outside" of the game executable itself. Game programmers primarily work on the game (combat, camera, ai, rpg systems, conversations, etc.). There can be instances where the streams cross, a game programmer works on a tool, or a tools programmer helps out with a game system.

 

Best of luck on the pong game! :D

 

-Brennecke

[gumionday]

Thanks for answering some questions for me. I have another one when you ready. Are there any specific areas of programming that are needed more for games than others, like another language or something along those lines?

Being proficient in C++ is pretty much the major programming requirement right?

[Adam Brennecke]

Thanks for answering some questions for me. I have another one when you ready. Are there any specific areas of programming that are needed more for games than others, like another language or something along those lines?

Being proficient in C++ is pretty much the major programming requirement right?

 

Well, depending on how you look at it... C++ to me is a tool to achieve my means. Much like how a carpenter uses a hammer - if you are proficient in using a hammer, you may be good at driving in nails, but that doesn't mean you know how to build a house. But yes, knowing the ins and outs of C++ is needed to be a game programmer, since that's the primary tool that you use everyday.

[gumionday]

Going back to an earlier question about tool vs gameplay programmers. The gameplay programmers would be the ones to work with some HLSL or something like it right?

Been getting a taste of HLSL last couple of weeks. It doesn't seem to crazy but holy crap it is tough to learn a new language while still learning Direct X.

 

So for the tools programmer they are the ones that are building the architecture of the game itself right?

 

I was using enumerated states for my Pong Clone, but I have heard that in AAA titles and such they use what is called a game stack rather than game states, is this true. Is there a way to explain the game stack easily?

[Adam Brennecke]

Going back to an earlier question about tool vs gameplay programmers. The gameplay programmers would be the ones to work with some HLSL or something like it right?

Been getting a taste of HLSL last couple of weeks. It doesn't seem to crazy but holy crap it is tough to learn a new language while still learning Direct X.

 

So for the tools programmer they are the ones that are building the architecture of the game itself right?

 

I was using enumerated states for my Pong Clone, but I have heard that in AAA titles and such they use what is called a game stack rather than game states, is this true. Is there a way to explain the game stack easily?

 

The gameplay programmers usually do not write HLSL shaders - that job falls on the engine programmers or technical artists. I guess another way of looking at it is to ask yourself, "Is this feature game play?" from a gamers perspective, and if it is, then a game programmer usually implements the feature. For example, HLSL is used for programming materials, making cool effects, etc. but usually not something that directly relates to more tangible items such as killing monsters, jumping (wheee), monster behavior, equiping items, shooting guns, role playing design, user interface, earning experience, etc. so you can then narrow down who would work on the feature. At Obsidian we have three types of programmers game play, engine (CTG), or tools (CTG). CTG is the core technology group, and they make our Onyx engine. Engine guys work on "low level" things like rendering, physics, memory management, system IO, file systems, sound/music, animation technology, things closer to the hardware etc. etc. We say game play is "high level".

 

There's not really anything called the "game stack" to my knowledge. Stacks are a pretty essential tool but it isn't anything more than a list of items that you push and pop from. You can read about a stack here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stack_%28abstract_data_type%29

[gumionday]

Thanks for the continued responses man, you are definitely giving me some useful knowledge that I can use to further my studies. Since I am in my last year of school I will want to decide which areas I really want to focus on in order to get me into a programming department that i can excel at. So for, while working towards my degree, I have done a classes that were all about the overall OOP process of C++, another class on implementing a the physics engine, and also one just based on simulations and now Direct X. So thankfully it seems like DeVry is giving me a decent preview of the different areas of game programming.

 

What area of the programming do you work in?

[Adam Brennecke]

Thanks for the continued responses man, you are definitely giving me some useful knowledge that I can use to further my studies. Since I am in my last year of school I will want to decide which areas I really want to focus on in order to get me into a programming department that i can excel at. So for, while working towards my degree, I have done a classes that were all about the overall OOP process of C++, another class on implementing a the physics engine, and also one just based on simulations and now Direct X. So thankfully it seems like DeVry is giving me a decent preview of the different areas of game programming.

 

What area of the programming do you work in?

 

I'm a game programmer on the super secret project (hush hush). I've been at Obsidian for a while so I've had my hands in a bunch of different things besides game programming.