What’s your favourite game to date that you’ve played or worked on? My favourite game to date is God of War. I am a big fan of the franchise and enjoy playing all the games. I would say I enjoyed “4” the most as this was the first game that was completely different to the previous 3, making the whole journey and experience new.
How did your career begin and how did you get your role at d3t?
My interest in computers and programming began whilst I was in school, where I spent some of my spare time trying to learn more about it. Fast forward to the end of school, I decided that I would study mathematics. After doing just that, I found a course in games programming and decided to go into that, as this was a combination of mathematics as well as computers – both of which are my passions.
During my second year at university, one of the current employees at d3t – and a previous student of the university, came to give a talk. This is where I learnt more about d3t and that they did in fact run internship programmes! When the applications opened, I sent in my covering letter and CV, and luckily, was given the opportunity to take on the test and interviews.
What is it like working at d3t?
Working at d3t has been truly amazing. From the first day, everyone has been super welcoming and friendly. This made on-boarding smooth and very easy, and if there were any issues, I always felt free and welcome to ask questions.
As time has progressed, this has not changed. The support from everyone has been amazing!
However, I think the biggest thing that I really love about working at d3t is that learning is encouraged. That combined with the ability to constantly ask questions and to learn from various members of the team with loads of experience, has honestly made me feel that I have become a better programmer in a such a short space of time.
What do you do day-to-day as a Programming Intern?
The first part of my day involves logging in and catching up on emails and messages. Once I am all caught up on those, I spend some time planning my day and looking at what work I have been allocated. I then continue with my tasks for the next hour or two before we have our daily stand-up meeting.
My tasks can vary day-to-day, sometimes it might be to look at a very simple bug that is quick to fix, to some more involved tasks that take a few days to complete. Due to this, each day is slightly different as no two problems are the same, and each problem comes with its own challenges/learning.
Tasks are not always just programming-related either. Sometimes there must be conversations with stakeholders to find out more information about the task and its intended behaviour, or other times it might be writing documentation for a task that is to be or have been completed.
After spending some more time on my tasks after stand-up, it is time for lunch break. This is normally either spent gaming with colleagues, be it video games or board games, or socialising in the kitchen.
After lunch its back to the tasks I was working on. Sometimes, this time can be instead spent in meetings; however, that tends to be on occasion – a fortnightly meeting, or one near the end of the milestone.
What has been your most memorable moment working at the studio?
I honestly don’t think I can choose the “most” memorable as there have been so many moments. Most days, if not all days, there has been some moment that has been memorable. This can vary from the atmosphere and jokes during lunch breaks, friendly competition playing games, to more work related like completing a task. It honestly is such a great feeling to complete a task or problem that you have been working on for a few days.
If I had to choose out of those, I would say the best part is the environment and banter. The learning and work are really amazing, but what makes it even more amazing is being able to do it in an environment that is warm and friendly.
Do you have any tips for people looking to get into the games industry?
I personally believe that the best way is to be inquisitive and willing to learn. The constant curiosity is what aids in getting deeper understanding of concepts/systems. The willingness to learn naturally makes you take on tasks that are more of a challenge, which contributes to being a better programmer.
We are hiring
Stay tuned for more spotlight features coming soon. In the meantime, if you’re feeling inspired and want to join our team, check out our vacancies page!
What was the first game that you worked on? The first and only game I’ve worked on professionally is one currently being developed by d3t (which will remain nameless!).
What’s your favourite game to date that you’ve played or worked on? I have a few favourites, Final Fantasy 7, Bloodborne and Jet Set Radio come to mind. I like games with a distinct style that take risks to set themselves apart from the competition.
How did your career begin and how did you get your role at d3t?
My career began at d3t! I’d always been working on my own projects, first in Unity and later in Unreal Engine, teaching myself C# and C++ along the way. In my second year of University, I decided I wanted some practical industry experience. I won’t lie to anyone, it was difficult finding an internship, I applied to lots of places and got about 3 interviews. Getting used to doing interviews was tricky for me (I was very nervous for my first 2) but finally when my interview for d3t came around, the interviewers helped me feel comfortable and gave me the chance to show off my skills.
What is it like working at d3t?
My time working at d3t has been fantastic. The work I do is in a sweet spot of being challenging while also not being impossible. I learn new coding techniques and technologies every day and I always feel like I’m contributing to my team’s goals. All the people I’ve met have been very welcoming and kind too. Entering an industry like this as an intern can be daunting at first, but everyone’s really made me feel like part of the gang!
What do you do day-to-day as a Programming Intern?
My day consists of working through my assigned tickets, researching solutions, implementing them and then requesting reviews from my co-workers. I find that looking over more senior programmers’ reviews is a great way of learning good coding practices and standard solutions to problems.
What has been your most memorable moment working at the studio?
The moment I was told which game I would be working on was a huge one for me. You never know what developing a game is going to look like until you get started on a real project and I was very eager to get stuck into my first game.
Do you have any tips for people looking to get into the games industry?
Don’t let imposter syndrome win! When I started University, working on a real game was a distant dream for me and there were lots of people being cynical about the industry as a whole. I just kept my head down, worked on projects that excited me, tried to learn more about commercial game engines and common programming languages and before long I was being invited for interviews!
Is there anything else that you’d like to add?
No one expects you to be an expert when applying for internships in the games industry. As long as you’ve experimented in a game engine, know the fundamentals of game development and are ready to learn, you’ll be a good candidate. The interviewers understand an internship is as much of a learning opportunity for the intern as it is a job.
We are hiring
Stay tuned for more spotlight features coming soon. In the meantime, if you’re feeling inspired and want to join our team, check out our vacancies page!
We are excited to announce that our teams have been hard at work with our partners at Firewalk on their recently revealed game, Concord.
Launching on both PS5 and PC on August 23, 2024, Concord is a 5v5 character driven, first-person multiplayer shooter set in the Concord galaxy. Taking on the role of the Northstar crew – a group of guns-for-hire, you will battle it out against rival crews from across the galaxy to take home the precious rewards waiting for you in a variety of maps and modes.
Stay tuned for more information about our involvement on Concord. Until then check out more information about Concord here, or view the trailer below.
EA approached d3t to help bring the first instalment of EA SPORTS FC™ powered by the Frostbite engine, to players on Nintendo Switch, following our previous experience and track record in bringing other titles to the platform.
The end product not only utilised a new game engine, but also pushed the capabilities of the platform. With players able to jump into the most true-to-football experience, whilst seamlessly having the option to play all their favourite game modes (Career Mode, Volta, Ultimate Team) that they come to expect.
At d3t, our team of dedicated and experienced Programmers, Artists, Producers, and Quality Assurers worked together alongside our partners at EA Vancouver and EA Romania to bring EA SPORTS FC 24 to players on the Nintendo Switch via the Frostbite game engine, without key quality of playability being sacrificed.
EA SPORTS FC 24 is out now on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch.
For more information about EA SPORTS FC 24, check out the official page here, or view the full trailer below.
Tell us a bit of information about your experience/career background?
I am a qualified electrical engineer who has dabbled in many fields throughout the years. However, it was just before the COVID pandemic outbreak which saw me transition into working in production/project management! I have found that mixing my hobby and love for video games with my production skillset was a match made in heaven. Especially as it enables me bring that passion to work every day.
Why d3t?
d3t stood out to me from the awards alone, along with glowing recommendations from staff I know. Having worked in several fields across numerous industries, I wanted a place where I can mould a career rather than just have a ‘job’ and d3t seems like the absolute perfect place to do that. A career and a fantastic work environment? Sign me up!
What do you love about games?
I love the escapism, the ability to be transported away from whatever is bothering you and just switch off your brain for some fun, or alternatively turn your brain on and learn! I found my love for history from playing the Total War, Age of Empires and Anno games that I wouldn’t have had otherwise.
What games are you currently playing, and what is your favourite game?
I am currently having a blast on Delta Force and Starship Troopers Extermination. I am very much tapping into the old school feel of shooters, with a spattering of Rainbow Six Siege mixed.
As for my favourite game I have to say World of Warcraft, it’s been a mainstay I return to every expansion just to see what’s going on! The War Within has been brilliant fun so far!
Do you have any fun facts or hobbies?
In my spare time I mostly enjoy spending time with my family, embarrassing my teenage daughter, throwing axes and playing Airsoft. (It’s like paintballing but with BB guns).
Interesting fact – Giraffes are 30 times more likely to be struck by lightning than humans.
Tell us a bit of information about your experience/career background?
I’ve been a programmer in the games industry for 3 years now, where I’ve worked primarily in porting and co-development. Some major titles that I’ve worked on include the PS5 and Xbox Series S/X port of Crusader Kings III and the VR port of Metal: Hellsinger for Meta Quest 2/3, PSVR2 and SteamVR compatible headsets. Prior to entering the games industry, I spent roughly 2 years working as a Software Engineer, in addition to also earning a Computer Games Programming BSc from the University of Derby.
Why d3t?
I discovered d3t through a mutual friend who works for the studio and after doing some research, d3t really stood out to me!
I love co-development as it gives you the opportunity to work on a huge variety of games alongside some of the most prominent companies within the industry. This provides you with the chance to leave your mark on games that’ll be enjoyed by thousands worldwide and exposure to all manner of technologies that enable you to grow your skillset.
It’s also my aim to work for a company that really values its employees and d3t seems to fit that bill. Winning the GamesIndustry.biz Best Places to Work Award six times in a row and getting Gold in the Mind Workplace Wellbeing Index tells me all I need to know about d3t, as a company that looks after and respects its employees.
What do you love about games?
I’ve been obsessed with games since I first played Super Mario World on the SNES as a toddler. I love how games are such a creative and diverse medium, there’s truly a game for every person and every mood that person may be in. They allow you to experience anything you can imagine, and the best part is you don’t just sit back and passively watch the game unfold, you get to participate in it yourself! I also love how games can bring people together. Lifelong friendships (and rivalries) can be forged online with people halfway across the world, or locally with someone sat right next to you.
What games are you currently playing, and what is your favourite game?
I’m currently bouncing between Tomb Raider 2 Remastered, Resident Evil: Code Veronica X, Yakuza 0 and Stardew Valley.
As for my favourite game, it’s hard to settle on one but I think I’d have to say Fallout: New Vegas (Also Old School RuneScape, that game has me in a vice grip).
Do you have any fun facts or hobbies?
My biggest fun fact is probably that I’m a triplet!
As for hobbies, I’ve got an ever-changing revolving door of interests. Currently I’m really interested in split keyboards. I’ve even built a couple of them! I also play guitar, read sci-fi novels, tinker with Linux and have recently gotten into experimenting with self-hosting stuff (e.g. local networked storage, local media server, etc).
We are delighted to announce that d3t alongside our sister studio Coconut Lizard, have been recognised as a GamesIndustry.biz Best Place to Work for 2023!
The award highlights the best games studios to work for in the UK, and 2023 marks the fifth consecutive year in a row that d3t has won the award and the sixth time in our history.
However, what makes this award more special for us is that it is voted for primarily by our team, with 75% of a studios score coming from an anonymous employee survey and the final 25% via an in-depth company questionnaire.
Speaking on the announcement, our Head of Studio, Richard Badger, said: “I am delighted that both d3t and Coconut Lizard have been announced as two of the best games studios in the UK to work for. This is not only the first time that Coconut Lizard has been recognised, but it is also the sixth time that d3t has received the award – 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and now 2023.
“Since both studios were founded, we have continued to level up, not only on the scale and complexity of the games that we work on, but also in the size of our team, which now stands at close to 200 strong. However, with this growth, we have been completely committed to keep our culture at the forefront of what we do.
“This commitment has seen us as studios continue to improve what we do, whether it’s investing more into our studio’s spaces, increasing our team’s perks and benefits, or adapting our policies and practices to ensure that the needs of our teams changing lives are met.
“We do this because we care about everyone associated with d3t and Coconut Lizard. And put simply without our team’s incredible talent and passion for all things games, we would not be where we are today. So, a massive thank you goes to every single of them as they have made the studios the great places to work that they are.”
This is the second award that d3t has received this year, after also being announced as the winner of the Employer of the Year category at the Halton Business Awards, along with receiving a Best Creative Provider award nomination at this year’s Develop:Star Awards. The studio also received nominations within this year’s Gi.Biz special award categories – The Education award, Health and Wellbeing award, and the UK Best Boss award, for our outstanding Head of Art, Louise Andrew.
Tell us a bit of information about your experience/career background?
I have enjoyed video games for as long as I can remember and have always known that I wanted to work with them. So, once it was time to pick a career path there was no doubt in my mind on where to go.
I started learning about video game development back in 2014 at the gymnasium school I attended. The school offered many game development related courses, and through that I was able to find my love for animation.
After I graduated from that school, I still wanted to learn more, so I applied for higher education schools like university and higher vocational education. There I was able to deep dive in game animation, growing more and faster than I ever could before.
All in all, this journey accumulated in about 10 years of learning the ins and outs of game animation and working on projects, and I really feel that I have found what I want to work with for the rest of my life.
Why d3t?
d3t contacted me knowing I was looking for an internship position. I was given the opportunity to speak with some of the animators on their team and it quickly became clear that d3t is as serious about game development as I am.
What do you love about games?
Games are a very unique form of art in my opinion, as they offer a level of interactivity that no other art form provides. Combine that with the creative freedom that art naturally brings, and you have a recipe for limitless amazing experiences.
What I’m trying to say is that video games, much like other forms of art, aren’t bound by the shackles of reality and are free to go beyond what reality would allow. And thanks to the fact that you are more of an active player instead of a passive spectator, you can take part in the grand worlds and fantasies in a way that no other form of art can offer.
What games are you currently playing, and what is your favourite game?
I am a huge fan of fighting games and love everything Arc System Works make, like Guilty Gear, Blazblue, and Granblue Fantasy Vs. And if I don’t feel like playing a fighting game, I usually find myself bonusing back to Nuclear Throne.
However, I could honestly go on and on about the video games that I like, but to encapsulate why I like these games and games as a whole, it all comes down to its characters. The characters are to me the most important part of a video game, hence why I love fighting games so much as they tend to offer quite a large variety of characters. This also helps me get into new genres of games. If I can choose between a colourful roster of characters and pick a favourite, hone my skills with that character and learn how they work, that’s usually a pretty effective way of getting me interested in a new game.
Do you have any fun facts or hobbies?
When it comes to hobbies, risking sounding very one-note, but video games are the biggest passion in my spare time. But I’ve already spoken enough about that.
I also enjoy watching TV shows following an overarching story. Plus going for walks paired with music is also a very good way to slow down sometimes and get away from the screen.
Tell us a bit of information about your experience/career background?
I’ve been in the industry since 2007, where I started out helping developers with PlayStation tools and libraries. I then moved into gameplay programming, where I’ve worked on everything from AR and VR to indie and AAA third-person action games. I’ve also spent some time working on simulations to help plan evacuation strategies for ships and stadiums.
Most of my experience is with C++, but I’ve also programmed games with C, C# and Lua.
Why d3t?
I was drawn to d3t because of the variety of projects that the studio works on, but what really stood out to me is how well the company treats and respects its people. Everyone I’ve met here has been super friendly and down-to-earth. I’m really excited to be part of the team and dive into all the interesting, exciting projects that we’re working on.
What do you love about games?
There’s nothing quite like games and the impact they have on our psychology when we play them. I also love the combination of mixed media, technical details, and creativity that goes into their development.
What games are you currently playing, and what is your favourite game?
Recently, I’ve been revisiting some retro games including Advance Wars and Castlevania: Aria of Sorrows. I’ve also been playing more modern games like Hades.
It’s always tough to pick just one favourite, but Super Metroid is definitely up there.
Do you have any fun facts or hobbies?
I love music and I play bass guitar in a band. I also like to dabble with electronics and retro game development. Recently, I’ve been making a Mega Drive game that runs on original hardware, creating all the art and music for it, as well programming it in C.
“Since both studios were founded, we have continued to level up, not only on the scale and complexity of the games that we work on, but also in the size of our team, which now stands at close to 200 strong. However, with this growth, we have been completely committed to keep our culture at the forefront of what we do.
