Tell us a bit of information about your experience/career background?
I am a technical art student enrolled at The Game Assembly in Malmö Sweden, where I have been a part in creating 4 small games. However, I am just starting out my technical art career.
Before attending The Game Assembly my occupation was working in logistics at Volvo Cars where my task was to supply the assembly line with materials both as a team member and as acting team leader, where I supported and managed the team.
Although I have dabbled with game development as a hobby before it was while working at Volvo Cars that I spent some of my free time learning Python, Unity and Blender which laid the foundation for my application to The Game Assembly.
Why d3t?
d3t is exciting for me because of the quality, scope and variety of the projects the studio is working on and as such I expect to find a lot of interesting and varied tasks ahead. Variation in work is something I value a lot. d3t also seems to me to be a very friendly and competent studio, where I will get the opportunity to grow as a Technical Artist. The “Best Places to Work” awards are also something that caught my eye and the brief contact I have had so far makes me very excited about what is to come.
I did not expect to do my internship at a British studio, something that would not have been possible if it had not been for the possibility of remote work and I am very grateful for the opportunity.
What do you love about games?
I love games that I can share with friends and family that evoke a sense of mystery, wonder and adventure through story and gameplay, where you cannot wait to see what hides behind the next corner and that evokes a great urge of exploration.
Games have this ability to fully immerse you in a way that I find other mediums have a hard time doing.
I also like to craft and build things, min-maxing, and taking part in competitive games, although I pay close attention to stay away from toxic situations which is a part of competitive games that I do not love.
Aspects that continually grab my attention include exploring new worlds, being a part of a community, and taking part in games with engaging characters and meaningful stories.
What games are you currently playing, and what is your favourite game?
I recently finished Alwa’s Legacy, and I am currently revisiting Diablo 4 as well as a little bit of No Man’s Sky and StarCraft 2.
If me and my partner find the time, we play a little bit of It Takes Two or The Quarry together. I think the earliest favourite game I remember is either Mega Man 2 or Diablo 1. There was something about the pacing and atmosphere to those games that drew me in, as well as sharing the experiences with my friends. My current favourite game however is probably Ori and the Blind Forest.
Do you have any fun facts or hobbies?
I grew up with dogs and now I have two cats together with my partner. I still consider myself a dog person and we will probably get a dog in the future, but our two cats are real goofballs. They are named Yuffie and Ahri, they both really enjoy lettuce that we use to teach them tricks.
I enjoy taking long bicycle rides and I also have a motorcycle driving licence for whenever I want to go even further and faster. However, I do not own a motorcycle just yet, but hopefully will in a year or two.
I own an 88key keyboard and a guitar that I play around with every now and then, but I would hardly say that I can play either of them.
I have also been to South Africa on safari where the most memorable moment was when we drove through a big herd of elephants, smelling them well before we saw them. And two fun smaller adventures closer to home was when me and my partner drove to the southernmost and then the westernmost point in Sweden.
Tell us a bit of information about your experience/career background?
I’ve worked in games for around 15 years across a wide variety of genres and different platforms, primarily in the indie and mobile areas, but also on some cool bespoke hardware things like exercise bikes and touchscreen tables. I started out running a small contract studio at university, before moving up to Scotland to work at more established companies. I’ve been lucky enough to work on some more ‘well known’ titles (Neon White, Angry Birds Pop) and just as lucky to work on less famous ones that I got to pour my heart and soul into (Pine Hearts, Cloud Jumper).
I’m really looking forward to working on the more ‘big game’ side of things to experience a side of the industry that’s always pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and I couldn’t be more excited to start.
Why d3t?
Primarily I wanted to move towards the AAA world and learn from the best, but it was equally important to do it in a place that would also value people highly and treat them well, since this industry isn’t always the best on that front. Luckily, I came across d3t at the right time and with the excellent history of people loving to work here and the variety of projects and technology available to work on and learn, it feels like the perfect fit!
What do you love about games?
As remarkably cheesy as it sounds, games to me are about inventing and experiencing little moments of magic, whether it’s playing with systems that lead to creativity you didn’t imagine, or narrative moments that resonate only because it’s a game and you’ve made decisions and actions to get to that point. It’s just a cool and still heavily unexplored medium of art that never has to be any one thing and that’s exciting to work on, where even the work itself ends up feeling like solving a puzzle a lot of the time.
What games are you currently playing, and what is your favourite game?
I’m currently playing a lot of Slay the Spire, Hitman, occasionally some of the Paradox games and a bit of Street Fighter 3 every now and then. My favourite games are Ultima Online and Street Fighter 3: 3rd Strike.
Do you have any fun facts or hobbies?
I like to make silly music occasionally, I spent a number of years playing Street Fighter 3 competitively to the point where I went to Japan to compete a few times and a fun fact is that I can technically say I toured with Dire Straits in the 90s, as my dad’s band was supporting them on a tour and 8 year old me was brought along for a few stops, although the only thing I remember is having fun sliding up and down hotel hallway carpets.
What was the first game that you worked on? Sega Mega Drive Classics (Nintendo Switch)
How did your career begin within the games industry?
I was recruited as a Junior Programmer directly out of university, where from 2014-2018 I was studying for a BSc in Computer Games Programming at Staffordshire University. Whilst in my final year of studies, a recruiter reached out to me informing me that d3t were on the lookout for Junior Programmers. After speaking about the role, he then put me forward, and I later received a coding test.
At the same time whilst this was happening, the leader of my course at the time, organised an engagement with industry veterans, where studios would come in to interview final year students for actual jobs. The aim of this was to give the industry early access to new juniors that were looking for their first roles.
d3t were in attendance of this event, and as a result I had a last-minute interview with our Studio Technical Director and a Technical Director – last minute because they had a docket full of planned interviews and I was already taking part in the application process.
This unorthodox interview, together with the code-test earned me the “normal” interview with the same Technical Director and a Lead Programmer at our old studio site. During the interview I gave a rather different response on the code test, which led to an extended interview to discuss my answers. However, I ultimately passed the application process as I formally received my offer on the way home.
What is it like working at d3t?
As cliché as it may sound, working at d3t amongst this team of like-minded and talented individuals, feels a lot like I’m collaborating with friends on a project.
We have a very relaxed and familiar vibe as we’re working, and every single person is there for one another in whatever way is required and with no judgement. This is not limited to work-related topics either, as only a few months ago, two of my colleagues and friends were more than happy to assist me with my moving home, which I very much appreciated!
This is further reinforced by our clubs and societies (and supporting endless number of mattermost channels we’ve created to talk about the more niche topics that our team are interested), and our top-tier summer and winter parties.
We also have a flexi-time policy which is very conducive to an easier work-life balance. Especially when we have overseas clients or external teams. The implementation of this makes life easier for me, as I get to work around different times of the day. For instance, if I’m required for client/external meetings at an earlier or later time of the day, I’m able to attend these without having to work over my eight hours. Equally it also means that I can spend a portion of the day doing whatever I need to do personally at times suitable to me whilst maintaining my workload.
As a Programmer, what do you typical day-to-day activities consist of?
As a programmer, I would naturally (as one might expect) spend most of my time writing code, investigating bugs and crashes with a view to resolving them, conducting code reviews and more. If I’m also building new features, this might require an element of technical authoring for feature proposals or implementation documentation.
As of late though, all the while trying to manage my work, I’ve started taking on some small leadership responsibilities, so I often keep in touch with my “strike team” and make sure that their days are unblocked and moving forward consistently. I also lead or encourage stakeholder reviews for the work the team is doing, report back issues to my team, and lead and participate in short-to-mid term sprint planning meetings.
What are the current programming challenges we face and how are we overcoming them?
I think one of the most challenging problems for a programmer is trying to work on new systems that have very limited documentation or in-house knowledge.
Two of the projects I’ve worked on had very little documentation (if any) and because of the nature of the projects, we were dealing with proprietary codebases, meaning nobody at d3t at the time would have had intimate knowledge of any of the systems on day one.
This meant that we could only really rely on our code navigation capabilities, which is a product of the navigation tools we would use, and our tactics learned on previous projects/experiences to learn as quickly as possible how all the systems and interact with each other. Which can be a time-consuming process and, in some cases, a project-risk if something needs to be done on a tight deadline.
Of course, as time goes on and the initial team has the knowledge building up (and hopefully documented as they’ve developed their understandings), onboarding future team members becomes easier, but these are often project-specific still. Fortunately (for work-for-hire studios at least), as clients might begin to rely more on different off-the-shelf engines, these are usually documented to different degrees of quality and if we acquire future clients using the same off-the-shelf engines, we build up a project-agnostic bank of knowledge which teams can share.
What are the things that excite you most about your role?
At this stage of my career now, depending on project status of course, I start picking up or being asked to manage more significant tasks or features. This can be kicking off designs for new tech and implementing to completion or a certain stage for somebody more junior to pick up.
This gives me a great buzz because it gives me the chance to flex some creative architectural and/or coding muscles to try to develop cool (and maybe clever) tech that could be easily extensible or integrateable with other systems. It is also a great feeling to know you’ve built the system either to a prototyped or production-ready state and you get great feedback from the stakeholders either for improvements because it’s not quite there yet or requirements have changed or praise because it is exactly what stakeholders are looking for.
What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced whilst in the industry and how have you overcome it?
For me, one of the most difficult problems I’ve had to solve, was related to memory stomping while I was a Junior Programmer on Mafia II: The Definitive Edition. I’d heard of “memory stomping” as a problem before but had never written code that manifested in memory stomping before. Debugging this was completely alien because it was a case of the program crashing a couple frames after the problem started, and as such debugging was a nightmare. Thankfully, one of the Principal Programmers and Technical Directors was present to help guide me through the process of debugging such issues. With their guidance, which included my learning of the “Data Breakpoint” I was able to deduce that some array traversal arithmetic was going wrong, where the calculation of the array size was performed using one fixed size primitive type and a variable-sized type, depending on target platform architecture.
What has been your most memorable moment working within the industry/or at d3t?
My most memorable moment I think is likely one of the other most difficult problems I’ve had to solve before – we affectionately named this problem “Dumbass* Henry” (*Censored for public consumption) – myself and two other senior engineers spent more time than we would like to admit trying to identify why Henry wouldn’t run down the stairs from the apartment outside The Distillery. We had it pinned on the AI code we were using being potentially ported incorrectly but it turns out that there was a placement of a collider that was not correctly placed, and Henry had managed to run into it but not out of it. Ultimately, we didn’t even need the collider, so we removed it, and job was a good’un! The thing that made it most memorable was the sheer joy of having solved it, knowing how much time was put into its investigation.
Where do you see programming heading in the next 2-3 years?
Great question – although, I’m not sure I see much changing for the programmer in the next couple years, at least where games programming is concerned. It seems to me that we’ve established a solid reliance on Unreal Engine, with technologies like Nanite, Lumen as well as gameplay systems. It’s quite easy to just jump on these so people don’t have to write entirely new rendering systems, AI systems, net-code, etc, from scratch – even some AAA studios are migrating from in-house proprietary engines.
Things like IDEs and supporting tooling seem unlikely to change significantly. I’ve been using Visual Studio since I started at d3t and have had no reason to change and while these tools do receive updates, none have made significant changes to engineering workflows.
A point of contention at the moment, of course – Artificial Intelligence! Now, I’m not 100% clued up on the use of tools such as ChatGPT and the like for day-to-day operations for programmers. From what I’ve heard though, there is too much of a reliance on public domain information to train them and naturally, working on private IPs for clients presents risk for us and/or for clients and so is pretty much a non-starter. We have performed some R&D in this space for an internal project and anecdotally seems to have yielded some positive results. Rendering though has made a significant stride recently in the form of Machine Learning and Frame Generation with respect to DLSS 3 and FSR 3, utilising deep learning techniques to further upscaling capabilities and in some cases enhancing performance by four-times with DLSS 3.
What makes you proud to work at d3t?
The thing that makes me most proud working at d3t is the studio’s commitment to working with the education sector to improve the prospects of new graduates attempting to break into the industry. I remember the struggles of my cohort trying to compete against the rest of the graduate market and land our first roles and it was a struggle.
d3t and Coconut Lizard are represented at many different events working with universities directly, Recruiter Firms and other initiatives all throughout the year, where we provide talks, workshops and in some cases portfolio reviews to give grads the best chance they can to break in. We also have a team of Ambassadors which look to get involved in all these opportunities.
As one of these Ambassadors, I am frequently able to visit my alma mater to provide insight to students by way of Mock Interview Workshops, judging at Staffs Uni GradEx, contributing to their Industry Advisory Panel and this year I have started providing mentorship services to a group of students building small Cross Platform Engines as part of a module.
What advice would you give to anyone looking to get into the games industry as a programmer?
I’m sure this is a cliché response to this topic now but having a great portfolio is key, either as a graduate or associate level applicant. It doesn’t have to show everything you’ve ever written, and it doesn’t have to be a fully-fledged game, but I would suggest:
Selecting some of your best works.
Providing some video evidence of some systems/features.
Creating a synopsis on the proudest one or two features, or difficult problems you faced and how you solved them (adding considerations and justifications.
Adding links to specific functions/code-files that exhibit the solution for outlined features or problems. (Not a link to the root of the repository).
The idea behind these points is that you are putting your best foot forward as swiftly as possible understanding that most of the people screening CVs and Portfolios cannot really afford to spend significant time trying to understand the candidate initially so doing them the favour here is likely to do you a favour going forward.
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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!
Tell us a bit of information about your experience/career background?
I am currently a second-year student studying for a BSc in Games Programming. Prior to this, I studied mathematics at the University of Manchester. I really enjoy mathematics and programming, so I decided to go into a field that would combine both these fields. I primarily work with C++ and have experience with Unity and Unreal, as well as API’s such as SDL2, SFML and OpenGL.
I have a keen interest for game engines and their development. In my spare time I have implemented and researched systems such as rendering, entity component system as well as physics/collision handling.
Why d3t?
I first discovered d3t through a talk that a member of the team did whilst I was at university. Learning more about d3t, the environment as well as the kind and friendly team, really reinforced that d3t is somewhere I would love to work. Being a co-development studio is something that drew my attention due to the fact that there will be various projects running and a vast amount of different experience that I could gain.
What do you love about games?
The thing I love most about games is the immersion and complexity of them. Games seem simple on the outside, and somehow just draw you in. They make you spend hours in a different world getting invested in characters, environments and narrative. As soon as I started getting into the development of them, I learnt how complex it is to make a game, and even the “simplest” of features/mechanics have an intricate process and design.
What games are you currently playing, and what is your favourite game?
Currently I am playing Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty and Lies of P. I really enjoy souls-like games, and I am trying to go through and platinum each of them. I really enjoy the challenge of being able to overcome difficult enemies after many attempts, and the final feeling of victory after countless attempts of defeat is one of the most satisfying feelings.
My favourite game series however is the God of War franchise. I have completed most of the games and really enjoy watching the story and character development unfold. The new games have just the right amount of an OP main character, challenging boss fights, amazing environment and a great story.
Do you have any fun facts or hobbies?
I really enjoy playing chess. I started competing in chess from a young age and that soon became my biggest hobby. After playing for a couple years, I decided to become a chess arbiter and have spent the last few years doing that instead of playing. In my spare time I mainly play games. I quite enjoy trophy hunting and finding new challenging games to try platinum. If I am not gaming, I spend time trying to learn new things/find new hobbies, such as recently having a keen interest in airsoft.
Tell us a bit of information about your experience/career background?
I studied Computer science with Games at University, and I have also interned at d3t previously. I have a passion for making games and love to re-create cool features I see in games and put my own twist on them.
Why d3t?
Having interned at d3t last year, I can see the community and friendly environment that they have built, and they truly stick to their core values and ethos. Even though I was an intern, I was never babied into my role and felt like a competent member of the team. I never felt scared or afraid to ask for help and I believe the people that make up d3t truly enjoy what they do, and it shows.
What do you love about games?
I love the freedom and creativity in games, to allow oneself to be enveloped and immersed in a world crafted to give players what they are looking for, is a feeling nothing else gives.
What games are you currently playing, and what is your favourite game?
I’m currently playing Hogwarts Legacy, I’ve never been a massive fan of the Harry Potter series or anything, but this game is really fun and very free.
My favourite game must be Kingdom Hearts 2, I played it growing up and I still believe it’s the best one of the franchises.
Do you have any fun facts or hobbies?
I really enjoy getting my hands working and doing DIY projects, like making custom cabinets and improving things around the house.
Tell us a bit of information about your experience/career background?
I’ve been working with 3D for over 15 years now.
I started as a hard surface artist and then transitioned to character art where I specialised for a great many years building characters, working with scan data and a variety of other things.
I moved to the UK 7 years ago to work in the VFX industry where I got the opportunity to work on some fantastic feature films and tv shows such as Alien, Spider Man, The Witcher, House of the Dragon, and most recently supervising The 3 Body Problem on Netflix.
I started my transition into technical art by automating things with Python and just fell in love with programming, at around the same time I discovered Unreal Engine and started making my own game prototypes. Since then, I’m fortunate to have been able to play around with many parts of the engine and be in a position where I can help others with what I’ve learned.
Why d3t?
Co-development is something that really appeals to me, I think having project cycles that can sometimes be a bit shorter gives you experience in a larger variety of scenarios and at different stages of development. For me this is great because it keeps things fresh while allowing for many opportunities to keep pushing personal growth.
Another key part as to why d3t appealed to me was the culture, d3t is very clearly a place that fosters the human side and that’s extremely important for me.
What do you love about games?
Games are just magic; they transport you to other worlds and have been some of the most fun I’ve ever had.
What games are you currently playing, and what is your favourite game?
My favourite game would be the original Deux Ex; however, I’ve recently been playing Into the Breach as well as Dragons Dogma 2 and Prince of Persia, which I’ve also enjoyed.
Do you have any fun facts or hobbies?
I love cooking and DIY, especially repairing/restoring things. Aside from that I mostly play games and try to learn new things every year as there is always so much to try to keep up with in the world of games and tech art.
Tell us a bit of information about your experience/career background?
With two years of experience in the games industry as an IT Junior, I have thoroughly enjoyed the journey and am eager to continue developing my skills and knowledge in both the gaming industry and the IT sector. My goal is to become an expert in both fields. I have a passion for helping people and solving problems, which makes the role of a Support Bar Analyst at d3t particularly exciting for me.
Gaming has been a significant part of my life for the past 20 years, and my enthusiasm for it has only grown. This deep-rooted passion drives my commitment to contributing effectively to this industry.
Why d3t?
I chose d3t because of its outstanding reputation for innovation and excellence in the gaming industry. The company’s commitment to high-quality game development and its collaborative work environment aligns perfectly with my career goals and personal values. I am particularly impressed by d3t’s diverse portfolio and the opportunity to work on a variety of exciting projects.
Additionally, d3t’s emphasis on continuous learning and professional development resonates with my desire to grow and evolve as a professional in the gaming and IT sectors. I am excited about the prospect of contributing to and learning from such a talented and forward-thinking team. Oh, and they love games just as much as me!
What do you love about games?
What I love about games is their ability to transport players to different worlds, offering unique experiences and stories that can evoke a wide range of emotions. Games combine creativity, technology, and storytelling in a way that no other medium can. They challenge players to think strategically, solve problems, and work collaboratively. The sense of achievement and progression in games is incredibly satisfying, and the social connections formed through gaming communities are invaluable.
One of my all-time favourite games is The Witcher 3, which I know d3t contributed to. The game’s rich narrative, immersive world, and complex characters exemplify what I love most about gaming. It showcases the incredible potential of games to tell deep, engaging stories while providing a captivating and interactive experience. For me, games are more than just entertainment—they are a powerful medium for personal growth, learning, and connection.
What games are you currently playing, and what is your favourite game?
Currently, I’m diving into the Fallout series for the first time, and I’m thoroughly enjoying the post-apocalyptic settings and intricate storytelling. Exploring these games has been a fascinating experience, offering a blend of adventure, strategy, and immersive narratives.
As for my favourite games of all time, it’s hard to pick just one, so I’ll share my top three:
Red Dead Redemption 2 – I love the rich, detailed world and compelling storyline. The characters are incredibly well-developed, and the game offers an unparalleled sense of immersion.
Ark: Survival Evolved – The open-world survival mechanics and the ability to tame and interact with dinosaurs make this game endlessly engaging. It’s a perfect blend of exploration, crafting, and survival.
LEGO Star Wars (The Original Trilogy) – This game holds a special place in my heart for its fun, family-friendly gameplay and charming take on the iconic Star Wars universe. The humour and cooperative play make it a timeless favourite.
Do you have any fun facts or hobbies?
I’m proud to share that I’ve lost 3 Stone since April of last year! This achievement reflects my dedication and commitment to a healthier lifestyle.
As for hobbies, I have a wide range of interests. I enjoy gaming, going to the gym, hiking, and spending time outdoors. Additionally, I have a keen interest in investing and reading. My hobbies keep me active, engaged, and continuously learning, which I believe contributes positively to both my personal and professional growth.
Tell us a bit of information about your experience/career background?
I have worked as QA, QA Lead, Game Designer, Senior and Lead Game Designer, Level Designer, Senior and Lead Level Designer for a variety of companies in a 25-year career so far. During this time, I have contributed to titles such as Star Citizen/Squadron 42, Call of Duty, Harry Potter, Sniper Elite, Wipeout 2048 and many others.
Why d3t?
I know that d3t look after their employees, first and foremost. It’s very important to me that employees are treated with respect and provided a place to work that nurtures their creative and professional desires and by all accounts d3t has nailed this.
What do you love about games?
I’ve played video games since I was 3 and have been trying to make or mod games as far back as the Spectrum 48k, Commodore Amiga and then PC.
I love the escapism. The best games, in my opinion, take you to another world for a period of time similar to a good novel.
There are games to suit any mood you are in or any time you have available, and I love the flexibility of sitting down, whether it’s for 10 minutes or 10 hours to enjoy something I have loved my entire life.
What games are you currently playing, and what is your favourite game?
Currently I am playing S.C.U.M, Diablo 4, Last Epoch, Nightingale, and Enshrouded.
I finished Baldur’s Gate 3 a few months ago and that was probably my favourite of the last few years.
However, my all-time greatest game could not be narrowed down to just one. It’s literally impossible for me to do that. I can list a few of my favourites from the last 35 years though? Ant-Attack (Spectrum), Robin Hood (Spectrum), Rebel Star (Spectrum), Nitro (Amiga), Moonstone (Amiga), Diablo 2 (PC), Grim Dawn (PC), X-Com original (Amiga/PC), Elder Scrolls – Daggerfall (PC) + many more!
Do you have any fun facts or hobbies?
Fun facts? Errrm. I can’t kill insects. I always save them instead whether it’s from a path, a road or my bedroom ceiling!
Hobbies are the usual nerdy interests such as reading, playing/making games and promising to go to a gym but never quite finding the time/inclination.
Tell us a bit of information about your experience/career background?
I’ve just finished my PhD in Particle Physics at Lancaster University, where I worked with data from the ATLAS experiment at CERN to look for new physics. With this I spent a lot of time coding, and found it was my favourite part of my PhD! I decided I wanted to move out of academia into a job that would let me code all of the time. Combined with my love of video games, game programming felt like a great choice.
Why d3t?
The culture at d3t seems really great, everyone I’ve spoken to has only had good things to say! In addition, I like that the studio is co-development as it means I get the opportunity to work on and get experience with lots of different things. I’m looking forward to being able to be in the studio with lots of other people who love games.
What do you love about games?
I love the way a well told video game can make you feel. I’m a big fan of RPGs and the way a story can be told through the interactive medium of a video game. My favourite example of this is The Witcher 3 (which d3t worked on!). The story was so in-depth and so many player choices were considered, something you can’t do with book, TV, or film! In particular, I love the way video games can tell a story with the environment, well placed objects that give you information about the world without having to lore dump on you.
What games are you currently playing, and what is your favourite game?
I’m currently replaying Elden Ring, it was my first foray into Souls-like games and I was hooked! Because of this, I ended up playing all of the Dark Souls games one after the other last year. I’m a big fan of Souls-like games as I love the challenge of throwing yourself at a boss and forcing yourself to get better with every attempt. My favourite game is definitely Hollow Knight though. The amazing art combined with the interesting storytelling, amazing music and game mechanics make it such a great game.
Do you have any fun facts or hobbies?
I have pet rats! They’re all named after Hollow Knight characters (Monomon, Lurien, Herrah, Quirrel and Cornifer). Cornifer actually made an appearance as an additional asset in my coding interview! Outside of playing games I also spend a lot of time climbing and cycling, as well as playing tabletop games like D&D and Warhammer.
