HELLO HUGO, LET’S START WITH HOW DID YOU GET YOUR JOB IN GAMES?
Hello! I started making games and projects in secondary school – normal computer science didn’t interest me much but I really liked being creative! I completed a 2 year degree at BCU and started applying for positions right at the start of my 2nd year. I kept my portfolio up to date with projects & reflections, and entered a lot of game jams & competitions such as Search For A Star to help bolster my CV – I think those were the projects that caught Ballistic Moon’s attention.
WHAT DO YOU DO DAY-TO-DAY?
I usually work on systems & gameplay programming – being a junior I get plenty of opportunities to jump into different areas of development and see how things are done. My day always starts with a strong coffee and a commute to Woking.
WHAT MOST EXCITES YOU ABOUT YOUR ROLE?
I love problem solving and figuring out different ways of approaching logic problems – Before getting a job in the industry I spent most of my time fiddling around making prototypes, and now I get to do it for a living! I really enjoy seeing the way my work is implemented into gameplay and how it brings more life to the world we’re creating.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE ASPIRING TO BE SOFTWARE ENGINEER?
The best thing you can do is show a passion for what you do – No one hires a junior expecting them to know everything out the box, they expect them to be interested in what they do and enthusiastic to learn. If you’re a student, taking a few days to participate in a game jam with some friends can be invaluable as it shows you’re passionate and willing to try new things!
WHAT’S THE BEST THING ABOUT WORKING AT BALLISTIC MOON?
The engineering department specifically ensures people have the opportunity to work on the systems & elements which interest them the most which has been a real help for me when figuring out where I want to take my career. The beer fridge is a close second, and the people I work with are pretty neat too.
ANY FUN FACTS OR HOBBIES?
I crochet a LOT of random little guys for the office, if you see any misshapen dinosaurs in our posts those are mine! I also enjoy cooking and occasionally bring in baked goods (the most recent attempt being lemon macarons)