Skills

Programming Languages

• ActionScript 3 (cowboy astronaut ninja)
• Groovy (moderate)
• C++
• C#
• GLSL
• HLSL (basic)
• LUA
• HTML
• CSS
• Javascript
• PHP (moderate)
• Lingo (moderate)
• ASP (basic)

Tools

• Flash Develop
• Eclipse
• Loom
• Unity (basic)
• Visual Studio
• XNA
• AMD CodeAnalyst
• RenderMonkey
• Adobe Photoshop
• Adobe Flash
• Adobe Illustrator
• Adobe Dreamweaver
• Adobe ImageReady
• Adobe Director
• Adobe Premier Pro (basic)
• Maxon Cinema 4D
• 3D Studio Max (basic)

Check out my Projects section for some examples

Work Experience

Lead Development Engineer

TripleFun - Paris, France
Apr 2013 - Present

At TripleFun, I'm responsible for leading the development of our client side technology, research into platforms and technologies, and creating game prototypes, for both web and mobile.

Lead Development Engineer

Qozmo (ex. Village Media) - Paris, France
May 2010 - Feb 2013

At Qozmo, I was responsible for leading a small team of developers and developing single and multiplayer games for both our web portal and Facebook. Games are developed with a mix of Actionscript 3 and Groovy (a layer on top of Java).

For Buzzville.com, our casual portal:

• A redesign of the site
• 9 grid-style games (click to uncover a grid square to maybe win a prize)
• Happy Hour - a more in-depth grid game
• A Yams (Yahtzee) game
• L'Aéroport en Folie (Crazy Airport) - a fast, timed game matching luggage to customers
• Multiple prototypes to test new games/features

For Facebook, I designed and developed the core architecture - client and server - of our real-time multiplayer game Krisgard (think Pokémon mixed with MMO). Aside from the base of the project, my main area of focus was on the combat; the first version of which was a turn-by-turn, which then evolved into a real-time affair. Players could take part in 1v1 up to 3v3 (PVE & PVP), or any combination within. I was also focused on optimisation, eventually allowing for the possibility of playing the game at 60fps (unnecessary, but always nice to know that you can do it ;)).

As well as that, I developed:

• The AS3 engine used in all our games
• A library to read/convert messages to and from our server technology (Java/Groovy)
• A Facebook AS3 Graphi API lib (before the official version became available)
• An AS3 Iso library (beating the performance of the public AS3IsoLib library)
• Multiple tools built using Adobe AIR:
• One for creating data for Krisgard
• One for scheduling maintenance and broadcasting to players currently online
• One for checking the integrity of all the Krisgard data files (allowing us to catch bugs such as those from missing links between entities, images, localisation etc)
• One for editing MongoDB

Gameplay Engineer

Ubisoft - Paris, France
July 2008 - May 2010

I worked in GEEA team (Gameplay Engineering and Entertainment Analysis) at the main HQ in Paris. My roles were R&D, gameplay prototypes, controls and user experience.

Some of the areas that I worked under included: rapid prototyping using a Lua based 3D engine; prototyping gameplay for 3D cameras and later Natal; some R&D on Playstation Move; and concept development and brainstorming with the design firm IDEO.

My final projects were focused on creating games for Facebook using Flash. I developed a framework (later released internally as an "opensource" project) for developing Flash games which was used by a number of the studios inside Ubisoft, and I was the lead on a small excellent team that designed and developed 2 prototypes to explore different possible gameplay.

Programmer

Stainless Games - Isle of Wight, UK
October 2007 - June 2008

At Stainless Games, I was responsible for gameplay and general programming for short titles for the Xbox360 Live Arcade and PC. I've worked on Happy Tree Friends for SEGA, and on a Magic:The Gathering title for Wizards of the Coast.

Lead Programmer

PIXELSOUP - Dublin, Ireland
July 2005 - October 2007

At PIXELSOUP I was responsible for designing, creating, and publishing websites, applications, CD-ROMs, and print work. This often involved meeting and working directly with clients, as well as working under supervision or on my own initiative. I have worked on a number of high profile and international projects, including: Connacht Gold, Dimpco, Fingal County Enterprise Board, Healthcare21, Limerick County Enterprise Board, and PolarLake. Part of my job was to focus on creating standards-compliant, accessible websites. I was also involved in a small part in the day-to-day running of the company while in Ireland.

Bartender

Break For The Border - Dublin, Ireland
January 2004 - January 2006

At Break For The Border, I was working in sales, public relations, and partly management. I also created digital advertising features for constant public display, as well as preliminary development of platform for synchronised delivery of images and advertising to multiple digital projectors using Adobe Flash and socket-servers.

Bartender

An Poc Fada - Monaghan Ireland
December 2001 - December 2003

Worked as bar staff member, serving drinks and dealing with the public. Was full-time employed over during the summer months and enjoyed extended responsibility therein.

Education

MSc. Computer Game Programming - University of Hull, England

Sept 2006 - Sept 2007

Overall Result: Distinction (72.1)

Semester 3 Results

Semester 2 Results

Semester 1 Results

BSc. Multimedia - Dublin City University, Ireland

2001 - 2005

Leaving Cert - St. Macartan's College, Monaghan, Ireland

1995 - 2001

Hobbies / Interests

• Reading - I mostly read fantasy / fiction, but I also have a penchant for history, ancient or otherwise. Terry Pratchett, George R.R. Martin, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Robert Jordan being among my favourite authors. I have a tendancy however to get a little "preoccupied" with what I'm reading as as such my bank account unfortunately has to suffer.
• Computer Games - Final Fantasy VII is the game that single handedly got me into video games. Ironically, working in games doesn't leave a whole pile of time to actually play any, so I mostly buy bundles from the Humble Indie Bundle or Steam for that one day, sometime in the future. Hopefully, before I die.
• Music - Anything that has a bit of a melody to it, but I can't say no to a good beat to bust some moves to (a plus when you're listening to music and working at a standing desk).
• Sport - My sport of choice is swimming - I used to swim competively with a club called Sliabh Beagh back in Ireland, but I'll play pretty much any sport. Preferences on football, gaelic, and hurling of course.
• Writing - Some of this actually will become available on the site; I promise. Like, honest.
• Graphics - Most of my work is in Illustrator, but I also enjoy photography and drawing. It's been a while since I've made anything (other than comedy tshirts for all the upcoming 30th birthdays of my friends), but this makes it seem like I'm a well rounded individual.
• Poker - Tournaments entered to date: 2, Tournaments won to date: 1

Additional Information

• Full, clean driver's licence (Irish)
• Completed the Bronze Gaisce award - the President's award for young people
• Obtained the R.L.S.S. lifeguard qualification
• Treasurer, then P.R.O. Officer, of DCU Swimming Club.
• Conversational French