Gameplay Programmer

Nightingale

2022-2024

Gameplay Programmer

AI | Encounters

I partnered with a Senior Programmer on Encounters where we took ownership from designers and fully refactored the entire system. With Nightingale being a live service game we also consulted our designers to identify and alleviate as many inefficiencies as possible in the data authoring process and level markup to ensure a sustainable content pipeline with quick turnover.

I then had the opportunity to move to the AI team with the primary goal of bridging the gap between Encounters and creatures. By obtaining a greater understanding of our AI systems, we were able to decouple Encounters from AI, define a solid bridge, and make much needed improvements to both systems.

I also had the opportunity to mentor interns and junior programmers, and represent Inflexion Games at various outreach events supporting Alberta's growing media industry.

It was a privilege to work with an undeniably talented team at Inflexion Games and ship my first game. This was my first real foray into the game industry and I'm incredibly grateful to have been given the opportunity to work with this team on Nightingale. I was given the environment to make mistakes, pursue my interests, and take ownership of my systems.

Key Contributions:

  • Took ownership of encounter systems from designers, nativized core systems, and introduced persistence, replication, automated testing, gameplay debugger data, and level design tools, ensuring robust, extensible, and readable code.
  • Acted as the primary point of contact for encounter systems, collaborating cross-functionally with other teams to align features with the game’s vision and maintain the integrity of other systems.
  • Spearheaded data authoring improvements, including streamlining POI markup, automating creature distribution, and introducing validation, reducing bugs by 80% and significantly cutting down time spent on authoring and debugging.
  • Developed an editor tool for previewing and validating EQS queries, eliminating 95% of creature-spawning bugs.
  • Refactored combat encounters to support bosses, enhance small space combat, and revamp enemy distribution for Nightingale’s largest update, contributing to a boost in the game’s Steam rating from ”Mixed” (63%) to ”Very Positive” (83%).
  • Enhanced the spawning system by enabling custom EQC authoring and querying in C++, allowing for bespoke spawn locations and rule-based creature spawning, and a 97% reduction of EQS assets.
  • Nativized the encounter spawning system and unified its data into data assets, reducing asset dependencies by 99%, streamlining the creature spawning setup, and increasing system extensibility.
  • Refactored the encounter presentation system to support diegetic player communication, eliminating replication in core systems and laying the groundwork for rewards.
I worked with Joseph for more than two years at Inflexion Games. When Joseph started, I was assigned to work with him as his mentor in order to show him the ropes and to get him started at the studio. Within a few months Joseph had taken on increasing responsibility, had made valuable contributions to the game, and had begun to assert himself positively by actively participating in design discussions as well as making excellent suggestions for how we could improve our systems. As time went on, Joseph only increased his capabilities in programming, design, and communication. Joseph is also friendly and easy to work with, and I have no doubt that he would be able to fit in well with any team. In short, Joseph is an excellent programmer and communicator, and tops things off by being an all-around good guy to work with. I would recommend him for just about any programming role.
jason-profile-imgJason Knipe|Senior Gameplay Programmer
I managed Joseph on the AI team for several months during his time at Inflexion Games. He was always willing to learn new and better ways to solve technical problems, and, of his own volition, he would use those learnings to improve already existing systems. Additionally, he was always jumping in to help support less technical team members with their problems. Any team seeking a self-driven, highly collaborative member would benefit from having Joseph.
arta-profile-imgArta Seify|Lead Gameplay Programmer
Joseph made our lives as gameplay and level designers significantly easier through improved automation and the development of tailored tools that streamlined our workflows and eliminated sources of error. His proactive approach and deep understanding of our processes allowed us to focus more on creativity and polish, saving time and improving outcomes. Joseph’s responsiveness and collaborative spirit ensured that every concern or request was met with practical, effective solutions, often exceeding expectations. Whether debugging issues, integrating features, or enhancing systems, his work was consistently impactful, reliable, and delivered with a genuine commitment to supporting the team.
phil-profile-imgPhillip Daigle|Lead Encounter Designer
I was lucky enough to hire and subsequently manage Joseph during his time at Inflexion. Joseph is one of the best up-and-coming developers I have had the pleasure of working with. His professional strengths are his diligence, passion, and high self-standards. This, coupled with his wonderful and warm personality, makes him an excellent team member and even better co-developer to partner with. Joseph would be an asset on any team, particularly those making use of Unreal Engine or C++ for game development. Joseph has worked in a number of sub-disciplines in gameplay development in Unreal, such as AI and the Gameplay Ability System Plugin. He has also worked excellently in cross departmental partnerships using his strong communication skills. I anticipate Joseph becoming an even more exceptional programmer and game developer over time, and would be a great addition to any programming team.
sarah-profile-imgSarah Mainwaring|Gameplay Programming Area Lead

Game Developer

Thrive: Heavy Lies the Crown

2021-2022

Game Developer

Core

I had the opportunity to work in one of Calgary's few game studios on an ambitious multiplayer city builder RTS. I shared my time between web development and game development, obtaining a solid seven months of experience in Unity. Zugalu had just restarted development on Thrive: Heavy Lies the Crown so I had the opportunity to develop core systems for the game from the ground up.

I also worked on various web development contracts including the website redesign of NSCAD where I led the development of the project and worked directly with our clients.

I'm incredibly grateful to Zugalu for giving me the opportunity to start my game development career and represent Calgary's growth in the games industry. Their ambition and tenacity gives me confidence that they will continue to foster new talent, grow as a team, and find success.

Key Contributions:

  • Led the design and development of core gameplay systems, including the weather system, territory manager, and daily event system, successfully meeting feature milestones for Canada Media Fund and publisher builds.
  • Coauthored a Discord chat game, achieving Discord partnership by doubling our active users and nearly quadrupling server message count.
  • Led the development, shaped the UX design, and managed the completion of one of Zugalu’s largest website contracts, meeting critical deadlines and fostering a strong client relationship.
Joseph is the kind of person who approaches every challenge with determination, creativity, and humility. Whether it’s tackling a tough coding problem or collaborating with a team, his drive and positive attitude set him apart. I have no doubt that his future contributions will leave a lasting impact on the gaming industry. I wholeheartedly recommend Joseph for any role he pursues. Any team would be lucky to have someone of his caliber onboard!
steve-profile-imgSteven Hodges|Community Manager