Here is a rundown of my employment history in computing.
July 2005 - Date: | Ashgaming Ltd. |
April 2005 - June 2005: | Mindhouse Ltd. |
Oct 2003 - April 2005: | OpenTV Ltd. - Playjam |
May 2003 - Oct 2003: | Summer 2003 |
Feb 2002 - May 2003: | Ash Luecker Ltd. |
Nov 2001 - Feb 2002: | Winter 2001/2 |
Aug 2001 - Nov 2001: | Jacobs Rimell Ltd |
Aug 1999 - Aug 2001: | Two Way TV Ltd |
Pre 1999: | Previous Contracts |
Academic record |
My skillset includes (in no particular order):
April 2005 - Date
Senior Software Engineer
Chris Ash of ashluecker splits with Wolf Luecker and refocuses the result into Ash Gaming.
My role is to design and write the server-side functionality for AWP (Amusement With Prize) fruit machines using MFC compliant DLLs in C++. These interface with the Flash client using XML.
They are deployed to online casinos worldwide by one of the industry's most respected providers and are designed to closely replicate the offline experience.
April 2005 - May 2005
Senior Software Engineer
Mindhouse was taken over by the receivers some six weeks after I joined.
October 2003 - April 2005
Senior Software Developer (games)
OpenTV now owns Playjam where I wrote quiz, puzzle and (mainly) arcade-style games from October 2003 to April 2005. The games are for transmission SKY's UK satellite platform as well as TPS in France and OpenTV in the USA, Italy and elsewhere.
This was a challenging role demanding a high degree of creativity and requiring excellent C skills.
Many of my titles are still returning to air.
Completed projects:
I also completed and deployed nearly a dozen reskins and rebuilds of varying complexity; the more popular a game proves to be, the more it needs to be rebuilt with updated content and/or graphics, especially when 3rd parties want their own branded versions. This is complicated by the varying requirements of broadcasters outside of the UK.
I spent the summer as consultant on a variety of iTV and Web projects for a number of clients while preparing myself (and our house!) for first-time fatherhood in August 2003 :-)
Clients included Ash Luecker Ltd., Avago Ltd., Gates-Ink Ltd., Customer Champions Ltd.
February 2002 - May 2003
Senior iTV Developer
I worked on a variety of projects and platforms, usually as part of a small production team assembled for each project.
Principal duties:
I particularly enjoyed the opportunity to design and implement integrated solutions using a variety of technologies. The part I played in enabling other team members to learn and exploit the platforms' strengths was very rewarding.
While at ashluecker I completed accredited formal training in OpenTV SDK and completed the following projects:
SPRINGBOARD
A quiz engine configurable by the user using a web-based XML "wizard" which allows them to update content and change the look and feel of the resulting experience. This greatly simplifies the broadcaster's task of publishing new versions to the SKY format.
Client: ashluecker
CBEEBIES demo.
A colouring-in game for 3-6yr olds exploiting some of the hardware-specific graphics capabilities of the OpenTV SDK environment.
Client: CBBC
FRUIT MACHINE demo.
A 3-reel fruit machine demo interface using XML to interface with server-side data.
Client: Gala Games ©
SNAKES AND LADDERS demo.
A gambling game with the feel of the old kiddie's favourite, built around the AVAGO scratchcard engine concept.
Client: AVAGO ©
Gala Games - a suite of three fixed-odds betting games to run on the Telewest platform. These integrate with 3rd party server-side solutions for croupier, banker and hosting solution to form part of Gala Interactive's overall strategy. Gala Games has launched the Flash versions on the Web and they may even go live on Telewest some day, though I think someone's bought them up, so who knows?
Client: Gala Games ©
Hunt The Ancestor, an 86 page multi-path educational game available via the BBCi History channel. A complete redesign of the original flash game was necessary to create the iTV version which must run within the BBCi interactive environment. The BBC were particularly impressed with my translation of the user interaction experience. This project passed Telewest, NTL and BBC compliance testing at the first trial and went to air on Thursday 4th July 2002.
Client: BBCi History
Fruit Machine simulator (Java) in support of Gala Games' Online Casino. This engine tests reel combinations and payout probabilities and will be developed into a server-side engine using XML to drive client-side gaming interfaces.
Client: Gala Games ©
A game simulator (C++ for Windows) in support of the BBCi History site Build A Pyramid educational game. This tool enabled a rapid development cycle to evolve between our company and our client BBC History, who said that it provided their best ever 3rd-party development experience.
Client: BBCi History
See my games page for full details.
Some call it resting ;-) ...in other words redundant (boo).
And it was nice while it lasted; having lunch with my friends Jon Ritman, a fellow programmer and John Gosler, an artist working in animation; played a lot of guitar with old friend Chris Greene....then there was the gym, and the gruelling body conditioning classes which got me in shape for my first go at skiing in Meribel; I knew nothing was going to happen on the job front 'till after Xmas anyway so I just enjoyed the free time.
I also worked some more on some personal projects I've been developing.
August 2001 - November 2001
iTV Applications Developer
Working as part of a team, I was responsible for the design, development and documentation of client-side GUI components of a brandable EPG, which is part of the broadband package offered by Jacobs Rimell (London).
Jacobs Rimell were building an API to interface with the standard Liberate environment providing access to their proprietary customer-centered provisioning system.
In the time that I was there (about 9 weeks) I wrote:
November 2000 - August 2001
In November 2000 I received one week's accredited formal training at CanalPlus in Paris. I then led a small team of programmers in the initial development of TWTV's API to the Mediahighway environment.
Having set up the environment for further development I became responsible for the technical design and development of the clientside portal to the TwoWayTV onDigital (and then iTVDigital) service using the Canal+ MediaHighway Application Workshop IDE under UNIX, working to a specific brief and deadline. Meantime I continued to work closely with others to further develop TWTV's proprietary API and to create content developer's tools.
I also led the graphics department in the design and development of suitable graphics formats, finding solutions within the platform's technical constraints.
I played an occasional support role to our Q&A dept. and to fellow developers.
August 1999 - November 2000
I developed games and other applications for the Liberate platform using high level Object-Orientated languages. All use Web-like server technology to provide database support and live updates affording a high degree of interaction which can be provided standalone or synch-to-broadcast.
Working closely within a small production team for each project I had sole responsibility for the design and delivery of all client-side code. This also involved development of the GUI and graphics and the creation of a proprietary database for content developers. I was also responsible for documentation and supporting the code through test and in service.
These games all use TwoWayTV's head-end systems to provide live data, access to content and information databases, score leaderboards etc.
For more detail on the TwoWayTV games click here.
See my games page for full details.
Computing-related work experience, two 3-month contracts completed while I was studying for my degree at Middlesex University.