It’s been a little while since our last run of staff profiles as we were all wildly busy launching our first title for the Xbox One. But as we look ahead to what comes next and welcome more staff into the studio, we’re getting back showing you the people behind the games.
For the next couple of weeks we’ll focus on this year’s batch of interns. They’re an enthusiastic and talented bunch and will be sharing what it’s like to be starting their games careers here at Rare.
In this edition: Arran Topalian, Design intern and Topher Winward, Software Development Engineer intern. Take it away guys!
So, Arran, where are you studying and what’s your chosen subject?
I’m currently studying Game Design and Production Management at Abertay Dundee university.
What led you to apply for a Microsoft internship?
A number of things! I felt it was the best possible opportunity to enter a successful corporation, as well as the ideal chance to learn from the industry’s finest and enhance my own skills. I have been a great admirer of Microsoft – its innovation and its passion – for a very long time. Additionally, on a more personal level, I felt that being accepted by such a prestigious company says a lot about me as an aspiring professional. What’s more, Microsoft has a rich and exciting history where design is concerned – software or otherwise – which has created and been responsible for the creation of products I’ve enjoyed both as a child and adult, and I really wanted to be part of that process and help create these experiences for others.
Were you a Rare fan before you began your internship?
Being a little older, it was many of Rare’s classic titles which first got me into video games. I can’t count how many fond childhood memories I have playing games such as GoldenEye, Perfect Dark and Banjo-Kazooie with friends or family. To me, Rare was one of – if not THE – first studio that infused their titles (and do to this day) with what can only be described as ‘Rareness’: an intangible quality that exists in the art, story, style and mechanics of their games, which tells you without any prior knowledge that the game you’re playing is from Rare. So yeah, I was a Rare fan long before I began my internship – and working here is, in all seriousness, nothing short of a dream come true.
How would you describe your first few months at Rare?
Truth be told I was a little starstruck when I first started, having found myself at a studio responsible for titles I had played and loved for so many years – as well as developers who’d actually been involved in their making! Beyond that, buzzwords would probably include exciting, fun, motivating and inspiring: having been surrounded by like-minded people with so many years of experience and insurmountable passion for what we do. Most importantly, I’ve not felt like ‘the intern’. Everyone I’ve worked with has never treated me with any less respect, trust or open-mindedness than they would a full-time employee. This acceptance has only been furthered by my manager, who has continually entrusted me with real tasks that have a real, visible impact on the project.
Can you talk us through some of the things you’ve been doing?
It’s only been a few months and I’ve already been involved in a range of tasks – mainly thanks to my aforementioned manager and both his encouragement and trust in me as a designer. So far, some of the things I’ve been doing have included high-level design, level design, design research and feature design – not to mention inclusion in a number of meetings regarding the project. Unfortunately, being unable to talk about what Rare is currently working on limits how much detail I can provide. However I can say that what I’ve been doing has been 100% relevant and has never left me feeling ‘on the sidelines’ or uninvolved with the team.
What has your biggest highlight been so far?
Generally, the main highlight has been simply knowing what Rare is up to and being involved with that process. But more specifically, I’d have to say it was being able to attend a meeting involving Phil Harrison. Or rather: having been invited to a meeting involving Phil Harrison. The level of trust and the willingness to accept me as a designer, rather than be recognised and referred to as ‘the intern’ never ceases to amaze me here at Rare, and though the meeting did involve discussions on work I’d been part of, having been included in such an important, influential meeting underlined that trust and respect very strongly.
What do you hope to take with you when you leave next year?
Hopefully, I won’t have to leave! But if I do, there are a number of things I hope to take with me: the friendships I’ve already made with both FTEs and the other interns, for example. But more than anything, I hope to take the beginnings of my professional development with me. Over the mere three or so months I’ve been here, my manager has already done a truly incredible job of identifying and fostering my strengths as a designer via the work and responsibilities I’ve been set, so as to better prepare me for the industry and hone a skillset I best align with. This line of development, while still in its early stages, greatly excites me and I look forward immensely to furthering this development, bettering myself as a designer and being able to bring something new, unique and ‘Rare’ to wherever I next work.
What advice would you give to anyone considering a similar internship opportunity?
Go for it. Don’t think: just go for it. Even if you’re uncertain over your skill level! Grades and previous experience do of course help, but if you don’t try you’ll never know. Moreover, speaking from a design intern standpoint, passion and enthusiasm for the field and the industry can (and did) go a long way. And to those just starting university who’re interested in the opportunity, I’d say “work hard”! It really counts further down the line and if you love the industry and the work your subject involves, it shouldn’t prove too hard in getting the grades you need to reflect just how much you want an opportunity such as this.
What is your favourite a) Rare game, b) game on Xbox and c) game of all time?
My favourite Rare game is, without question, Donkey Kong Country. I have so many happy memories playing this as a kid with my younger sister Hannah. As for my favourite game on Xbox, I’d probably say Halo 2, given how much I loved everything from the story and gameplay to the soundtrack and incredible multiplayer experience. With regard to my favourite game of all time, I couldn’t possibly choose. Literally. As a designer, I’ve played and loved so many fantastic games that share that status. However my short list would probably include, in addition to titles I’ve already mentioned: Zelda: Ocarina of Time, GoldenEye, Final Fantasy VII, Journey, Pokemon Red, God of War and Dungeon Keeper 2. But the list could really go on and on.
Moving on to you, Topher. Where are you studying, and what’s your chosen subject?
I’ve just completed my second year at The University of Sheffield, studying Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science. It covers all sorts of things, from your bog-standard Java and PHP webdev through to modelling forest fires, building image recognition-based wordsearchers, looking at how we can model our own biological immune system to catch computer viruses, and even asking if computers and robots can ever really think or feel. It’s a very wide course that exposes you to a crazy amount of concepts!
What led to you apply for a Microsoft internship?
I knew from the beginning of my course I wanted to take a placement year somewhere, as I’d done summer internships before. I’d sort of idly planned to apply to all the big names as well as smaller ones, but a talk from a student who’d done an internship with Microsoft the year previously showed me how relaxed the culture appeared to be and really boosted my views of it.
Were you a Rare fan before you began your internship?
Oh, I was definitely a Rare fan – my childhood involved a lot of Banjo-Tooie, Jet Force Gemini and most importantly GoldenEye, which I still regard as one of my favourite games ever made. Unfortunately I never owned a 360 so I missed out on a fair few games.
How would you describe your first few months at Rare?
My first few months have been a real thrill; I’ve learnt so much more than I realised possible and have had so much fun. I knew from the start that I’d learn a lot – I didn’t realise quite how much! The atmosphere has also been so welcoming and laid back – I love that I can talk about my two passions, gaming and programming, with anybody and enter a great discussion.
Can you talk us through some of the things you’ve been doing?
My core work has been in audio tech, working with the sound designers to improve their tooling and workflow. Hopefully the improvements we’ve made will speed up the amount of time it takes them to test their changes a considerable amount. I’ve almost been doing preliminary research into localisation and what choices we want to make.
What has your biggest highlight been so far?
There have been so many it’s hard to pick one! There’s been the countless barbeques in summer, the Rare LAN, the Flugtag – but I think right now my highlight has to be having had the opportunity to give an engineering talk to all the developers, with just as much weight assigned to it as any other employee’s.
What do you hope to take with you when you leave next year?
I haven’t actually got one, so I’m hoping to take an Xbox One with me when I leave next year – just don’t tell anybody or they might confiscate it!
What advice would you give to anyone considering a similar internship opportunity?
To anybody looking at internship opportunities, my biggest advice is APPLY. I know too many people who complained about not getting internships or similar, but never actually followed through with the application. Past that, confidence in yourself and your abilities is key.
Favourite Rare game, favourite game on an Xbox console and favourite game of all time?
Favourite Rare game is definitely GoldenEye for the N64 by far – I’ve probably sunk hundreds of hours into it. My favourite Xbox game had to be Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic. Many mornings were spent playing and replaying it into the early hours of the morning before going to school incredibly tired. And best game of all time, is hands down, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time. I’ve tried, and I just can’t fault it. The controls are perfect, the story is gripping, and the music is sublime.
Thanks to Arran and Topher. Feeling inspired to apply? Want to learn more about the Microsoft internship scheme or the current openings we have at the studio? Check out our Careers section (or our specific Internships page) for all the information you need!