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. Hopefully these will prove informative for those hoping to get into a particular line of work, but also entertaining enough to be worth a read for anyone interested in Rare or a general industry career.
In this edition: Brian Cox, one of our all-important Gameplay Engineers. No, not Professor Brian Cox. Or the actor Brian Cox. But just as talented!
Rare: What’s your background and how did you arrive at Rare?
Brian Cox: I was a student for a long time – seven years! First I did a four-year Masters degree in Communication and Multimedia Design. Then afterwards, a three-year game development specialisation in Digital Arts and Entertainment in Belgium.
Before I came to Rare I was working as a UI and Gameplay Programmer at Triumph Studios in the Netherlands where I worked on Age of Wonders III for PC. Since my university studies I am always creating games for multiple platforms mostly in Unity and attending game jams, which I really enjoy!
Have you found yourself doing the job you always thought you’d do?
No, my current job is better than what I expected it to be! As a kid I always wanted to make games but I thought there was no chance for that due to there not being enough jobs. Times have luckily changed, and the video game industry has grown quite a lot.
If your dream is to work in the videogame industry, just go for it. Even if you are not an artist or programmer you can start out as a QA tester and work your way up as many people have already proven. It’s a really nice industry to work in, and most if not all of your colleagues will have many similar interests and a love for making (and playing) games of course!
What are your main responsibilities on the average game?
On the new (unannounced) project I am implementing new gameplay features, writing AI, fixing bugs and making performance optimisations to get smooth gameplay with high FPS. I was part of the prototype gameplay team creating all the new features so that we could test them in play sessions before implementing them in the main game.
Currently I am doing UI implementation, making sure everything looks as the artists want it to look in the game and works as expected by the players. As I am a gamer myself I always keep in mind what I liked or disliked about other games, and I make sure to avoid those mistakes and make the experience as fun and enjoyable as possible.
Which Rare games have you worked on, and what’s been your biggest achievement?
I started at Rare as a UI & Gameflow Engineer working on Kinect Sports Rivals, and now I am working on Rare’s new top-secret project. Improving the performance of the gameplay prototype by optimising code made me the hero of the week and earned me the (self-proclaimed) ‘King of Optimisation’ title for a limited time. That certainly was a great feeling.
What do you see as the top perk of working for Rare?
The fact that Rare has such a broad portfolio of IP and the way we’re always trying to come up with innovative games and technology. There are also a lot of talented people working here with a lot of industry experience. It’s great to be able to evaluate or discuss your code or gameplay features with industry veterans. I was a bit starstruck when I met some of the original developers of Perfect Dark!
What do you find most exciting about your job?
To see my gameplay features appear in the game, especially if the AI that I wrote outsmarts a player (or even me). I am also given a lot of freedom when programming new features and everyone at Rare is very open and approachable when you want to make a suggestion.
It’s also a very exciting moment when your work is presented to the entire studio, or even to the entire world, when the game is ready.
As an Engineer, how do you like to work with people whose ideas you’re implementing?
I am currently sitting very close to the designers of the game I am working on, so whenever they come up with a new feature I can show them my progress or even come up with my own suggestions. If I don’t agree with an idea or design I will always speak up about it, and it’s good to see that all designers take this into account in order to make the feature perfect.
How would you describe your fellow workers in five words?
Intelligent, competitive, funny, passionate and nerdy.
Favourite Rare game, favourite game on an Xbox console and favourite game of all time?
Favourite Rare game is without a doubt Perfect Dark on N64. That game was a life-changer for me and made me want to make videogames myself.
Favourite Xbox game is Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic as it was the first game where I felt my actions really had an impact on the story.
Favourite game of all time is a hard question as I have been playing videogames for my entire life, but for the moment it has got to be Hotline Miami (PC) because of its brutal difficulty. Other games which had a big impact on my life are Illusion of Time/Illusion of Gaia (SNES), C&C Renegade (PC) and World of Warcraft (PC).
Any good (printable) anecdotes or memories from within the walls of Rare?
We’ve had a lot of great moments during playtests of the new project we are currently working on. I can’t give away too much about that yet, apart from the fact that we’ve experienced some amazing stories already!
We also have a Killer Instinct 2 arcade machine in the hallway and I am always challenging innocent bystanders, often defeating them with a Supreme Victory, but some people have proven to be very tough opponents leading to some great matches during lunchtime.
What advice would you give to anyone thinking of applying for a role similar to yours?
Make a game, then make another one, and another one. It doesn’t matter if you don’t finish the game, you will learn something from each game you made and you will become experienced with the engine and code language.
I recommend Unity and C# to start with; Unreal Engine 4 is also a good option but a bit more complicated at first. Keep improving your skills and sooner or later you will find yourself in the job you always wanted to do.
Check out the full Rare Life category to see everyone we’ve featured in past instalments!
Weighing up a career in the games biz? What roles would you like to see covered in future Rare Life columns? Drop us a line and let us know.