Education

University of Texas at Austin, B.S. Computer Science, 2001

Skills

Primary Programming Languages: C/C++, C#, Python
Middleware / SDKs: Havok, P4 API, AI.implant, Gamebryo, OGRE, Xbox 360 SDK, PS3 SDK
Graphical / Web Publishing Applications: Maya, 3ds Max, Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash
Other: Rock guitar

Noncommercial Game Development Projects

Creator and maintainer of OpenSkyNet, http://openskynet.sourceforge.net/, open source artificial intelligence libraries for game developers. The current offerings are:

• A pathfinding class that implements target seeking with obstacle avoidance in 3D space. Obstacles are hashed to bins representing divisions of the viewing frustum. Graph algorithms such as A* then return a path avoiding these occupied bins.

• A finite state machine class that uses knowledge base premises and boolean logic for state transitions. A visual authoring tool written in C# scripts C++ code for the FSM classes

Co-authored Enter the Cube, an entry in the 2004 Independent Games Festival. Some of the features I designed and implemented include:

• Steering behavior controllers for enemy ships with the capability to seek, flee, pursue, follow predefined paths, and avoid obstacles

• A robust camera class capable of following any object onscreen in multiple perspectives, along with effects such as the matrix shot, pans, rolls, etc.

• Particle effects, ship design and artwork, plus the patch system

Electronic Arts, Redwood City, CA
Software Engineer - I have worked on a variety of projects over my first year and a half of employment at EA, including:

• Implementing runtime, GUI, and pipeline features, and developing benchmark tests for an audio event system based upon Pure Data (Pd) and Max. The runtime worked on Xbox 360 and PS3
• Implementing new features and test suites for a Game Content Management System (GCMS) that used Oracle to store game data and Perforce for revisioning meta-data. This was a heavyweight C# API designed to, among other things, ease the management of artistic content across level building, localization, and audio designer tools
• Helping design and implement a GUI for a localization tool built upon GCMS
• Implementing features in an audio management tool built upon GCMS. The tool stored sound files, along with script, voice actor, and composer information
• Implementing new features and test suites for a configuration management application to reduce artist and engineer tool installation and code sync times
• Supporting and bugfixing C#/C++ level building tools for Medal of Honor : Airborne
• Bugfixing Tiger Woods 06 course rendering issues on the Xbox 360
• Customizing the Tiger Woods 06/07 Maya course exporter to work w/ new art pipelines
  

Jan '04 - Dec '04

Sojourn Development, San Diego, CA
Programmer - During my first 4 months, I co-developed a server used to update all non-player controlled characters in an unreleased MMORPG. The first task was to interpret and dispatch incoming packets sent by clients on our networking layer to all the different server-side game objects affected. This data included all manner of state changes for avatars, positional information, inventory changes, etc. I was responsible for integrating AI.implant, an AI middleware product, into this system.

Afterward, I handled modifications of our Havok physics integration, including fixing problems with our ragdoll simulations and vehicle physics.

My tasks near the end of 2004 involved redesigning aspects of the base object hierarchy to use appropriate design patterns for future expandability and efficiency reasons, such as scene graph optimization. I also scripted game logic using Python, worked on the GUI, implemented chatting features, worked on the inventory system, and plugged up other holes as they arose.

Nov '02 - Aug '03

Gallery 106, Austin, TX
Web Developer / Graphic Designer
http://medaid.org/www/art/cuba_art.htm
http://www.dylanblair.name/portfolio.htm

Sep '01 - Aug '03

ITS Training Dept. at the University of Texas, Austin
Training Assistant - Assist instructors in teaching IT courses on a variety of software, including MS Office, SPSS, Macromedia and Adobe applications. Help develop teaching materials and perform website maintenance

Jan '01 - Sep '01

SMF computer lab at the University of Texas, Austin
Proctor / Help Desk - First level of tech support

Summers '99 and '00

Motorola, Seguin, TX
Production operator for Apple and Automotive Telematics lines / GPS tester