Case studies: Senior GUI programmer: David Addis

After graduating with a 2:2 BSc in physics with computing from the University of Warwick, David was unsure what he wanted to do or who would even employ him. With ingenuity and tenacity he got a job as a games developer.

It was a massive culture shock going from being a student to full-time employment. After a few random local temp jobs, I found a temporary job in games testing. I feared I was being pigeonholed as a ‘tester’ and, with only a 2.2, few companies considered me in a development role. So in my spare time I wrote some games and made a demo to send off to other companies. Eventually I got an offer, then a counter-offer from my own company.

After two years, I moved to a large, global games company where I stayed for three years. Then I moved to Lionhead Studios, where I work now.

On a typical day, I arrive at the office at 10am and check my email. Then we have a team meeting to check what we're each working on and to sort out any local issues. I then work on the next feature and respond to questions from my colleagues in person or via email.

I package my work into groups of changes to the source code that are often reviewed by another programmer and sent to a system that records every change. I have to be careful what I submit so I don't break the game for other developers.

In the afternoon, we'll often have a meeting with other disciplines to discuss how to plan for a new feature. I'll work until 6pm, or longer if there are bugs to fix or we’re close to a deadline. Don’t forget to order pizza before 5pm!

In the last few years at Lionhead, I’ve specialised in the role of GUI (graphical user interface) programmer and gained responsibility for looking after our systems and leading the UI team in a technical sense. In the future, I hope to be a 'lead' and officially managing the UI team or an entire game team.

I love getting stuck into a technical problem and solving it with maths or logic, and I love being creative, making a fun, encompassing experience for gamers, and working with like-minded people. On the other hand, some bugs are very difficult to fix and it can be stressful when you're against a deadline.

My degree course definitely gave me a grounding in some essential concepts relating to computer hardware and a good introduction to programming. The first three lessons of my Java course were invaluable and I use that knowledge every day.

I would recommend studying computer science, as it's often regarded more highly than a specialised computer games degree. Get a 2:1 or better! Apply to lots of companies for graduate roles, and don’t be disheartened if you aren’t hired straight away - sometimes studios are looking for a very specific person, role, or skill set.

A demo or example of code you wrote (and that you are excited about) would be a great thing to attach or link to on your CV. Be passionate about games, but without sounding like an obsessive fan. Good luck!