Programmer

Joining us from the whirling vortex created by the bird-scaring pattern on the hub boss of a high-pass turbofan comes Jose 'mojo' Esteve.

Adjust your cuffs and doff your caps, for it was Jose that first created the Olympic "rings" emblem by the cunning overlapping of damp beer glasses upon a bar top. It was he that originally created confetti by cooking tiny paper omelettes. It was he that defined the "QWERTY" keyboard layout, arranging it to best suit him when writing to his dear friend Quentin Wentworth Erland Rodriguez Timpson Yakub. And he it was that crimped the – into the ¬, and invented the popular romance-plant "rose" based on the @--;--- emoticon, which originally represented a crying, grimacing Cyclops.

In his spare time he constructs staved vessels such as the firkin, the puncheon, the tun and the butt. Disappointingly, he does not particularly favour larger sizes of the aforementioned, but he indeed incapable of uttering untruths.

Things You Were Too Afraid To Ask...

Every once in a while, we interrogate one of our own and put their answers up for all the world to see. Read on to find out more about what Jose does, how he ended up at Splash Damage, and more.

What do you do at Splash Damage?

I'm a Tools Programmer at Splash Damage. As part of the tools team my tasks involve anything and everything related to the development and maintenance of the existing toolset for BRINK.

Why did you want to work in the games industry and how did you get started?

I have always loved everything related to computers and graphics. My devotion to them started early when, fascinated by a bunch of huge pixels moving across the screen, I told myself "That is what I want to do". Having the plan set, all that was left were years and years of programming and continuous learning just to realise that maybe it was not as straightforward as I initially thought. But eventually... Ta-da! I'm pretty lucky to work on my passion, and even get paid for it!

My previous background comes from working on offline rendering software, so Splash Damage is my first job in the game industry. Both industries have a lot in common, especially when it comes to more recent projects.

Do you have any tips for people wanting to break in?

I strongly believe that you have to be passionate and love what you do, because in the end that shows and helps you to keep focused - and be stubborn - enough to achieve what you want.

Instead of relying on predefined "musts" for your career, talent and skills are probably the most valuable features you need to develop. A good education is crucial to get solid grounds, but I think that in the end rather than being queried about your titles during an interview you'll likely be asked about "What can you do?" - and in that case it's better to let your work speak for you. It doesn't need to be professional work: spend time on personal projects, which will serve to honestly prove your skills. And if you don't have enough time for them (hey, sleeping is overrated :)) you can try focusing your education towards something you can use in a portfolio.

How did you end up at Splash Damage?

I was looking for a change and wanted to work abroad, and Splash Damage was recommended to me. During my interview, it didn't take them much to convince me that SD was the place to be for an amazing project!

What is it like to work at Splash Damage?

It is brilliant. There is a relaxed and friendly working environment, good facilities, and you get to work with extremely talented people.

What are the best and worst parts of your job?

One of the best parts of my job is working on a variety of tasks that are useful for the rest of the team. I'm often surprised by what artists are able to do with the software we develop (and their always creative ways to break it, too!). The worst parts, on the other hand, are the ability for bugs to pile up all at once on a Friday evening, and the reluctance of the coffee machine to work when you most need it.

What was your first gaming experience?

The first computer that entered my home, when I was around 9, was a sturdy Commodore-64 with its glorious 4 colour graphics. I spent endless hours on it hammering the space bar while playing Xenon 2, also scratching my head with Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, which I shamefully admit I've never managed to finish (but I still keep the floppy disks around, so there is hope!).

What types of games do you like, and what's your favorite game of all time?

I tend to prefer casual or action games, although I can easily be engaged by a good story; I really enjoyed the totally weird but amazing American McGee's Alice, GTA Vice City or Half Life 2. I miss LucasArts' graphic adventures, too.

What's the meaning behind your nickname?

Mojo is actually the name of my sock monkey, sitting on my desk next to me while he plots to take over the world. He is my alter-ego... or am I his?

What do you enjoy doing when you're not at work?

Photography is one of my main hobbies - I like to carry a camera with me (almost!) everywhere I go. I also spend quite a lot of time drawing, reading, and walking around London, which is such an interesting city.