AI Programmer

Joining us from the gaping maw of The Great Corduroy Leviathan Himself comes Jonas "suctionlord" Nelson. Originally created by the Society Of Ape Apothecaries as part of an ongoing exploration of the potential uses of bread and magnets, Jonas has settled in well here in the SD mudflats, although he was distraught to learn that the Thach weave was an aerial combat formation and not a wig style, and required extensive consoling with baby platypi and a tiny mandolin.

Jonas is an experienced campanologist, having rung bells to an international standard last Tuesday, Thursday, and just now. He has galloped with the reindeer, he has riotously uprooted shrubs with the mighty Aurochs, he has bellowed atop mighty alps and burbled at abyssal depths. He was briefly a Giffen good. But now he's just Good. His hobbies include being oval and whistling entire books aloud. In the blue corner, ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Jonas Nelson. I thank you.

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 Jonas does, how he ended up at Splash Damage, and more.

What do you do at Splash Damage?

I work as an AI Programmer, which means I get to write the code driving the computer-controlled characters in BRINK. I spend most of my time making them better and more fun to play with, be as an opponent in combat or as an ally helping you out.

Why did you want to work in the games industry and how did you get started? Do you have any tips for people wanting to break in?

Even though I've been playing games for as long as I can remember, I wasn't actually looking to work in the games industry upon completion of my M.Sc. in Sweden. My master’s thesis was about fingerprint recognition so I was wanting something in the area of image processing and pattern recognition. It turned out that it was very hard to find those kinds of jobs at the time.

So, a friend of mine working in the industry knew this up-and-coming Swedish games company called Avalanche Studios who were looking for people to join their team. I decided to apply, got the job, and haven't looked back since.

For programmers I think two things are the most important: Learn the language(s) you need and write a running demo. As a beginner in the industry, you are not expected to know everything, but being able to demonstrate that you can actually finish a project is a good merit.

How did you end up at Splash Damage?

I had been interested in working abroad for quite a while but was always a bit too chicken to actually do it. When I finally decided to go for it, a friend of mine recommended contacting a recruiter regarding an AI programmer opening at Splash Damage. So I did, one thing lead to another, and here I am.

What other games have you worked on?

Before joining Splash Damage, I worked at Avalanche Studios on Just Cause and Just Cause 2. When I started out, I actually did the language support and localization system for Just Cause, but quite quickly moved on to gameplay programming. From there it was a short leap to AI towards the end of the project.

During Just Cause 2, I focused completely on AI work. We used the Scrum methodology of project management and with me being the Scrum-Master for the AI team, I was spending about 20 percent of my time with administrative stuff and the rest of the time writing code.

What is it like to work at Splash Damage?

Being able to work with two of my biggest interests in life - games and programming - is simply brilliant. As the dedicated AI programmer, I get a lot of freedom, but also a lot of responsibility, which is just the way I like it. Everyone at Splash Damage is really skilled and focused on doing their best all the time, and that makes the energy really positive around the office.

What are the best and worst parts of your job?

The best part of the job is when you get into the "zone" and the code basically writes itself (not literally of course). The worst part is when something seemingly simple takes way too long to implement.

What was your first gaming experience?

My first computer was a ZX Spectrum, which I got when I was about 10. On that, I played games like Bard's Tale, Sai Combat and Jet Set Willy. I remember having a cartridge that I plugged into a port at the rear of the computer, which could take a snapshot of the entire memory and you could view it all in hexadecimal. The cool part was that if you managed to figure out where the stats for your character were located, you could change it any way you wanted.

From there on, I played C64 and Amiga. I was a console virgin until I got the PSOne and the first Broken Sword game.

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

My favourite games are often heavily story-driven and/or tend to involve puzzle-solving. I really love being dragged into a story and just getting carried away with it and have the plot surprise me. My all-time favourite game tends to change over time depending on what I've played recently, but the best ones are probably Broken Sword 1 and 2, simply because of the quirky humour, the great story and the brilliant voice acting.

That said, I do play almost anything except for sports and strategy.

What's the meaning behind your nickname?

I got the name in '97 or '98 when I was at Hultsfred (a music festival in Sweden). I got way too drunk with a friend, and we then and there decided to start an imaginary band called The Suctionlords. We printed t-shirts and even had a set list (with really nerdy humorous titles), but never actually made any music.

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

Well, I play video games, board games, and pen and paper RPGs. I also practice Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu, a japanese martial art more commonly known as Ninjutsu. Apart from that, I read books, watch movies, go to concerts, explore London, enjoy the occasional pint, and write a few AI algorithms. You know, everyday stuff.