about me

I have studied "Media Technology and Design" at the FH Hagenberg (AT) and graduated in 2003. Although design was a great part of my education and keeps on being an area of huge interest and a source of inspiration, my core profession gravitated more and more towards development. Since then I have worked for the Ars Electronica Futurelab (AT), The Interactive Institute (SE), Utani Social Lab (ES) as an Engineer / Researcher. I have also worked on various freelance and even self-funded projects.
I have experience in developing real-time interactive entertainment or simulation software. I have worked on projects in media art (interactive installations, performances, visualizations), in technology research and video game development. I am also a founding member of an artistic collective called the "the guinea pig collective"!
I am from Austria, so I have been living in Salzburg, Linz and Vienna, but since 2008 Barcelona has become my new homebase.
My current gig is working as a Developer at Gameloft Barcelona.

objectives

I would like to continue to develop real-time / interactive entertainment / simulation software - for challenging commercial (i.e. video games), artistic or research projects. As a Programmer I like the most developing elegant and fast (native) code to solve problems for constrained platforms (i.e. embedded devices, smart phones, game consoles). Especially with C++ I have a long relationship. Because it is hard to master I continue to learn about it (and its quirks), sometimes I hate it (lots of boilerplate code) but I also just love that one can program to the metal (almost at least, depending on platform) with it. Since for example game development is such a vast and dynamic field I find most of it challenging and interesting - so I am more of a Generalist. But if I could choose I would like to work more on engine and low level systems, graphics / rendering, artificial intelligence or physics. Additionally I like tinkering with emerging technology (software and hardware). I prefer using programming methodologies (i.e. agile methods) in order to produce software that meets the expectations in quality and time.
Although technical development is my primary role and core profession, my interests and skills cover many other aspects of creative work (game design, concepts, narrative). So naturally I prefer employers that honor the opinions of their employees, let them get involved and don't see them just as a specialized service but as a creative resource and inspiration.
Equally important for me is to be part of a cooperative, dynamic and creative team in a casual environment - to collaborate with very talented, dedicated and professional people with equal motivations. I prefer rather flat structures - with people having some degree of freedom but also taking and sharing responsibilities, working together in self dependent groups, bringing their ideas to life instead of getting micro managed without knowledge (or interest) of the bigger picture and thereby killing any creative sparks.
I highly value it when employers put an emphasis on staff training and provide a proper working and learning environment (i.e. mentoring), to create a place where everybody can learn from each other.
Last but not least I like to have a sane work life balance!

info

my birth year: 1979
my citizenship: Austrian
my current residence: Barcelona (ES)
my CV
my contact: email, skype
my professional web2.0: LinkedIn, Xing

professional experience (8y+)

* GAMELOFT (Oct. 2010 - today, Barcelona / ES)
role: 3D C++ Programmer
worked on:
inhouse 3D graphics engine (OpenGL ES 1.1 and 2.0) and game framework (C++, for iOS and Android)
inhouse tools and asset pipeline (Geometry Converter/Exporter, Editors for Levels, Particles, StateMachines, Materials)
gameplay (physics, input handling, sprite animation, agent behaviors, scripting)
visual effects (particle systems, shaders)
ingame GUI development
platform specific app glue (Objective-C/C++, Java)
bug fixing, optimizations
established a studio wide iOS to Android port workflow for codebase and assets
built a UDP Networking Library for real-time multiplayer games

programming: Win32, iOS, Android, C++, Boost, ARM Assembly, OpenGL ES, GLSL Shaders, Qt, Objective-C/C++, Java, Box2D, Bullet, Sockets, Scripting

Here are the games I've contributed to:






* BLACKBOX (own project, funded, 2009-2010)
an interactive installation and performance, collaboration with Miss Luis Twisted (AT) and CEE (AT)
tasks: concept, application for funding, organization, research, technical direction and development
technology: computer graphics, computer vision, image / sound / video processing, data communication (RS232, UDP, OSC), hardware interfaces and electronics (LEDs, proximity sensors, Arduino)
programming: C++, Objective-C/C++, Cocoa / CoreVideo / CoreGraphics / QTKit, OpenGL, OpenCV, openFrameworks, Arduino / Processing, Max/MSP, PureData
[project home]

* SHANDY (freelance. 2010, Barcelona / ES)
We had the opportunity to work with the super nice and talented people from BOOLAB on a Cruzcampo Shandy campaign.
They wanted to use our setup from the Blackbox performance.

* HANUTA (freelance, 2009)
I developed the Flash website of Hanuta for my friends at Fried-Onions in Berlin.

* RACING CODES (freelance, paused, Barcelona / ES)
interactive installation (think arcade motorcycle), collaboration with area3 (ES)
tasks: technical direction and implementation
technology: graphics / game / sound / network / physics programming, hardware interface (arcade racing setup) and electronics
programming: C++, OpenGL, Ogre 3D Engine, Shaders, bullet Physics, OpenAL, Arduino / Processing

* WORLD2020 (freelance, 2008, Barcelona / ES)
interactive installation, collaboration with Mar Canet (ES) from the Derivart Collective
tasks: technical direction and development
technology: graphics / game / sound / network programming, hardware interface (Wiimote via Bluetooth) and electronics (LEDs, heartbeat sensor)
programming: C++, OpenGL / DirectX, Ogre 3D Engine, Shaders, OpenAL, Blender
presented at Ars Electronica Festival 2009 in Linz (Interface Cultures Student Projects)
[project desription] [early prototype/preview]

* Commercial Multitouch Kiosk Application for Video Playback (freelance, 2009, Barcelona / ES)
proof of concept, collaboration with Ping-Pong Technologies
tasks: technical direction and development (multitouch application)
technology: multitouch technology, image / video processing, network programming
programming: C++, OpenGL, openFrameworks, TUIO/OSC, reacTIVision, Processing / Java

* EKKO (freelance, 2008, Barcelona / ES)
interactive installation, collaboration with B. Bresani (BR/MX) and G. Malagarriga (ES)
tasks: technical direction and implementation
technology: flash and web programming, image processing, development for mobiles
programming: Flash Lite/AS2/AS3, PHP, MySQL, J2ME
[project home]

* MESOSFERA (2008, Barcelona / ES)
tasks: realisation of a custom Multitouch Recognition Software Framework
technology: computer graphics, computer vision, image / video processing, network programming, hardware interfaces and electronics
programming: C++, openFrameworks, OpenGL, OpenCV / IPP
[project info]

* THINK (freelance, 2007, Norrköping / SE)
interactive installation for TII (The Interactive Institute), collaboration with C.-J. Rosén (SE) and H. Wrangel (SE)
tasks: concept, technical implementation
technology: computer graphics, network programming, data scraping
programming: C++, openFrameworks, OpenGL, OpenCV / IPP, Arduino / Processing, Flash (AS3)
[project home]

* ARS ELECTRONICA FUTURELAB (selected projects, 2005 - 2008, Linz / AT)
* „Interactive City Model“ - interactive (GIS, OpenGL)
* „Papyrus“ - ePaper prototype for Vodafone Research (OpenGL, Linux) [project description]
* netculturespace - Second Life navigation via Motion Sensor (Phidgets, UDP)
* „source.code“ - Large-scale (distributed) guidance system for SAP Headquarters in Walldorf / DE (Computer Graphics, OpenGL, Linux) [project home] [video] [making-of]
* „Digital Archive“ - Kiosk-System for Media Archive (RFID, PocketPC, Flash, vvvv)
* „Wikimap Linz“ - Web-based Geographic Information System (Flash, PHP, XML, SQL)
* „MediaPlayer“ - customizeable and remote controllable All-Purpose-Mediaplayer (DirectShow)
* „TouchEdit“ - Touch Interface (via RS-232) for Device Control for Screening Room (projectors, lamps, ...)
* „Crayo Editor“ - 3D World Editor for CAVE Environment (OpenGL, wxWidgets)

* DIGITAL MANKIND (2004, Vienna / AT)
I helped developing an Artificial Intelligence middleware for video games called „Emotion Engine“ which was a real-time simulation used to visualize avatar emotions via mimics and gestics. We developed everything from scratch: the 3d math library, OpenGL rendering, skeletal animation, GUI, live scripting, Maya Exporters. We used the eXtreme Programming method (strictly Test First / Test Driven Design with unit tests, pair programming, heavy refactoring phases, strong emphasis on OOP and design pattners, using UML).
role: Junior Developer
tasks: implementation
technology: computer graphics, artificial intelligence
programming: Win32, C++, OpenGL

* MEDIACLAN (internship, Sep. 2003 - Jan. 2004, Vienna / AT)
I developed Flash arcade game clones like Tetris and Breakout. I have dealt in deepth with optimization of performance and application filesize. I also did some 3D models and animations for the game assets in 3dsmax (export to SWF).
role: Intern
tasks: implementation, graphics
technology: flash and web programming, 3dsmax
programming: Flash 5 AS1


mentionable student projects: (pre 2003)
* „insanity“ – Game Mod (Half Life Engine, Scripting)
* „Guestlist“ – Interactive Community Platform (Adobe Director, Shockwave3D, Lingo, Multiplayer)
* „MotionMusic“ – Motion Controlled Sound Mixing Game (C++, Win32, OpenCV)
* „Barcode Scanner“ – Computer Vision Project (Java, ImageJ)

last update: 18.05.2012