In this episode of Behind Massive Screens, we delve into the subject of online programming together with Senior Online Programmer Omar Elbehaedi to find out what makes online games tick. We also delve into the subject of why code is beautiful and discuss that most forbidden topic – netcode.

You head into a Team Deathmatch, the Dark Zone, or a 4000-player battle in a space MMORPG. The players are located all over the world. The bullets are flying. But how does the technology that makes all this possible actually work? What do the online programmers do behind the scenes to make sure the information is sent over the Internet, in the most effective way, and that all those connections are stable?

Resources

Books:

A Tour of C++ 3rd edition, by Bjarne Stroustrup - https://www.stroustrup.com/Tour.html

C++ Templates: The Complete Guide 2nd Edition by David Vandevoorde, Nicolai Josuttis, Douglas Gregor - http://www.tmplbook.com/

YouTube channels:

That Dev Ops Guy YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/@MarcelDempers

Onur Mutlu Lectures - https://www.youtube.com/@OnurMutluLectures

Tools:

Kubernetes - https://kube.academy/

Intel VTune

Valgrind

perf (Linux)

Prometheus

Loki and promtail

Grafana

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In this episode of Behind Massive Screens, Petter and Dóri meet Marthe Jonkers, Associate Art Director at Massive Entertainment, to learn about the role that art direction plays when creating a game – the impact it has on a game’s development, how it helps set a game’s style and tone early on, and how it together with concept art communicates ideas to developers.

We also get insights into what it is like to work in the Japanese games industry, and what it can take for someone from outside of Japan to ace a job interview there. And what role did a certain scary zombie girlfriend play in Marthe’s career? Let’s find out!

Resources:

Shotdeck - shotdeck.com/

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When designing a game, how do you make sure that the player gets the information they need while playing? Or navigate menus and button prompts in an intuitive way? In this episode of Behind Massive Screens, UI artist Anna Kuzminska takes our dynamic hosts on a journey through the fascinating world of user interface design – from fonts and art to colors and shapes.

Resources:

We Can Fix it in UI - https://onewithmachines.notion.site/onewithmachines/WE-CAN-FIX-IT-IN-UI-9f588869324a45e2b2d0595546ce77d1

Designing Interfaces: Patterns for Effective Interaction Design - https://www.amazon.com/Designing-Interfaces-Patterns-Effective-Interaction-ebook/dp/B082WQ28FM

Behance - https://www.behance.net/

The Game Assembly - https://thegameassembly.com/

Game Empowerment Movement (GEM) - http://www.gamehabitat.se/gem/

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Ever wondered how game developers create stunning visual effects in video games? How they make red barrels blow up and explosions look great? How cars in racing games kick up dirt, or how the energy crackles from magical potions? In this episode of Behind Massive Screens, we meet John Behrens, VFX Artist at Massive Entertainment, who tells us about visual effects design and what is going on behind the scenes when the bullets hit the red barrel.

Real-Time VFX - https://realtimevfx.com/

The Elementary Particles (GDC Vault) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7wFPkGmWdI

Shader Sauce: How to use Shaders to Create Stylized VFX (GDC Vault) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqdVG_qcKok

John Behren's ArtStation - https://behjohn.artstation.com/

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How do you become a playtester for video games and how does a playtest work? And what are the User Researchers, that are running the tests, looking for? In this episode of Behind Massive Screens, we meet User Researcher Hanna Rosvall, who will give us a look behind the scenes. What tools do User Researchers use, how does a games lab look, and what’s going on behind those mysterious one-way mirrors? Let’s find out!

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Ever wondered how to start working on artificial intelligence in a video game and how the AI in The Division was put together? What do you need to keep in mind when creating AI for an NPC? How do you get started in modding games and what can you create using the tools available? In this episode of Behind Massive Screens, Associate Game Director Drew Rechner covers these subjects in detail, since he’s worked with both – and has built one of the most ambitious Neverwinter Nights mods ever created.

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Join Petter and Dóri as they meet Keltic Vermeersch, Environment Artist at Massive Entertainment, to find out how environments in video games are created - from "simple" hallways to sprawling open worlds. They also learn brand new creative uses for lamps. Yes, lamps.

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In this episode of Behind Massive Screens, Petter and Dori sit down with Lead Game Designer Lau Korsgaard to talk about experimental game design, indie development versus AAA, what uses a regular controller can have beyond the norm, and how games without rules can encourage social interaction.

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Join Petter and new co-host Dori as they sit down with Palle Hoffstein, Art Producer for The Division 2, and dive into his job and his long history in the games industry.
 What does an Art Producer do and how do they work with the artists? What was it like to work in the industry back in the 90s? How did you develop a fully fledged FPS with only 20 people? And how was the experience of moving from North America to Europe?

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We sat down with Chella Ramanan, Narrative Designer at Massive Entertainment, to dig into the complicated subject of storytelling in video games – in everything from smaller indie projects to giant AAA games.

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In this episode of Behind Massive Screens, Petter meets Concept Artists Topi Pajunen and Marie Isacsson to talk about their job, concept art’s role in game development, and how art can inspire the development teams and communicate ideas.

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