Our optimization journey!

Here is a recent article I wrote for the Gamasutra blogs about our challenges increasing the performance of Shadow Blade on mobile devices.

http://gamasutra.com/blogs/AmirFassihi/20130828/199134/0__60_fps_in_14_days_What_we_learned_trying_to_optimize_our_game_using_Unity3D.php

We are aiming for shadow blade to be released this fall:

http://shadowblade.deadmage.com

http://youtu.be/tgSXLVAwZJs

Let's Play Together!

I've been involved in the fascinating challenge of multiplayer game programming during the past year and it has proved itself to be quite challenging and exciting. I tried to gather part of the stuff that I studied and researched with the help of my friends during this time as a one hour talk I had yesterday.

Here is a link to the presentation slides:

Let's Play Together: Networked Multiplayer Games

The amount of information shared by the experts who have worked in this field already is wonderful, I have included them in the references section of the slides.

We have a long journey to go in this area for our current project.

Book on Creativity

Creativity is the foundation for any kind of creative work, especially for aspiring game designers. A lot of study has been done on the subject related to the nature of creativity and its definitions and also ways to stimulate it.

Dr. Shervin Vakili has a great book on the topic which covers the different aspects of creativity, its definitions and classifications and exercises to increase and enhance creative thinking for everyone. The book is a great read and he has graciously released the digital version free recently on his website here:

http://soshians.ir/fa/?page_id=37

You can find out about the numerous other books he has written over there which cover topics ranging from social sciences and psychology to novels, philosophical titles and historical books. Make sure to check out "The Way of the Warrior" poems in the above link.

His great work and ideas has been a big source of inspiration for me during the past years. By the way, he is the author of the great Soshians Novel which was the narrative source for the first video game we were working on.

7 Supernatural

It is supernatural how being engaged in a highly challenging technical and artistic journey like developing a video game is constructed upon the foundations of a great team. It is supernatural how it seems that technical and artistic prowess is the number one necessity for the heroes in the team, but in reality it all boils down to the individual attitudes and chemistry between the great players in the team.

I have been part of a supernatural team working on video games for the past 7 years. I have clearly witnessed magic happening when we have had the opportunity to be a team. I have shamefully witnessed much technical mastery go down the drain in team dysfunction.

How it is all so supernatural, the magic that builds up around a few connected individuals, the brotherhood, the unity, the everlasting moments that spread much meaning from the internal desires aligned by the same vision and strengthened by a feeling to belong. Belong to the same team. A supernatural concept called a team.

Studying in Engineering and following science and being curious about the interactions of the subjects with the world will help make you blind from seeing what needs to be seen in order to proceed in the rough paths of novelty and creativity. Blind from seeing the supernatural power of the individuals in sync.

It is all about the people. It is all about the emotions rising on top of their mastery. It is all about a journey full of life.

7 years have let me experience working with many great individuals, many of whom I've learned a lot from, laughed with, cried with and felt the supernatural feelings. Many of whom I might travel far with in the future and many whom I won't ever see again. Many who present or absent, are part of what becomes of me. Memories remaining.

7 years have taught engineering, science and art how trust, love and brotherhood bring light to the darkest and coldest nights. Teaching the unteachable. The alchemy of the real people. The tango of the hemispheres over the solo of the left.

The 7 supernatural years.   

Storm Scars

Gustav is staring ... staring at the only thing stable in his life ... the infinite ocean ... the witness of his whole life ... Gustav is not here ... not now ... never drowned in the blue ocean but drowned now in his unconscious chaos of emotions ... emotions that were never witnessed by his crew ... secrets known only by the most chaotic companion of his life ... the one he spent most of his time in ... sailing with his ship ... the birds fear Gustav in this state ... anyone fears Gustav in this state ... the sound of the ice in his glass makes him wonder for a second if there has been any waves in the calm ocean ... no ... nothing to make the old and courage ship move ... his conscious mind was here many times before ... felt the feelings so much that it can easily pursue the subconscious mind into the dark lands ... lands darker than the darkest storms in the blackened waters of the north ... he feels the warmth of the unknown source in the dark caves of his unconscious mind ... a re-assuring energy ... an unknown so beautiful and full that push away the cold and uncertain memories of the stormy nights like ashes in a strong wind ... Gustav is not here ... his bruised body is ... his soul ... deep in the caves in search ... caves that breed the seeds that are the sources for him continuing on his journey ... can he ever see inside the caves ... never is the answer ... he knows it and he does not care ... he is born to live the life in the ocean ... oceans he travelled with his crew ... many gone and many with him ... Gustav is the crew gone ... living the experience forever ... forever in the waters that spiral forever ... up and down ... through the dark and into the cold ... with the joy and the ever lasting sorrows ... Gustav feels alive right on the border of death ... do they see the shores when he sees them ... is it the shores everyone is waiting for ... shores never delivered happiness ... deflecting the spear of Poseidon always did ... hearing the heart beat sound of the sailors did ... cracking the thick ice on the surface of the freezing oceans always did ... breaking his sword when stuck in the neck of the monsters always did ... this meaning was the souvenir for him from the caves ... souvenir from life ... Gustav will do what needs to be done ... will gather his will back on the ship while exhaling the final dancing naive smoke of his cigar ... will cover one eye to remind himself that it is not the distracting shallow vision he needs ... not the view that the deserters see every second ... the truth is in the un-tellable ... Gustav will only look ahead ... eye to an eye with the gods ... eye to an eye with the demons ... eye to an eye with life ... sets sail one more time with no concern for the ones in or out ... sets sail towards the sailable ... to feel alive ... towards the meaning which has only been a guest of the dark caves deep inside ... off he goes ... no sorrow in his mind ... reborn with one thing in his mind ... slaying demons and gods!

AI for Video Games

I recently ran a course on Artificial Intelligence for Video Games. The slides can be found here:

http://fanafzargames.com/ahf/igdiai/

The course was an introduction to the applications of AI in video games and diverse topics were covered.

Chaordic

Dee Hock has a lot of great theories about Chaordic organizations. Some of his quotes need to be carved in some stones that would live forever:

"It is essential to employ, trust, and reward those whose perspective, ability, and judgment are radically different from yours. It is also rare, for it requires uncommon humility, tolerance, and wisdom. "

"If you don't understand that you work for your mislabeled 'subordinates,' then you know nothing of leadership. You know only tyranny."

"An organization, no matter how well designed, is only as good as the people who live and work in it."

"If you look to lead, invest at least 40% of your time managing yourself - your ethics, character, principles, purpose, motivation, and conduct. Invest at least 30% managing those with authority over you, and 15% managing your peers. "

"Money motivates neither the best people, nor the best in people. It can move the body and influence the mind, but it cannot touch the heart or move the spirit; that is reserved for belief, principle, and morality."

"The problem is never how to get new, innovative thoughts into your mind, but how to get old ones out."

Highly highly valuable!