Day de Kok

Gameplay Programmer

Looking for Intermediate Gameplay Programming Opportunities

Projects

Hello!

Welcome to my portfolio. Below you find the most relevant projects and jobs that I developed over the last couple years. Feel free to check out the playable ones!

I am all about fun! My passion is developing exciting gameplay features and having fun collaborating on a creative project.

My Work

Employment

Playground Games
Current Job

Studio Red
Previous Job

Codeglue
Internship + First Job

Other Projects

Spellbound Spire
Non-Euclidean VR game

Reptoads
Online multiplayer card game - custom engine

Necromancy Game
Half-year project focused on flocking AI

Game Jams
48 hour projects

Other Projects
Any other projects I have been working on

PlaygroundGames

Playground Games

Current Job

Duration: August 2023 - present
Company Size: 400+
Engine: Custom C++ Engine
Platforms: Windows, Xbox
Role: Gameplay Engineer - Grade 2
Status: Current workplace
Team: Forza Horizon

Description

I am currently employed at Playground Games, a AAA studio located in Royal Leamington Spa, UK. My role is Gameplay Engineer - Grade 2, which translates to medior/intermediate level programmer. I relocated to the UK to work for Playground Games. I largely work in C++ in the proprietary engine but I have worked with Python and MaxScript too.

With the proprietary engine it was a great opportunity to dive into a large codebase. Learning new systems and architectures in order to do my work. I learned a lot about C++ as I was working in this engine.

I am responsible for the engineering side of the Cinematics system. Supporting cinematics designers by fixing bugs in the cinematics tools (usually written in Python or MaxScript) and maintaining/improving/fixing the runtime cinematics system.

What I did:

Upgraded the engine to use a newer C++ version
Fix various gameplay related bugs
Develop debug tools
Made responsible for the Cinematic Engineering
- Support designers by fixing bugs in tools or runtime
- Document and identify improvements
- Be the main engineering point of contact for cinematics designers
Actively involved in the LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group

Studio Red

Past Job

Duration - Job: June 2022 - June 2023
Company Size: 30+
Engine: Unreal 5
Platforms: Windows
Role: Gameplay Programmer
Status: Previous workplace

Description

At Studio Red I worked on two projects (under NDA). I joined the startup in it's early growth spurt. I worked on gameplay systems and features in Unreal 5. Figuring out the latest technology and using them for our gameplay. The studio was intended for AAA development, so I have been made familiar with and contributed to AAA processes and pipelines.

What I did:

Create a city generation tool in Unreal
Research and implement the new Gameplay Ability System in Unreal
Research and develop believable AI with Unreal's new State Tree technology
Create Pipeline, CI and QA validators and tests to enforce good coding practices and conventions.
Went to Devcom to represent the company and to look for talent.

StudioRed

Codeglue

Internship -> First Job

Duration - Internship: 5 months
Duration - Job: July 2021 - June 2022
Company Size: 20+
Engine: Unity, Custom C++ Engine
Platforms: Windows, Playstation 4, Xbox, Switch
Role - Internship: Intern Game Programmer
Role - Job: Game Programmer
Status: Previous workplace

Description

I did my internship at Codeglue, a game studio mainly focused on porting and co-development. I as an intern was hired to help out on one particular project: Re:Legend. But I also worked on other projects.

After my internship, I got hired. And started working on NIS classics vol. 2. Mainly working with C++ and a custom engine to adapt it from PSP and PS2 to PC and Switch.

What I did:

Investigate problems in the game's codebase
Test and build for Xbox One platform
Helping on other projects, fix UI bugs
Fix multiplayer bugs, disconnecting issues and so on
Improve the stability by fixing errors
Fix Graphical issues and bugs on PC and Switch
Work with an old, Japanese, custom C++ engine, file system and scripting API to fix gameplay bugs

Spellbound Spire

Released on Steam!

Duration: 1 year
Team Size: 22 ~ 25
Engine: Unity
Role: Lead (Management) Programmer / Generalist Programmer
Status: Released
Awards: Best Tech of IGAD Year 3, 2020

Description

Spellbound Spire is a traversal focused, exploration/puzzle, virtual reality game where you explore a Moorish palace to seal away the magical corruption. The levels utilize non-euclidean space with portals.

In this project I took the lead/management position to learn about management of a tech team and to encourage collaboration between and within the disciplines.

What I Did:

Prototyping in Unity and Unreal
Gravity Hand mechanic
Seamless level streaming
Optimizations (for Portals) in VR
Manage the tech side of the team as a lead programmer

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SpellboundSpire

OtherBUAS

RepToads & Necromany Game

Other Notable BUAS Projects

Reptoads

Duration: 8 weeks
Team Size: 25 of which 11 programmers
Engine: Custom C++ Engine
Platforms: Windows, Playstation 4
Role: Engine Programmer
Status: Finished development
Github: https://github.com/tomorrowengine/Reptoads

Description

Reptoads is an online multiplayer card game made in a custom engine. This engine was developed in C++ by the team members of this team.

What I did:

Redesigning the architecture of the client application
Set up the event system
Hook up all systems with the networking and event system
Implement the Audio system with FMOD
Improve the UI system

Check out the Repository

Download the Demo:

*Demo Polished by Jesse Roffel

Necromancy Game

Duration: Half a Year
Team Size: 1 programmer, 2 designers, 1 artist (+2 designers)
Engine: Unity
Role: AI Programmer, Lead Programmer, Gameplay Programmer
Status: Proof of Concept finished
Itch.io: https://roydev.itch.io/project-necromancy

Description

For the first half of my 4th year at BUAS I am developing a game with some others. For this project I wanted to mainly learn more about AI, as it is desirable knowledge to have as a gameplay programmer. The game is about a necromancer, raising an army of undead minions and commanding those minions to wreak havoc. I researched flocking AI and decision making AI.

What I did

AI architecture research; structure and integration
Flocking AI
Pathfinding in Unity
All major gameplay features
All other major game features (saving/loading etc..)

Game Jams

Catmodeus

Jam: GMTK Jam 2020

Itch.io: https://tyshe.itch.io/catmodeus

Engine: Unreal 4

Genre: Action, Arcade

You are a cat on a roomba. Summon the devil by sucking and pushing glowing objects into your ritual circle and score points!

Dithercat

Jam: Yogscast Jingle Jam 2019

Itch.io: https://tyshe.itch.io/dithercat

Engine: Unity 2D

Genre: Platformer

Jump through the level and collect "presents" for your owner. But don't collect too many of them before you get too chonky!

Snowscape

Jam: Global Game Jam 2019

Itch.io: https://utfrugg.itch.io/snowscape

Engine: Unreal 4

Genre: Adventure, Puzzle

Find your way home and use your abilities to traverse the over-snowed world.

Game Jams

Purret

Jam: Global Game Jam 2022

Itch.io: https://utfrugg.itch.io/purret

Engine: Unreal 4

Genre: Bullethell/heaven

Status: Gamejam finished, polishing some parts on the side

As the local Cat Artificer, your wizard tower is your pride and glory. But now an infestation of the Rat-King's minions is bothering your naps.

Your turret will take care of the rats, but you need to lure them into its line of fire without getting hit by your own turret. In addition to that, all your upgrades will help you take out the rats, but make the scene more dangerous for you.

Can you survive the longest? Can you make Catmodeus proud? Or is he truly at fault for doing whatever he does in the basement.

This was a Global Game Jam project made in 2022 and the timespan of 1 weekend.

Other Projects

Find more projects on my Itch.io page: https://utfrugg.itch.io/

About Me

About me

Hi! My name is Day de Kok (she/her), I'm from the Netherlands and graduated from Breda University of Applied Sciences. I'm a Gameplay programmer specialised in C++.

I am known for my contagious optimism and cheerfulness. To me it is all about fun, both while building the game and playing the game. Gameplay programming allows me to apply my technical skills to make something fun together with all disciplines. Those skills I have acquired through 4 years of university and 3+ years of industry experience.

I tend to pick up new systems or concepts rather quickly and I am always eager to learn more and share those findings with the team. My code is usually kept concise and clear. I work well with production tools and pipelines.

I am transgender, which means some of my past credits are in a different name.